Michel Elefteriades
Encyclopedia
Michel Elefteriades (born 22 June 1970) is a Greek
-Lebanese
politician, artist, producer
and businessman. He is noted in the Arab world
for his eclectic style, as well as his unorthodox beliefs and opinions, which have generated controversy and ignited passionate responses from his supporters and detractors alike.
Greek
descent (who is the grandnephew of Saint Chrysostomos Kalafatis
, Metropolitan
of Smyrna
), the Lebanese
born Elefteriades speaks six languages and is well traveled. He studied Fine Arts and Advertising
in the city of Nantes, France, and holds a Masters Degree in Graphic Design and Communication Arts from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts
(ALBA).
, Jean Jacques Lafon, Nahawanad, Hanine y son cubano, El Chato, Galvez, Jose Fernandez, as well as a collective work featuring Saber el Ruba’i, Moen Shraif, Wadih El Safi
, and Mohamad el Mazem. Elefteriades is considered an Arab pioneer of World Music
fusion
.
As a music producer and song arranger, some of his creations are considered successful musical experiments in the Arab world. A few of these are:
In 1999, Elefteriades founded the “Mediterraneo Byblos International Festival”, and was its director from 1999 to 2003. He wrote, composed and directed the 2004 “The Journey of Four Songs”, a musical for the Baalbeck International Festival
.
He has directed a number of music videos, for such artists as Galvez, Demis Roussos, Tony Hanna, The Chehade Brothers, Hanine Y Son Cubano, Nahawand, Tania Saleh, José Fernandez, Abdel Karim Chaar, Yusra, Rom Bakhtale, Tino Favazza. Elefteriades has also directed documentaries about Tony Hanna and on the life of Nahawand.
In 2003, Elefteriades founded Beirut’s “Music Hall
”, an 800-seat theater venue specializing in a unique concept that made it a successful night-clubbing destination in the Middle East.
Elefteriades is founder and co-owner of “Elef.Records”, a “Warner Music”
label which has produced the following albums:
(instead of its customary location at Paris’ Grand Palais
). This showing produced such controversy that it required special protection. Afterward, Elefteriades decided to drop painting completely.
. Later, Elefteriades committed himself to the political movement of then Prime Minister, General Michel Aoun
(1989).
On October 13, 1990, Syrian forces launched a massive attack on the Lebanese army; defeated General Aoun; and occupied what still remained of Lebanon’s free territory. Elefteriades initially fled to France. In 1991, he came back to Lebanon and founded the M.U.R.
(Unified Movements of the Resistance), which he led until 1994. The M.U.R. was a clandestine, armed group dedicated to fighting Lebanon's occupation by foreign armies. Elefteriades was often involved in organizing general strikes designed to paralyze the country. The M.U.R. was considered an illegal organization and its activities were implemented secretively. Its main principles and objectives were:
During this period, Elefteriades was the intended victim of two unsuccessful assassination attempts. The first one destroyed his car with a booby-trap; the second attempt targeted him through an armed ambush. He left Lebanon to live in France and Cuba from 1994 until 1997.
Elefteriades was active in Lebanon’s Cedar Revolution
and co-organized, in April 2005, the National Unity Festival’s mega-concert that took place in downtown Beirut celebrating “Independence 05”. In May of the same year, he co-organized the celebration of the return to Lebanon -after 15 years of exile- of Michel Aoun
.
's capture 40 years earlier), Elefteriades launched a public campaign called "We Won’t Pay Lebanon’s Odious Debts". The campaign was meant to exercise pressure on the state to take action on Lebanon’s unprecedented public debt of about 40 billion US Dollars, which, at the time of the press conference, was the highest debt to GDP ratio in the world. The main objective of the campaign was to raise awareness inside and outside of the country about the nature of Lebanon's loans with the end goal of abolishing its debt. (This odious debt
was incurred between 1993 and 2005, while Lebanon was under foreign [Syrian] occupation.) As a result of his activities, the Association of Banks in Lebanon called for the prosecution of Elefteriades, viewing him as a threat to Lebanon's financial stability.
, Wadih El Safi
, Myriam Fares
, Ramy Ayach
, Marwan Khoury
, Amal Hijazi
The proceeds of the event were entirely forwarded, through the United Nations
, to the South East Asia Tsunami victims
. That same year he organized a free concert by the National Orchestra of Nowheristan at the UNESCO Palace, in collaboration with the United Nations, to celebrate the International Day of Peace
.
In 2006, he was a founding member of "Pan-Arab Cultural Icons/WAYYAK", a pan-Arab NGO whose primary mission is to build bridges with disadvantaged Arab neighborhoods through the exposure to Arab celebrities
, he has identified closely to the Roma people (Gypsies). He studied their language and has gained the trust of the Arab Gypsy communities. He has worked on establishing contacts with Roma activists from around the world and launched the career of Bilal, the Gipsy Prince, the only notable Dom singer.
Elefteriades envisioned a new social, philosophical, political and cultural approach in his 'founding' of a new nation he named “Nowheristan”, which is dedicated to justice, liberation, and equality. The proclamation of the "Great Empire of Nowheristan" received the support of the United Nations and the Lebanese Minister of Culture. Numerous intellectuals have embraced the concept of Nowheristan, with thousands from around the world having applied for citizenship.
Elefteriades', with his self-styled title, "His Imperial Highness Michel I of Nowheristan", continues to promote his creation with articles, interviews and reports in numerous international media, including: CNN
, BBC
, France 3 Méditerranée
, France 24
, TV5
, TVE2, Al-Jazeera, Los Angeles Times
, Der Spiegel
, La Vanguardia
, Paris-Match, L'Orient Le Jour
, Daily Star
, Hurriyet
, Al-Ahram
, Asharq Al-Awsat.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
-Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
politician, artist, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and businessman. He is noted in the Arab world
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
for his eclectic style, as well as his unorthodox beliefs and opinions, which have generated controversy and ignited passionate responses from his supporters and detractors alike.
Education and background
With a Lebanese mother and a father of ByzantineByzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
descent (who is the grandnephew of Saint Chrysostomos Kalafatis
Chrysostomos of Smyrna
Chrysostomos Kalafatis , known as Saint Chrysostomos of Smyrna, Chrysostomos of Smyrna and Metropolitan Chrysostom, was the Greek Orthodox bishop of Smyrna between 1910 and 1914, and again from 1919 to his death in 1922...
, Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
), the Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
born Elefteriades speaks six languages and is well traveled. He studied Fine Arts and Advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
in the city of Nantes, France, and holds a Masters Degree in Graphic Design and Communication Arts from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts
Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts
The Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts was originally a stand-alone Lebanese institute, now one of the nine current faculties at the University of Balamand, teaching courses in fine art. It was founded in 1937, and it was the first national institution of higher education in Lebanon...
(ALBA).
Music and show business career
Elefteriades is an author and composer of more than 120 songs for such European and Arab artists as: Tony Hanna, Demis RoussosDemis Roussos
Artemios Ventouris Roussos is a Greek singer and performer, best known for being the main musical partner of movie soundtrack composer Vangelis and a string of international hit records as a solo performer in the 1960s and 1970s...
, Jean Jacques Lafon, Nahawanad, Hanine y son cubano, El Chato, Galvez, Jose Fernandez, as well as a collective work featuring Saber el Ruba’i, Moen Shraif, Wadih El Safi
Wadih El Safi
Wadih El Safi is a Lebanese singer songwriter, and actor of Assyrian/Syriac background. He is a Lebanese cultural icon, and is often called the "Voice of Lebanon"...
, and Mohamad el Mazem. Elefteriades is considered an Arab pioneer of World Music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
.
As a music producer and song arranger, some of his creations are considered successful musical experiments in the Arab world. A few of these are:
- Hanine Y Son Cubano.
- Wadih El Safi in duo with Jose Fernandez.
- Demis Roussos & the Oriental Roots Orchestra.
- Tony Hanna & the Yugoslavian Gipsy Brass Band.
In 1999, Elefteriades founded the “Mediterraneo Byblos International Festival”, and was its director from 1999 to 2003. He wrote, composed and directed the 2004 “The Journey of Four Songs”, a musical for the Baalbeck International Festival
Baalbeck International Festival
The Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and best-known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Since 1955, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have flocked to the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon to attend the annual festival...
.
He has directed a number of music videos, for such artists as Galvez, Demis Roussos, Tony Hanna, The Chehade Brothers, Hanine Y Son Cubano, Nahawand, Tania Saleh, José Fernandez, Abdel Karim Chaar, Yusra, Rom Bakhtale, Tino Favazza. Elefteriades has also directed documentaries about Tony Hanna and on the life of Nahawand.
In 2003, Elefteriades founded Beirut’s “Music Hall
Music Hall (Beirut)
Music Hall is a cabaret-style music hall theatre specializing in live entertainment and cultural showbiz. It is located at Starco Center on Omar Daouk Street in the city centre of Beirut, Lebanon....
”, an 800-seat theater venue specializing in a unique concept that made it a successful night-clubbing destination in the Middle East.
Elefteriades is founder and co-owner of “Elef.Records”, a “Warner Music”
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
label which has produced the following albums:
- Tony Hanna & the Yugoslavian Gipsy Brass Band
- Tony Hanna & the National Orchestra of Nowheristan
- Mounir El Khawli - The Dragon of Tarab
- Hanine Y Son Cubano – Arabo-Cuban and 10908
- Jose FernandezJosé FernándezJosé Fernández may refer to:*José Agustín Fernández, Paraguayan judge and human rights activist, found the "terror archives"*José Ramón Fernández Álvarez , vice-president of the Cuban Council of Ministers...
– Makhlouta - Wadih El SafiWadih El SafiWadih El Safi is a Lebanese singer songwriter, and actor of Assyrian/Syriac background. He is a Lebanese cultural icon, and is often called the "Voice of Lebanon"...
& Jose Fernandez - Tania SalehTania Salehname = Tania Saleh/تانيا صالحbackground = singer/songwriterdate of birth = March 11, 1969place of birth = Beirut, Lebanonyears_active = 2002–presentgenre = [World Music]...
- The Chehade BrothersThe Chehade BrothersFarid and Rami Chehade, who perform professionally as the Chehade Brothers, are Palestinian musicians and singers.Natives of the Old City of Jerusalem, Farid and Rami Chehade started studying music at a very young age and have come to master the oriental musical and poetical art forms of zajal,...
– A Bridge Over the Mediterranean - Jose Gálvez & the National Orchestra of Nowheristan
- Lautaris
- Nahawand.
- L’Empereur chante - self-produced
Fine arts
As a painter, his works have been presented at several collective exhibitions in France, Germany and Lebanon. In 1995, he presented The Wailing Wall, a 10x2 meters piece of art, at a special edition of the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs that took place in the Beirut Central DistrictBeirut Central District
The Beirut Central District or Centre Ville is the name given to Beirut’s historical and geographical core, the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hub of the country.” At the heart of Lebanon’s capital, Beirut Central District is an area thousands of years old, traditionally a...
(instead of its customary location at Paris’ Grand Palais
Grand Palais
This article contains material abridged and translated from the French and Spanish Wikipedia.The Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées, commonly known as the Grand Palais , is a large historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located at the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France...
). This showing produced such controversy that it required special protection. Afterward, Elefteriades decided to drop painting completely.
Writing
Elefteriades is the author of two novels, one of which was banned in the Arab world. Starting in 1994, he was editor for over a year of a weekly review on “Crazy Thoughts and Ideas” in An-Nahar, Lebanon’s leading newspaper.Politics and resistance
Elefteriades has engaged in political activism from the age of 15. He was an extreme left-wing militant growing up in the hostile political environment of east Beirut, which was under the control of right-wing Christian militias during the Lebanese civil warLebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
. Later, Elefteriades committed himself to the political movement of then Prime Minister, General Michel Aoun
Michel Aoun
Michel Naim Aoun is a former Lebanese Army Commander and he is one of the allies of Hezbollah. From 22 September 1988 to 13 October 1990, he has served as Prime Minister of the legal one of two rival governments that contended for power. He declared "The Liberation War" against the Syrian...
(1989).
The M.U.R.
M.U.R.
M.U.R., which stands for Mouvements Unis de la Résistance , was a Lebanese clandestine liberation armed group fighting Lebanon's occupation by foreign armies in the 1990s, after the Lebanese civil war was officially ended.M.U.R. was founded in 1991 by Michel Elefteriades who led it until 1994...
(Unified Movements of the Resistance), which he led until 1994. The M.U.R. was a clandestine, armed group dedicated to fighting Lebanon's occupation by foreign armies. Elefteriades was often involved in organizing general strikes designed to paralyze the country. The M.U.R. was considered an illegal organization and its activities were implemented secretively. Its main principles and objectives were:
- Freeing the Lebanese territory from all foreign military presence
- Rejecting feudalism and political sectarianism in order to establish a secular democracy
- Social justice
- Edifying a modern, independent and sovereign state within Lebanon’s internationally recognized boundaries
- Implementing the Human Rights Charter
- Fighting treason and corruption
During this period, Elefteriades was the intended victim of two unsuccessful assassination attempts. The first one destroyed his car with a booby-trap; the second attempt targeted him through an armed ambush. He left Lebanon to live in France and Cuba from 1994 until 1997.
Elefteriades was active in Lebanon’s Cedar Revolution
Cedar Revolution
The Cedar Revolution or Independence Intifada was a chain of demonstrations in Lebanon triggered by the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on February 14, 2005.The primary goals of the original activists were the...
and co-organized, in April 2005, the National Unity Festival’s mega-concert that took place in downtown Beirut celebrating “Independence 05”. In May of the same year, he co-organized the celebration of the return to Lebanon -after 15 years of exile- of Michel Aoun
Michel Aoun
Michel Naim Aoun is a former Lebanese Army Commander and he is one of the allies of Hezbollah. From 22 September 1988 to 13 October 1990, he has served as Prime Minister of the legal one of two rival governments that contended for power. He declared "The Liberation War" against the Syrian...
.
Recent activism
On October 8, 2007, during a press conference held in one of his shuttered Beirut restaurants (shut down on the date which commemorated Che GuevaraChe Guevara
Ernesto "Che" Guevara , commonly known as el Che or simply Che, was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual, guerrilla leader, diplomat and military theorist...
's capture 40 years earlier), Elefteriades launched a public campaign called "We Won’t Pay Lebanon’s Odious Debts". The campaign was meant to exercise pressure on the state to take action on Lebanon’s unprecedented public debt of about 40 billion US Dollars, which, at the time of the press conference, was the highest debt to GDP ratio in the world. The main objective of the campaign was to raise awareness inside and outside of the country about the nature of Lebanon's loans with the end goal of abolishing its debt. (This odious debt
Odious debt
In international law, odious debt is a legal theory that holds that the national debt incurred by a regime for purposes that do not serve the best interests of the nation, should not be enforceable. Such debts are, thus, considered by this doctrine to be personal debts of the regime that incurred...
was incurred between 1993 and 2005, while Lebanon was under foreign [Syrian] occupation.) As a result of his activities, the Association of Banks in Lebanon called for the prosecution of Elefteriades, viewing him as a threat to Lebanon's financial stability.
Social commitments
In spring 2005, Elefteriades co-organized a concert in Beirut, presenting the biggest names of Arab music: Nancy AjramNancy Ajram
Nancy Nabil Ajram is a multi-platinum Lebanese singer and Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. With the support of her father, Nancy began performing as a child and released her first studio album by the age of 15...
, Wadih El Safi
Wadih El Safi
Wadih El Safi is a Lebanese singer songwriter, and actor of Assyrian/Syriac background. He is a Lebanese cultural icon, and is often called the "Voice of Lebanon"...
, Myriam Fares
Myriam Fares
Myriam Fares is a Lebanese singer and entertainer.-Early life and beginnings:Myriam was born in Kafar Shlal, a small village in Southern Lebanon, near Kafarhata village, 5 miles east of Saida....
, Ramy Ayach
Ramy Ayach
Ramy Ayach is a Druze Lebanese singer, songwriter, composer, and instrumentalist.- Early life :...
, Marwan Khoury
Marwan Khoury
Marwan Khoury is a Lebanese singer, writer, composer and music arranger. His compositions are performed by some of the most famous artists in the Arab World and adapted by many other countries including Turkey...
, Amal Hijazi
Amal Hijazi
Amal Hijazi is a Lebanese singer, model and pop icon. She is currently one of the most active Lebanese singers and has given a number of concerts throughout the world and has made countless TV appearances. After her lengthy career as a fashion model, Hijazi released her debut album, Akher Gharam...
The proceeds of the event were entirely forwarded, through the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, to the South East Asia Tsunami victims
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
. That same year he organized a free concert by the National Orchestra of Nowheristan at the UNESCO Palace, in collaboration with the United Nations, to celebrate the International Day of Peace
International Day of Peace
The International Day of Peace, also known as the World Peace Day, occurs annually on 21 September. It is dedicated to peace, and specifically the absence of war, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone. It is observed by many nations, political groups, military...
.
In 2006, he was a founding member of "Pan-Arab Cultural Icons/WAYYAK", a pan-Arab NGO whose primary mission is to build bridges with disadvantaged Arab neighborhoods through the exposure to Arab celebrities
Gypsy passion
Elefteriades has a passion for the ethnic communities of the world. As a tziganologist who wrote a study about Arab Gypsies published by Charles University in PragueCharles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, he has identified closely to the Roma people (Gypsies). He studied their language and has gained the trust of the Arab Gypsy communities. He has worked on establishing contacts with Roma activists from around the world and launched the career of Bilal, the Gipsy Prince, the only notable Dom singer.
Nowheristan promotion
Elefteriades', with his self-styled title, "His Imperial Highness Michel I of Nowheristan", continues to promote his creation with articles, interviews and reports in numerous international media, including: CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, France 3 Méditerranée
France 3 Méditerranée
France 3 Provence-Alpes is a regional television service, part of the France 3 network. It serves the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region from its headquarters in Marseilles and secondary production centre in Antibes, along with newsrooms in Toulon and Nice...
, France 24
France 24
France 24 is an international news and current affairs television channel. The service is aimed at the overseas market, similar to BBC World News, DW-TV, NHK World and RT, and broadcast through satellite and cable operators throughout the world. During 2010 the channel started broadcasting through...
, TV5
TV5MONDE
TV5MONDE is a global television network, broadcasting several channels of French language programming. It is an approved participant member of the European Broadcasting Union.-History:...
, TVE2, Al-Jazeera, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
, La Vanguardia
La Vanguardia
La Vanguardia is Catalonia's leading daily newspaper as well as the fourth best-selling in Spain. It has its headquarters in Barcelona, Catalonia's largest city....
, Paris-Match, L'Orient Le Jour
L'Orient Le Jour
L'Orient-Le Jour meaning The Orient-The Day is the leading French language daily newspapers in Lebanon.It was first published on September 1, 1970 following the merger of two French-Language Lebanese dailies, L'Orient and Le Jour . - External links : *...
, Daily Star
Daily Star (Lebanon)
The Daily Star is a pan-Middle East English language newspaper edited in Beirut. It was founded in 1952 by Kamel Mrowa, the publisher of the Arabic daily Al-Hayat to serve the growing number of expatriates brought by the oil industry...
, Hurriyet
Hürriyet
-External links:* * ** * *...
, Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram
Al-Ahram , founded in 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya . It is majority owned by the Egyptian government....
, Asharq Al-Awsat.