Once celebrities, they were everywhere on Lebanese television screens and cinema.
Today, many of the country’s retired actors have slipped into obscurity, their fame long faded, with no social safety net to guarantee them a dignified life.
For Lebanese television presenter, producer and philanthropist Ricardo Karam, restoring that dignity has become a personal mission.
That goal lies at the heart of Shining Stars of Hope, an annual Christmas concert aimed at raising funds for elderly Lebanese artists, as well as Les Restaurants du Coeur, a charity that provides daily meals to families in need.
“Actors were chosen as beneficiaries because they are often overlooked,” Mr Karam said. “These are people no one thinks about. They regularly reach out to me for help, and that is why this cause matters to me.”
The third edition of the event took place on Wednesday at Beirut’s Music Hall, featuring Lebanese performers singing local and international songs in a festive atmosphere.
“I have always helped Lebanese cultural figures facing hardship,” Mr Karam said. “But after several years, I realised I could not continue doing this on my own. I needed to think of something larger than myself.”
The event is organised by Takreem, an organisation initially focused on community-building before expanding into humanitarian work after Lebanon’s 2019 economic collapse, which plunged much of the country into poverty.
About 50 actors across all age groups benefit from Takreem’s support, including many aged 70 and above.
“Some have no social security and receive no income at all. Most are no longer working,” Mr Karam said.
Assistance includes both financial support and in-kind aid, such as boxes of food, cosmetics, detergents and other household essentials.
Ticket sales generate around $45,000, but most of the funds come from donations, Mr Karam said. Last year’s event raised $272,294.
“We expect this year to match previous donation levels,” he added. For the first time, half of the proceeds will go to Les Restaurants du Coeur.
In the packed hall, the cause resonated strongly with those attending.
“It’s a way to support people nobody cares about,” said Rana Idriss, an investor. “Even NGOs often overlook them; they’re completely invisible.”
In a country where social protection is virtually non-existent and where years of wars and economic hardship have deepened suffering, private solidarity has become essential, said Antoine Dammous, an engineer.
“We don’t have social safety nets here,” he said.
For Mr Karam, Christmas was the natural moment to stage the event. A time “centred on empathy, storytelling and solidarity”.
