More than a month has passed since Lebanon was left reeling from a colossal explosion in its capital city of Beirut on August 4, killing nearly 200, injuring thousands and leaving 300,000 people homeless, yet communities across the world continue to come together through different charitable initiatives in a show of solidarity.

The latest initiative to come out of Japan is a charity dinner entitled “Yokohama Support Beirut”  hosted by the Lebanese restaurant Al Ain  located Kanagawa, Yokohama and held in partnership with the Embassy of Lebanon in Japan, on September 19, to raise funds for those affected by the blast.

Organized and created by  Ziad Karam, the owner of Al Ain restaurant, the charity dinner will feature a of four-course menu that consists of cold and hot mezze platters, main dishes, and desserts to to allow guests to indulge in the traditional savoury dishes from the Lebanese cuisine while simultaneously contributing to those in need.

The event will charge JPY 10,000 per person, of which fifty-percent (JPY 5,000) will be allocated to Beirut through the Japan Red Cross, which is the Japanese affiliate of the Lebanese Red Cross.

“My grandfather, father and I were all born in the Achrafieh district of Beirut, one of the hard-hit areas adjacent to the blast site, where damage has been most severe. Our house has been mostly destroyed and the area I studied in, Gemmayze, which is also near the site of the blast is no longer recognizable. I organized this dinner with Lebanese Embassy in Japan to be able to help Lebanon and the victims of the blast from here. I hope Lebanon and Beirut come back to what they were before,” Ziad Karam, the owner of Al Ain restaurant and organizer of the event, told Arab News Japan. 

“There are many Japanese people that are interested in Lebanon as they like to visit arab countries. I would like to show those that live here a good image of Beirut. There will be a screen at the event where pictures of  tourist attractions in Lebanon such as Byblos, Baalbak, Sour, Tyre, Jeita and many other areas will be displayed against the backdrop of classical Lebanese songs by renowned singers such as Fairouz and the soprano singer Majida El Roumi,” Karam added.

The maximum number of attendees permitted for the dinner is 30 and those interested in participating in the event must place reservations through contacting the number: 0452516199 or 09044388013 in order to ensure seat availability.