what makes you proud of your country?

[Celine Dion]

You do not need a reason to be proud of your country. Everyone is more or less proud of their country- for many different reasons being either for the culture, history, or identity.

 

Why am I proud of being Lebanese?

 

I'll start by saying this is the country of my family and ancestors- the people who formed it's unique history. Lebanon's location at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland has dictated its rich history, and shaped a cultural identity of religious and ethnic diversity. The earliest evidence of civilization in Lebanon dates back more than 7,000 years— making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. predating recorded history.

 

Lebanon was the home of the Phoenicians. The Phoenicians were famous for producing expensive purple dye (the colour of royalty) through murex seashells, which contained the purple used to make the purple dye. The Phoenicians were also known for being the first sailors (the galley), and inventing the Alphabet. According to studies in 2004, 27% of Lebanese genes link back to those of the Phoenicians. Later in 2008 historians and studies drew a conclusion that the Canaanites were actually the Phoenicians. Meaning that the people of Lebanon, both Christian and Muslim, are genetically linked to the Phoenicians (Canaanites)

 

Anyways that was just some general information. Feel free to read these facts:

Spoiler:

1. Lebanon has 18 religious communities

 

2. It has 40 daily newspapers

 

3. It has 42 universities

 

4. It has over 100 banks (that is banks and not branches of a bank)

 

5. 70% of the students are in private schools

 

6. 40% of the Lebanese people are Christians (this is the highest

percent all the Arab countries)

 

7. There's 1 doctor per 10 people in Lebanon (In Europe & America,

there's 1 doctor per 100 people)

 

8. The name LEBANON appears 75 times in the Old Testament

 

9. The name CEDAR (Lebanon's tree) appears 75 times too in the Old

Testament!!

 

10. Beirut was destroyed and rebuilt 7 times (this is why it's

compared to The Phoenix).

 

11. There are 3.5 Million Lebanese in Lebanon

 

12. There are around 10 Million Lebanese outside Lebanon!

 

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS:

 

1. Lebanon, the country, was occupied by over 16 countries:>

Egyptians-Hittites-Assyrians- Babylonians- Persians- Alexander the greats

Army- the Roman Empire Byzantine- the Arabian Peninsula-The Crusaders- the

Ottoman Empire- Britain-France- Israel- Syria.

 

2. Byblos (city in Lebanon) is the oldest, continuously living city in the

world.

 

3. Lebanon's name has been around for 4,000 yrs non- stop (it's the oldest

country/ nation's name in the world!)

 

4. Lebanon is the only Arab country that doesn't have a desert.

 

5. There are 15 rivers in Lebanon (all of them coming from its own

mountains)

 

6. Lebanon is one of the most populated countries in its archeological

sites, in the world!!!

 

7. The first alphabet was created in Byblos (city in Lebanon)

 

8. The only remaining temple of Jupiter (the main Roman god) is in

Baalbeck, Lebanon (The City of the Sun)

 

9. The name of BYBLOS comes from the BIBLE!!!

 

10. Lebanon is the country that has the most books written about it.

 

11. Lebanon is the only non-dictatorial country in the Arab world (it has a

President!)

 

12. According to Christianity, Jesus Christ made his 1st miracle in Lebanon,

in Sidon (The miracle of Turning water into wine).

 

13. The Phoenicians (Original People of Lebanon) built the 1st boat, and

they were the first to sail ever!

 

14. Phoenicians also reached America long before Christopher Columbus did.

 

15. The 1st law school in the world was built in Lebanon, in Downtown

Beirut.

 

16. People say that the cedars were planted by God's own hands (This is

why they're called "The Cedars of God", and this is why Lebanon is called

"God's Country on Earth."

 

Feel free to share some information about your own country!

[Powrrr]

I don't like my country ;/, so nothing

[King]

we are undefeated in 2 world wars? youmad

[Saint Andrew]

Rob, I love you. :wub:

 

Extremely proud to British. Privileged I live in a culture where everyone is accept for who they are, being Black, Gay, Disabled you name it. Feels good waking up in the morning and not having to worry about people judging you. Extremely grateful I wasn't born in an African/Arab Country where in fact, I would be put to death for being gay.

 

Proud to be in a country with Democracy, Free Speech and Civil Rights. I could go into much more detail, but I think you get the picture.

[Bwas]

lol gay people

[Saint Andrew]

lol gay people

 

 

Lol Zenith?

 

I've heard it means ''Highest Point''. Why aren't you living up to the definition?

[Ducky]

I am 'BBC', British born Chinese :P

 

England -

Spoiler:

Diversity and tolerance - Nearly every city that you go to there will be lots of people with different ethnic backgrounds.

 

NHS ( health service is free ) - Free health care!! what more can i say?

 

Good and fair education system - every child and teen has an opportunity to make it, no excuses

 

Rich history - one of Europe's most oldest and influential territories. Saxons, vikings, Normans, 13th Century Magna Carter, Tudor England, Colonial England ( people traveling to now what is known as USA ), Civil war, owning a **** load of land and countries for such a tiny nation. blah blah......

 

fish n chips /kebab shops - just....delicious XD I know kebab is Turkish but w/e, we also have many different cultured eating places, so it's like a taste of other countries innit :P

 

freedom of speech and thinking - LOVE IT, everyone is an individual with their own opinions and are rightly allowed to express it, it's so important for a modern and free country

 

fair minded people - yes, not ALL but most i would like to think ;p

 

good artist/musicians - the Beatles, Adele, Elton John, Led Zeplin, Queen, Pink Floyd, rolling stones, Bee Gees, Cold PLay, Oasis and many more. ( i personally listen to more American music but yannoo :D )

 

best stand up comedians ever (IMO) :D - if you haven't listened or watched these guys i suggest you do - Jimmy Carr (MY FAVOURITE), Bill Bailey, Frankie Boyl, Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross, Jason Manford, Micheal McIntyre, Catherine tate, Lee Evans, Little Britain, Monty Python ...so many more.

 

Television - i really do believe the standard of programmes from the UK are the best ones out there, we have the BBC which is just amazing, many educational shows and programmes than other countries, obviously a wide range of shows, we do have the **** ones like Geordie Shore and big brother(UK Jersey Shore) but you get that everywhere ;p ( i don't actually watch tele but i know that British TV is dope). Funny and original stuff like, Skins, Misfits. Loads of interesting game shows and quizzes etc.

 

Also i believe English (White) people have a really relaxed lifestyle and culture, so it kinda influences the different people who come here.

 

Hong Kong (Quite different from China)

 

Spoiler:

Public transportation- Publice transport in HK is like a Utopia. The MTR underground is the best i have been on, extremely efficient, fast and sooo clean and cheap....you really cannot explain how amazing the MTR is in HK haha

 

Education - ok so, like in China the schools are tough as ****....high demand,very strict, the levels of material are off the chart...really difficult. Stuff that you would learn in the UK would be learnt in the Hk to students like 2-4 years earlier....they have a huge amount of work and studying, many of my cousins way of life is surrounded by school work, however they find time to do other stuff too....shows how clever,hard and fast working they are ... there is so much competition in HK, thats actually the reasons why there are so many international students that go to the UK and USA, because the work is less and they can have a more relaxed lifestyle (for rich kids). Another cool fact, in HK schools, students are ranked in every year from 1 to how many people are in their class...just imagine the pressure! but with hard work....of course its gonna pay off ;D Hk is one of the best places to study at...if u can get in

 

Way of life - their way of life, for the students and adults ( not so much the elders) are and busy busy busy. Everybody is doing something, getting somewhere or whatever.

 

Work Ethics - Everything is done so efficiently when i go there, for instance the shopping, over in the UK, u get bad workers who take way too long to serve at the desk and u have to wait ages just for them to serve a few customers, but in Hk...a huge line of people will go in minutes...Efficiency is the word! stuff is really convenient too.

 

Government - Hong Kong is run by a clean and efficient government, which is not common elsewhere in the world and particularly in Southeast Asia. In HK, the people have this pride thing....they will NEVER take benefits (Welfare for Americans), they have the choice to but no one ever does unless they really cannot work ( disabled or something), as long as they have arms and legs they will always find a job, even the poorest paid jobs, people would rather work than rely on the government, which is something i highly respect. Even when they can be better off just doing nothing. In the UK its sad because so many people are just sitting at home doing nothing because they can't be bothered. In HK, they actually give out money to the public because they have such an overflow of cash (a lot because they don't have scum bags just taking unneeded benefits from them)...anyone over 18 this year with a HK passport can claim £600 ($850?) I'm going over in Summer for free cash XD heheh

oh yeah - low tax rates.

 

^ unemployment rate is the lowest in the world atm

 

Food - this section would be too long, just going to cut it short and say the variety, taste and quality is to die for.

 

Architecture and places and landscape - modern and old, amazing sky scrapers, big cities, in such a tiny space. Shopping centers are new and luxurious, great theme parks, Hong Kong is an Island with the Sea surrounding it, loads of mountains filled with greenery, when you travel you travel across and between mountains, truly a site to see. A 20-minute drive from just about anywhere in the city will take you to beaches and hiking through green mountains. In 24 hours, you can experience paragliding off a mountain, diving off the coast with time left to explore the city

 

Weather - located on the Equator, so Super Hot yet it rains everyday, you can imagine the feel of it suddenly pouring down after a sweaty hot day :) not so great with the pollution tho

 

Freedom - yeah, unlike China you have freedom of speech ( HK has an independent Govt from China), Hk is the modern business state of Asia, so people of all countries come here.

 

Language - Everyone kinda speaks English, newer generation speak alot of English. Used to be an English colony so many things are English based. Hong Kong's average education level is relatively high and most HK locals start learning english at the age of 3 ;p so no problem here

 

 

wow i had surprisingly a lot to say lol ;p

 

TL;DR - THERE ISNT ONE

 

p.s good topic :)

[Big Alex 67]

we are undefeated in 2 world wars? youmad

yessir

[Anthoni]

I'm proud to be American because we defeated a country with muzzleloaders. We have gone undefeated in TWO World Wars. We're the #1 Country in the whole entire world. We may not be as old as other countries, but we do have an amazing history.

[Ducky]

why are Americans so obsessed with war? there are so many other great things in your country

[AndyIbeat]

for the things we did many years ago

 

 

now I honestly can't ******* stand my Country.

[-Joey-]

**** America

[Tragic]

d-day

[Father Justin]

We're the best & the land of opportunities - America

[Celine Dion]

Even though America isn't that old of a country, it has still placed its mark.

[Xpnkrockemox]

The United States is a nice place to live, its a nice country, but there are some major problems that i would love to see fixed. Im proud to be an American, but i also wouldnt mind living in other countries such as England, or Canada.

[N54]

America-the land of opportunity

[Nippon]

Patriotism doesn't sit well with me, but I suppose I have to admit I have some love for my country and its people. Government, freedom, laws, are all derived from the people, so any love I have is certainly not love towards an institution, but love for the people who share these values and uphold them. On top of that, I do love the scenery, the national one and the familiarity and memories attached to the places closest to me.

 

Proud? A weird word to use to describe your feelings towards people you don't know, or things that simply exist as they always have. I'm somewhat proud if my parlament makes a good decision. I might be dissatisfied if the decision is bad. So my pride is not something consistent, like love, but something that changes according to the actions of the people.

[Romnick]

I'm proud that I live in the US. I've asked friends all over the world, and they say that we're looked down upon as eeediots, lol.

 

But when it comes to my ethnicity.. I'm proud to be Pinoy (from the Philippines.)

[nosympathy]

America - the birth place of AIDs :)

[Nara]

america fat

[M4G1CA]

I'm in the same boat as Nippon, really, not a huge fan of patriotism. The truth is that I believe it is rather pathetic if somebody boasts about his country's achievements, unless of course, that person has made a huge contribution to that specific accomplishment.

 

Yet, to my own shame, I can't hide that I do have a certain degree of pride as a German and a Canadian. You can go anywhere in the world and be received positively once it is revealed you come from Canada. I remember when I was in a French restaurant with my family speaking English. The waiter whistled to himself as he passed us and didn't serve us for a good hour until one of us spoke up and told him we came from Canada. Directly after he exclaimed, "Oh, ils sont Canadiens!" and took our order.

[Curtis]

nothing it's ********, but we are powerful. I guess that can make me proud. and safe, lol.

[Hugh]

this

 

[NHL]

USA the land of the free