A child is at times limited by a lot of things that may or may not be in his control; his environment, access to education and sometimes, his health. But there is one thing that a child doesn’t have any restrictions on: Imagination.
A child’s imagination is a boundless world that allows for anything to happen, for any child to be whatever or whoever he wants. And this is exactly what Heartbeat was inspired by for this year’s theme for the concert, Around the World… in a heartbeat.
Founded in 2005 by a group of Medical Doctors from Hotel-Dieu de France, Heartbeat-La Chaine de l’Espoir is a Lebanese humanitarian association with a mission to provide the highest level of surgical technology available to treat children with heart disease. 1% of children are born with heart malformation, which is equivalent to nearly 600 cases per year in Lebanon. If not treated, these diseases are the 1st cause of death before the age of 1 year. However if detected on time and an adequate treatment is given, the survival rate exceeds 95%.
Believing that “MUSIC SAVES LIVES”, Heartbeat provides the association necessary funds to accomplish its mission by organizing annual concerts and gala dinners. Since the first concert in 2005, over 50,000 people attended the Heartbeat shows, and thus saving the lives of more than 2,000 children suffering from heart diseases, averaging 350 lives saved per year. Heartbeat results could not be achieved without the full support of its volunteers, and dedicated partners and loyal fans.
Around the World…in a Heartbeat
Would you like to travel around the world in one night? This year, Heartbeat is taking us on a journey to discover the music, dances and flavors of the world. Inspired by the story of a young boy suffering from heart disease, who dreamt of seeing the world, visiting different countries and living different cultures, the show is a manifestation of this imaginative global journey. Flying from one country to another, with songs chosen from the folkloric traditions as well as the most recent hits, in a breath-taking show with 100 singers, dancers, musicians and comedians, performing live on stage, with decors, costumes, screen projections and lighting effects adapted to each country.
– Gala Dinner – Friday 22 April at 8 pm (BIEL – Beirut)
– Concert, Saturday 23 April at 8:30 pm and Sunday 24 April at 5:30 pm (BIEL – Beirut)
