Lebanese Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Lebanon is a small country on the eastern Mediterranean, known for its mountains, its cedar trees and its capital, Beirut. Its people include Muslims, Christians and Druze, and Lebanese families have a long history of travel and trade around the world. Lebanese people in Birmingham include professionals, business owners and students.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 9,495 people living in the city had been born in Middle Eastern countries other than Iran and Iraq, a group that includes Lebanon; and 19,996 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Arab.

Working for Birmingham

Lebanese residents work in medicine, engineering, finance, law and business, and many run restaurants and food businesses. Lebanese families are known for their entrepreneurial spirit, and Lebanese-heritage professionals serve the city in hospitals, universities and offices.

The city's future rests on the same things as its past: skills, enterprise and people willing to put in the hours. Whether in a hospital, a classroom, a lecture theatre, a van full of tools or a shop on a busy high street, Lebanese residents are helping to build that future, and to make Birmingham a stronger, fairer and more welcoming city.

Culture and community life

Lebanese mezze, including hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush and grilled meats, is one of the most popular cuisines in Birmingham. Christian and Muslim festivals are celebrated with family feasts, and the dabke, a lively line dance, is part of every celebration. Fairuz's songs are loved by generations.

Like so many of the communities that make up modern Birmingham, the Lebanese community shows how a city can be home to many cultures at once. Its members are proud of where they come from, and just as proud to be Brummies.