On Thursday, November 24th, Ibsar, Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures, at AUB, held its first annual concert to raise money for tree planting in Lebanon.  The event’s title, ‘Stock the Wood’ is a play on the 1969 music festival, Woodstock, which served as the theme for the night.  Around 300 students, faculty, and non-AUB visitors showed up to listen to local musicians play sounds of the 60s and 70s.  Despite the cold, the audience sang along energetically till after 10pm.

 The night included performances by six groups, including Beirut Vocal Point, the popular a cappella group known for its flash mobs on AUB campus.   Recycled, which performed several popular Beatles covers, had the audience up in their seats dancing, especially during their last song, “All You Need is Love.”  Also featured were AUB students, Omar Talhouk and Mahmoud Ramadan, local band Freefall, and Peter Jam, an international artist and activist who recently returned from touring in Europe and the US.  Special guest and headlining act, Poly, concluded the show with popular covers such as “Somebody to Love” and “I Love Rock and Roll” and her own single, “Tough.” 

 In total, the concert raised over $5600 thanks to ticket sales and additional donations.  All proceeds from the concert went to Ibsar’s Power of Planting Program, which was launched in 2007 to protect and promote Lebanon’s diverse natural heritage while involving local communities.  Ibsar plants trees in Lebanon every year between October and December; since 2008 the center has planted over 30,000 trees in various municipalities in Lebanon.  The 530 trees to be planted thanks to the concert will make a valuable addition to Ibsar’s already impressive contribution to tree planting in Lebanon.