'Syria is hope': Maya Diab performs in Tartus

The Lebanese superstar held a concert in the coastal city this weekend

Maya Diab wore Nicolas Jebran Couture for her performance in Syria. Photo: Instagram / Maya Diab 

A Dubai nightlife favourite and a regional pop queen, Lebanese entertainer Maya Diab performed in Tartus, Syria on Friday night.

The star, who has an impressive 7.2 million Instagram followers, performed alongside Joseph Attieh at the Holiday Beach Hotel in the coastal city, which sits on the western coast of Syria and faces the Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus.

Tartus has remained less affected than other parts of the country by Syria's devastating eight-and-a-half year civil war, and so remains relatively busy with internal tourists.

"What a night yesterday in Syria," the star wrote on her Facebook page of the performance, adding: "Syria is hope, happiness and music. I missed staying up and dancing with the people. I'm a person that loves dearly, and I'm happy spending time with you in Syria."

Diab wore a ruched light pink gown by Lebanese designer Nicolas Jebran for the occasion:

The town of Tartus featured heavily in the August 2016 Syrian Tourism campaign, which was widely criticised for ignoring the realities of many Syrians:

While some performers, including Carole Samaha, have been criticised for performing in Syria, most maintain that the decision to sing in the war-torn country isn't political, and is about their fans.

Musicians boycotting a country is a common political statement, but often during eras like South Africa's apartheid, when whole communities in a country are disallowed from attending concerts, when others are given access. Many in Syria have said they're happy to see performers begin to return:

Diab's next big performance is in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, on Thursday August 1 at the Divan Hotel.