The "Mayyas" troupe during the America's Got Talent finals. (Photo credit: Mayyas's Facebook page)
BEIRUT — President Michel Aoun awarded “Mayyas” the Lebanese Gold Medal of Merit, in appreciation of its “artistic contributions and success in the most important international talent programs,” the Lebanese Presidency tweeted Thursday.
Lebanese dance troupe "Mayyas" won the 17th season of the TV show "America's Got Talent" Wednesday night. The 36 Lebanese dancers and their choreographer Nadim Cherfan won $1 million and the chance to perform with "America's Got Talent Live" in Las Vegas.
On Thursday, Aoun tweeted: “Thank you for your efforts and creativity because you planted hope and light in all of our hearts.”
Cherfan, who confided to L'Orient-Le Jour in June that Mayyas' objective was "simply to win this competition," said he wished to dedicate the success of his troupe to Lebanon, where support for Mayyas has turned into national and patriotic pride.
One of the four judges on the panel, Simon Cowell, had said after Mayyas’ number in the semifinals, that "every single person in this room is going to remember this moment, I promise you that,” adding that “this is not going to just change your lives … this is a performance that changes the world.”