Born in the Ashrafiyeh neighborhood of Beirut, the Flayfel brothers Mohammad (1899) and Ahmad (1903), were behind all patriotic anthems composed from the 1920s to the 1950s. In 1938, the Syrian government called for a competition to find lyrics for the anthem, “Humat al-Diyar” (Guardians of the Homeland) that was written by Syrian poet Khalil Mardam Bey. Over 60 composers applied, including the Flayfel Brothers. The jury refused to even grant them an audience, as they were competing with big names in the music industry. They appealed to Fares al-Khury, the Speaker of Parliament, who liked the music, but told them that it was “too early” to adopt it as an official anthem, advising them instead to “teach it to school children.” As a result, the anthem became very popular in Syrian schools throughout the early 1940s. In 1945, Fares al-Khury headed Syria’s mission to the founding conference of the United Nations. From there he advocated for Syria’s independence from the French Mandate and announced that “Humat al-Diyar” would become Syria’s official National Anthem. When independence was achieved on April 17, 1946 it was played officially by Syria’s military parade in a military ceremony attended by Khury and President Shukri al-Quwatli. It has been Syria’s official anthem ever since.