‘Li Beirut’ breathes new life, and old memories, into homes and historic buildings after Beirut port explosion
Children draw their brushes and get ready to add color to a big white wall in a playground. Colors, paint jars, pencils and drawings cover the ground. Children’s voices burst forth with joy; and Marie-Joe Ayoub, a young artist/painter, tries to channel the group’s overflow of energy to complete the mural that is starting to take shape.
"This mural helps children feel that they have a role to play in the beautification of their school after the port explosion”, explains Marie-Joe.
The painting activity marks the completion of rehabilitation work carried out by UNESCO and UN-Habitat, with support from Education Cannot Wait, in two schools in Beirut after the port explosion on August 4th, 2020. The initiative, aptly named Li Beirut (“to Beirut” in Arabic), has helped rebuild 40 damaged schools across the city. It also supports the rehabilitation of historic heritage buildings, museums, galleries, and more.
“I am drawing food”, says Hani, while decorating his school’s wall. “Food helps our bodies grow. I also drew bad things like cigarettes and candy, to compare”.
On the other side, Sally is adding the final touches to the wings of a large butterfly. "It symbolizes freedom, and it's colorful, just like my school!", she says.
‘This house was everything to me’
This is the house where Hala Boustani was born. She has lived in Rmeil, a neighborhood near downtown Beirut, for 83 years. More than 100 years ago, her father Hanna Achkar built the house on a small embankment facing the port of Beirut.
But on a grim summer afternoon on August 4, 2020, Hala saw her house, and with it her life, collapse in a matter of seconds. Though she miraculously survived the double explosion at the port of Beirut, she says she would have preferred to die on that day—rather than see her house shattered to pieces. Three people died in the building next door.
“This house was everything to me," says the octogenarian with a trembling voice. "Whatever I say, I would not be able to express how I feel today. In this house, my husband and I put everything we have into this house, and I was hoping to die in this building too”.
Identified by UNESCO and the General Directorate of Antiquities of Lebanon as one of 12 priority historic buildings at risk of collapse due to the explosion, Hala’s house has been stabilized, propped and sheltered thanks to Li Beirut.
“Our building is safe and no longer at risk of falling; we can enter it now without worrying”, says Eduardo, Hala’s nephew-in-law. “This house, with its special antique furniture, was a place for the family, where we always met”.
"Li Beirut" is an international flagship initiative launched from Beirut by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, in the aftermath of the Beirut explosions, to support the rehabilitation of schools, historic heritage buildings, museums, galleries and the creative industry. Support from the German Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs helped make the initiative possible.
This story draws from stories published by the UN in Lebanon here and here. Editorial support provided by Elie Baaklini of the Development Coordination Office. For more information on the United Nations' work in Lebanon, please visit: Lebanon.UN.org.
