Statement ICOMOS Lebanon: solidarity Beirut
Dear ICOMOS colleagues
With this statement, we would like to thank all of you for the outpouring of solidarity and for your messages that have reached us bringing a glimmer of hope facing the disaster that our city has suffered in its flesh, spirit and buildings.
On Tuesday, 4thAugust 2020, the Lebanese capital Beirut suffered a destructive explosion that devastated its famous commercial port and all its historic districts along the seafront and over a radius of several kilometres.
The city of Beirut, victim of several destructions during the past years due to the civil war and the real estate speculation of reconstruction, saw in this disaster its last traditional districts and various emblematic buildings, traditional houses, museums, universities and hospitals seriously affected. The threat of their loss looms as much because of the powerful blast of the explosion as because of the greed of developers and real estate speculators.
ICOMOS Lebanon and the Alumni of the Centre for Restoration and Conservation of the Lebanese University (Faculty of Fine Arts and Architecture), (in coordination with Blueshield Lebanon), are assisting the General Directorate of Antiquities in order to establish an inventory of all the historic districts and monuments. Thus, an emergency programme, the „BEIRUT BUILT HERITAGE RESCUE 2020“, has been set up, bringing together more than 40 volunteer architects-conservators and experts.
The work consists of collecting archives and documentation, as well as identifying and assessing the damage with the aim of implementing a general rescue plan.
The most threatened neighbourhoods are Mar Mkhayel, Sayfi, Gemmayze, Rmeil, Port Marfa‘, Geitawi, St. Nicholas, Zokak el-Blat, Minet el-Hosn, Bachoora (see attached map).
This undertaking is carried out in collaboration with UNESCO,Beirut Office, and ICCROM through its Regional Office in Sharjah – UAE.
ICOMOS Lebanon would like to thank all the people and experts working for the realization of this rescue plan and all our colleagues from national and international ICOMOS and many institutions for their involvement and support.
Jeanine Abdul Massih
President ICOMOS Liban