Despite Economic Crisis, Lebanon's Landscape Stands Strong

July 16, 2021

Lebanon is in one of the world’s worst economic depressions since 1850; however, the nation continues to stand strong with its beautiful landscapes and soulful culture.

Lebanon—former French colony and home to the “Paris of the Middle East,” Beirut—has stood strong between nations riddled with tragedy. With Syria on its Northern and Eastern borders, Israel and Palestine on its Southern border and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Lebanon was frequently extending a helping hand to its war-torn neighbors. However, in recent years, Lebanon has plunged into a deep economic depression and is riddled with tragedy itself.

With 18 state-recognized religions in Lebanon, it is the most religiously diverse country in the Middle East. However, because religious leaders and political leaders are not mutually exclusive in the sectarian society, this diversity has led to public animosity toward the corrupt government. Although tensions have been brewing for years, the former government’s WhatsApp tax in late 2019 was the tipping point for Lebanese nationals and residents. Protests provoked by the tax broke out across the country and world, calling for a reformed Lebanese government.

Ambushed by the coronavirus a few months later, the Lebanese people experienced immense tragedy in 2020 when one of the world's largest non-nuclear explosions shook the Port of Beirut, leaving more than 200 dead and thousands injured. Lebanon is still haunted by the blast and is struggling to rebuild its destroyed neighborhoods amid COVID-19 and, according to the World Bank, one of the world’s worst financial crises in more than 150 years. To top it off, Lebanon has yet to create a new government since the government of Prime Minister Hassan Diab resigned due to public pressure following the explosion.

Currently, the U.S. State Department advises against traveling to Lebanon due to the large presence of COVID-19 in the nation, the threats of violence and the U.S. Embassy in Beirut’s limited ability to support U.S. citizens. Despite these warnings and Lebanon’s current crises, the people still hold their flag up high and are proud of the beautiful scenes and experiences their country has to offer.

Mountains, beaches, city lights—not only are all these scenic views found in Lebanon, but they are all less than an hour-long drive from one another. Lebanon’s landscape is especially unique because of the country’s small size. Residents and tourists alike can enjoy in a single day these three entirely different scenes and the activities associated with each of them.

Faraya, Lebanon. alejoooo. CC BY-NC 2.0.

There are two main mountain regions in Lebanon—Mount Lebanon and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. Mount Lebanon extends across the entire country, while the Anti-Lebanon Mountains form the border between Lebanon and Syria, seeping more into Syrian territory. Snow-peaked year-round, Faraya, a village in the Keserwan District of the Mount Lebanon Governate, is one of the best ski spots in the country. Faraya, positioned at an elevation of 3,900 feet to 7,000 feet, is around 25 miles northeast from Beirut and around 23 miles southeast from Byblos, one of the oldest cities in Lebanon which sits on the Mediterranean coast.

Statue of St. Charbel. FOSS-the-world. CC BY-SA 4.0.

“Miracle Monk of Lebanon,” Saint Charbel. DerekL. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Populated primarily by Maronite Christians, Faraya holds the largest statue and church of Saint Charbel in the world, standing 75 feet tall and around 30 feet wide. It is said that St. Charbel resided in this former monastery for over 20 years and those who visit and ask for assistance hear back. Since 1950, the “miraculous healings” of St. Charbel have been tallied and, as of mid-2019, the number lies above 29,000. Miracles were verified by priest witnesses before 1950; however, since 1950 and the advancement of medical technology, all “miracles” require medical proof for verification.

With Mount Lebanon paralleling the Mediterranean sea, the mountains are never too far away from the beaches. Along Lebanon’s coast lies hundreds of public and private beaches. One of the most famous public beaches in Lebanon is Joining Beach in the coastal city Batroun. With water so clear and blue it looks like it was dyed, Joining Beach is the perfect place to explore marine life. Underwater activities like snorkeling and scuba diving are common at this Lebanese shore.

Beyond swimming and sunbathing at the beach, Lebanon’s coastal towns show off wonders of nature. In Jeita Grotto, located 11 miles from the capital city in Jeita, exists a system of two interconnected caves that are around five and a half miles long. The upper galleries of Jeita Grotto is home to the world’s largest known stalactite—a mineral formation that hangs from the ceilings of caves—and was one of the top 14 finalists for the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition in 2011.

Beirut, Lebanon. marviikad. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Beirut, the heart of Lebanon, has its own natural wonders to show for as a big city in all its glory and flashing lights. Populated with restaurants, clubs and bars, Beirut’s nightlife is like none other in the Middle East. Alive all night, Lebanon’s pride and joy offers an experiential party scene. With clubs like Sunrise Beirut, partygoers start their outing as early as 10:30 p.m. and dance to techno until the sun lights up the sky. Mar Mikhael, named after the Maronite Catholic Church of Saint Michael, is a neighborhood in Beirut that is known for its aesthetic dining options—restaurants, cafes and bars are all fashionable outings in Mar Mikhael, the art hub of Beirut. Stationed on the marina, Zaitunay Bay is another classy area to shop, eat and be mesmerized by Beirut’s soulful city lights.

It’s true, Lebanon is still in crisis; however, the soul of the country lies within its people and landscape—both of which are beautiful, strong and resilient.

Following the Blast in Beirut, How Ready is Lebanon for Visitors?

September 9, 2020

The Aug. 4 blast in Beirut’s port devastated the city but also affected the entire country. Shock waves reverberated throughout the region, being felt as far away as Cyprus and Jordan. The cause was obscene negligence in the storage of ammonium nitrate, a component of many explosives, and the effect is 300,000 people left homeless, up to 220 dead, and parts of the city center in ruins. The scene harkens back to Lebanon’s tumultuous history of war and civil strife and effectively takes Beirut off the map in terms of international tourism.

This is all the more saddening given Lebanon’s storied history, vibrant culture and natural beauty. Lebanon has earned an unfortunate reputation as an unsafe travel destination due to its fraught political history and geographical proximity to war-torn nations such as Syria. Though a history of war still lives in the nation’s collective memory, most people view it as a piece of the past. Before the blast, Lebanon reported a record number of visitors, with just under 2 million travelers passing through in 2018 alone.

A cursory glance at the country reveals why. Though small, Lebanon’s landscape is astonishingly diverse. Its coastline holds balmy beaches and resorts, many started in the 1950s during the country’s first tourism boom. Farther inland, the Lebanon Mountains offer slopes for skiers of every skill level for a fraction of the cost compared to the Swiss Alps.

Hasroun, a village in northern Lebanon. Paul Saad. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Natural beauty is not the only wonder found in Lebanon. The Temple of Bacchus, one of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world, displays the full glory of Lebanon’s past, demonstrating the variety of influences it enjoyed due to its historical role as a Mediterranean trade hub. Arts events like the Cedars International Festival have drawn artists from around the world, including Shakira and Andrea Bocelli, with massive crowds in tow. Beirut’s nightlife alone was enough to draw thousands to its late-night parties with strobe lights, pulsing music and freely flowing liquor.

A concert in Byblos. Hisham Assaad. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

No longer. The blast damaged 2,000 venues in Beirut, many of them deciding not to rebuild. Months prior to the blast, the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the service industry, and a prolonged economic crisis which has endangered the lower and middle classes strained the balance sheets of nightclub owners. The explosion further compounds their plight.

Equally bleak are the prospects for recovery. Rebuilding the city is estimated to cost $15 billion, a quarter of Lebanon’s GDP in 2019, and talks with the International Monetary Fund for a $10 billion bailout have led nowhere. The prime minister, along with most of his cabinet, resigned shortly after the explosion, leaving Lebanon in both physical and economic ruin with no leadership. The Lebanese dollar has lost 80% of its value while inflation has reached 112%. This has left thousands of people struggling or unable to buy food. The situation, by any metric, is abysmal.

Lebanon’s tourism prospects are about as dire as those for its economy. Clearly, it is unwise to travel in the midst of a global pandemic to a country whose hospitals are already full. While tourism would pump much-needed dollars into the economy, it would be difficult to find food and lodging in a country not far removed from famine. Before travelers begin to think of visiting Lebanon, the country must rebuild. Only time will tell how long that process will take.

Michael is an undergraduate student at Haverford College, dodging the pandemic by taking a gap year. He writes in a variety of genres, and his time in high school debate renders political writing an inevitable fascination. Writing at CATALYST and the Bi-Co News, a student-run newspaper, provides an outlet for this passion. In the future, he intends to keep writing in mediums both informative and creative.

Domestic worker Hellina Desta migrated from Ethiopia to work in Beirut in 2008. UN Women/ Joe Saade. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Ethiopian Migrant Workers Left More Vulnerable After Devastating Explosion in Beirut

August 13, 2020

On Aug. 4, two massive explosions in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, sent a shock wave that destroyed many neighborhoods, killed more than 200 people, injured 6,000 and left approximately 250,000 homeless. The tragedy struck a country that is already suffering from a major economic crisis, an increase in COVID-19 cases, and the corruption and negligence of the Lebanese government—corruption which led to the deadly explosion. Reports emerged that the government knew about the over 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, which is used to build bombs, and left it unattended and unsecured for six years.

As the Lebanese people’s anger boiled over, protests calling for an end to the political elite erupted, leading to the resignation of the majority of the Lebanese government. According to The Wall Street Journal, on Aug. 10 Prime Minister Hassan Diab addressed the nation in a televised address: “I set out to combat corruption, but I discovered that corruption is bigger than the state. I declare today the resignation of this government. God bless Lebanon.”

But according to Foreign Policy, “the public is unlikely to be appeased by the resignation of Diab’s government” as “the rest of the country’s political elites, the sectarian warlords of the civil war era and their descendants, clinging to positions of privilege, are still busy looking for scapegoats.” As the public continues to fight for the fall of the regime, it is hoped that not only will the Lebanese benefit, but so too will the migrant workers whose plight worsens as crises continue to befall the country.

According to The New Arab, “around 250,000 migrants work as housekeepers, nannies and carers in Lebanese homes.” Most of the workers are women, many of whom immigrated from Ethiopia and the Philippines, according to The Associated Press. The migrant workers do not have labor law protections as they were brought in through the kafala system, an exploitative and abusive sponsorship system used in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The migrant workers are vulnerable to exploitation as the countries that practice the kafala system offer little to no protection for migrant workers—their right to work and legal presence is entirely dependent on their employer. The migration sponsorship system “increases their risk of suffering labor exploitation, forced labor and trafficking, and leaves them with little prospect of obtaining redress,” according to Amnesty International.

The ongoing economic crisis in Lebanon, along with the spike in COVID-19 cases, has made an already dire situation worse for migrant workers. According to Amnesty International, “many have reported that the value of their salaries has decreased by around a third because of the currency crash.” Their salaries were already as little as $150 per month before the severe economic crisis and pandemic, according to France 24. In June, BBC reported that more than 100 Ethiopian migrant domestic workers were fired and left homeless outside their country’s consulate in Beirut after their employers claimed they could no longer afford to pay their maids.

Now, the explosions have left the domestic workers even more vulnerable. CNN reported, “In the aftermath, rights groups are warning that this vulnerable group is facing dire situations as many of them are stranded in the country and unable to go home.” Activists like Farah Salka of Lebanon’s Anti-Racism Movement are fighting for the migrant workers’ rights. Salka told CNN, “They are running from one escalating situation to the other and it is an endless stream of trauma. They have faced COVID, economic crisis, airport closure, quarantine restrictions in often hostile conditions and they want to go home.”

Finding a way home is proving difficult for the Ethiopian migrants. According to Middle East Eye, “Ethiopia has tripled the price of repatriation for its citizens in Lebanon to $1,450, including flights and mandatory quarantine, further prohibiting the return of dozens of women stranded and destitute outside its Beirut consulate.” This is approximately a $900 increase from a May 21 article from Quartz Africa which reported, “Ethiopia’s consulate had collected $550 registration fees for the repatriation flights.”

People on social media are calling for better treatment of migrant workers in Lebanon after footage showed an Ethiopian migrant worker saving a young child from shattered glass as the second explosion erupted in the capital. Lebanese journalist Luna Safwan tweeted, “Migrant worker grabs toddler and saves her from shattered glass and windows as the second big explosion erupted in Beirut earlier today. She did not even think. Migrant workers deserve better in #Lebanon – this woman is a hero.”

Asiya Haouchine

is an Algerian-American writer who graduated from the University of Connecticut in May 2016, earning a BA in journalism and English. She was an editorial intern and contributing writer for Warscapes magazine and the online/blog editor for Long River Review. She is currently studying for her Master’s in Library and Information Science. @AsiyaHaou

Protestors respond to the government's mismanagement and poor aid response with signs such as this one that reads "Clean Lebanon of Corruption." BenjaminDNorto. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Mounting Debt Brings Lebanon’s Economy to Its Knees

July 30, 2020

Lebanon is experiencing an economic crisis unlike anything it has seen since the 1940s. Although there are a multitude of factors contributing to the country’s economic turbulence, one of the biggest problems is the hyperinflation of the Lebanese pound. A currency is labeled as “hyperinflated” if the country’s inflation rate exceeds 50% per month over an extended period of time. The casualties are so extreme that Lebanon is now the third-most indebted country. The loss of value for this currency has resulted in 5.4 million people struggling to manage an unstable economy, skyrocketing food prices and inadequate government assistance.

Life in Lebanon

Lebanon is located in the Middle East and has a diverse religious makeup. Many of its residents are refugees from Syria and the Palestinian territories, and as such, the country has survived many obstacles stemming from nearby conflicts. Lebanese luxury culture has famously endured through wars, political upheaval and civil violence, with people still willing to go out to nightclubs and buy expensive clothes. Nevertheless, it appears as though the country’s freewheeling lifestyle has finally hit a wall.

Life in places such as the capital, Beirut, is so wracked with uncertainty that months of protesting over the past year has led to the forcing out of Prime Minister Saad Hariri in October 2019. The protests revolved around frustration at Lebanon’s politics and politicians, citing corruption and incompetence in their chant of “Give back the looted money!” Despite the swearing in of a new prime minister, Hassan Diab, in January, the protests continued into March. They only dissolved once the government implemented quarantine measures in order to manage COVID-19.

One essential industry that is suffering acutely this year is Lebanon’s electrical providers. Blackouts have always been a fairly regular occurrence and are a regular money drain on the country, costing Lebanon up to $1.5 billion annually. This year, however, the power is exceptionally poor as a result of mismanagement, fuel problems and alleged foul play. Power cuts can last as long as 20 hours in some places, subsequently causing many people to depend on expensive generators. Perhaps most concerningly, these power cuts have been affecting hospitals. With hourslong power outages, hospitals have to redirect precious funding in order to buy fuel for their generators so that they can have light, air conditioning and surgical equipment. During a pandemic, this is especially concerning.

Understanding the Problem

The primary catalyst for Lebanon’s economic crash is the loss of currency value. The Lebanese pound used to be held fairly consistently at 1,500 pounds per dollar. People swapped the two currencies so interchangeably that one could pay for an item in one currency and get their change back in the other. However, that ratio has since tanked. The pound has sunk by about 80%, leaving more than 45% of Lebanese people in poverty, 33% unemployed, and most unable to access their savings.

Lebanon’s first misstep was its dependency on foreign investors and offering them high rates of return, especially during a time when other countries cut rates in order to encourage economic recovery. These high rates were appealing to wealthy foreign investors and drew many of them in, but once the Lebanese government began relying on an increasingly bloated debt to pay off its bills, investors began to withdraw. The country also failed to implement policies or reforms that could have accommodated this change, such as finding ways to unlock international aid. The country tried to counter the withdrawals by offering even higher interest rates, but they could only be covered by increasingly large deposits. As such, the situation spiraled out of control in a manner likened to a Ponzi scheme.

Ultimately, the value of a single unit of currency has been completely changed, affecting the daily lives of Lebanese residents. While the Lebanese pound has decreased in value, food costs have surged by around 190% since May 2019, leaving people hungry and desperate. Banks are only allowing limited money withdrawals or have stopped altogether as they struggle to manage the mountain of debt. The concern for many is that any money that banks are able to make is being used to pay back foreign investors rather than aiding people in Lebanon. The country now stands at a gross debt of $90 billion, a debt only topped by Japan and Greece.

Moving Forward

The government is struggling to get the economy under control, or at the very least to slow the mounting pile of debt. At the end of April, the country released a statement saying that it would seek $10 billion of aid from the International Monetary Fund, but the country has been unsuccessful in its previous bids. Above all, the country must find a way to stimulate the economy, or else its people will continue to suffer.

Phoebe Jacoby

is a Media Studies major and Studio Art minor at Vassar College who believes in the importance of sharing stories with others. Phoebe likes to spend her free time reading, drawing, and writing letters. She hopes to continue developing her skills as a writer and create work that will have a positive outward effect.

Fighting to End Child Marriage in Lebanon

December 8, 2019

Ghassan Idriss knows firsthand the harmful effects of child marriage on society. Having married at a young age to a woman even younger than himself, Idriss and his wife faced struggles that so many other couples in his home country of Lebanon grapple with. Now, with three daughters of his own, Idriss is doing everything he can to educate those around him about the dangers of this antiquated institution. By hosting talks, he’s using his voice to spark change within his community.

Lebanon’s LGBTI activists fight every day against hostility. Slowly, gains have been made. Nancy Dowd. CC0.

Lebanon’s LGBTI Activists: Constantly Fighting Back

June 13, 2019

Lebanon’s first LGBTI organization, Helem, was registered by the government in September 2004. In the years since, LGBTI activists have fought for their rights, as well as those of others, in an increasingly oppressive environment.

Most visibly in the past two years, the Lebanese government has begun increasing crackdowns against activists, particularly on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). Obviously, on that day, organizations plan activities that bring LGBTI people and activists together, while also confirming and celebrating their rights. The government has generally taken the side of extreme religious groups that threaten the activities, and therefore completely shut down the events. Last year, activists were banned from even entering Lebanon. In the past 15 years, activists have said that hardly a day passes without a raid, arrest, or limitation of their right to privacy.

Helem was created as the result of local activism. In the early 2000s, the main concern was Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, which criminalized sexual activity against the laws of nature. Homosexuality was widely antagonized against, for religious, socio-cultural, or moral reasons. For example, films portraying a LGBTI person in a positive manner were forbidden and public screenings and were censored.

Activists came out of the woodwork, both working with LGBTI organizations and the media by allying with and sharing their stories with journalists. Generally, LGBTI activist individuals carved out spaces for themselves in the broader civil society as the years passed. In addition to fighting for their own rights, they also fought for the rights of women, migrant workers, and for the right to freedom of expression.

Judges have passed brave rulings that don’t criminalize the right to privacy, but overall few of those judgements have been made. However, Article 534 has been rendered inapplicable, due to research with international medical references.

On the other hand, police officers still arbitrarily arrest people on the street for walking with a member of the same sex on suspicion of same-sex activity, and engineer “confessions” based on false promises or intimidation. Last September, Lebanese General Security officers attempted to shut down a LGBT conference. The officers questioned the director, Georges Azzi, and took the details of those attending from the hotel registry. Lama Fakih, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said, according to HRW: “General Security’s latest efforts to shut down an LGBT conference in Lebanon is an attack on freedom of assembly rights and an attempt to silence the voices of courageous activists.” Though the exact reasons for attempting to shut down the conference were unclear, the previous reason the government stopped events was in order to preserve public morality. This past February, HRW also submitted a complaint to the UN regarding the police’s shutdown of LGBTI activism events.
Now, LGBTI individuals and activists are somewhere in the middle. They are not actively persecuted for their way of existence, but they are also not free to live as they wish. Unfortunately, the harassment and hostility continues, but everything has gotten better as time has passed. Last week, on May 17, which is also International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, the activists of Beirut, Lebanon agreed to fly pride flags, starting by Raouche Rock. Pride parades had been cancelled before they could take place the two years previous. An activist who wished to remain anonymous said, according to GayStarNews: “It’s saying we are here even despite the transgressions on our community.”

NOEMI ARELLANO-SUMMER is a journalist and writer living in Boston, MA. She is a voracious reader and has a fondness for history and art. She is currently at work on her first novel and wants to eventually take a trip across Europe.

Fighting to End Child Marriage in Lebanon

January 23, 2019