Culture and Public Works Ministers tour historic Mar Mikhael train station as part of restoration effort
The station, which stands as a symbol of Beirut's rich cultural and historical heritage, is set to undergo restoration as part of a broader initiative supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
Officials said this initiative reflects Italy's continued dedication to safeguarding Lebanon's cultural heritage and marks a new phase in efforts to breathe life back into one of the capital's most storied sites.
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L'Orient-Le Jour
31-07-2025
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Forests, visual history and memory: Where to be this weekend in the Middle East
When every weekend blurs into a never-ending scroll of flyers, exhibitions and underground gigs, having too many options can feel a lot like having none. This is why every Thursday, L'Orient Today, in partnership with The MYM Agenda, is going to guide you through cultural happenings across the Middle East that are actually worth your time. Consider this your weekly shortcut to what matters in the region's buzzing cultural scene. Lebanon is celebrating its favorite season — summer — with its ruthless heat and overcrowded roads. If you caught last week's selections, you'll know Beirut's art scene is making the best of it, oversaturating its galleries and museums with bright colors and "biting and bold commentary" dissecting this controversial season. And if you still haven't found what you were looking for, here are two more picks to add to your agenda: Displaying 80 artworks from Phillipe Jaber's collection, the Nuhad Es-Said pavilion of the National Museum is retelling Lebanon's cultural history — through travel and film posters. Impressions of Paradise shows how these advertisements between the 1920s and 70s shaped Lebanon's image both locally and internationally. If you're curious to know what made tourists want to visit us back then and what our cinemas and airports looked like, without having to stuff your nose in a textbook, this exhibition is for you. It's a look into a pre-Civil War country, told through snapshots of everyday life. If you love a Lebanese summer but hate the heat, you can head to Art Scene Gallery in Gemmayzeh to soak in its colors and energy inside an air-conditioned space. Until the end of the month, the gallery is showing Endless Summer, a collective exhibition of local and regional artists who've taken the vibrant season as their muse, specifically the light and freedom it offers. If you're one of the rare Lebanese expats who weren't able to escape the UAE this month, or had to cut your trip short due to our lack of matcha raves, worry not, the space right down your street might have what you're looking for: The Louvre, Abu Dhabi, is offering special summer events where you'll be sure to find something to suit your fancy. The museum is showing the same caliber of timeless art you're used to, while offering astronomy and art camps and classes for you and your little ones. Looking for something a bit more active? Take a kayak ride or a private catamaran cruise across the premises, or book your own private photography session for your most artsy Instagram post yet. For more information, click here. "Everyman's Mountain," the debut solo show by Emirati artist and designer Omar al-Gurg, showing in Lawrie Shabibi Gallery in al-Quoz, takes you on a visual journey through Mount Kilimanjaro's rarely-seen ecological zones. The mountain's forests are usually seen as reclusive, a space that no one enters or exits from, but Gurg chooses to depict it with intimacy and detail, and to see the mountain not as a conquest, but as a living, breathing world. For more information, click here. Printed Nostalgia at Fire Station, Doha, is bringing back print. It features a staggering (record-breaking, I assume) 98 artists from around the world — chosen from over 300 submissions — as it builds a space to reflect on architecture, migration, culture and everyday life, turning personal experiences into shared visual stories. Through photography, collage, painting, illustration, and text, digital expressions are reimagined as tactile prints. The space invites you to join the artists in choosing a point in time in your memories, and allowing it to live its own visual life. Artist Samer Hourani displays Between Confession and Silence at the Orient Gallery in Amman, a series of painted portraits as dramatic as the title suggests. The biggest window into someone's personality is their face, its expressions and eyes, and Hourani takes you through the catalog of characters — and their associated emotions — that marked his life.
The 961
30-07-2025
- The 961
The Lebanese Behind Ryan Trahan's $10 Million St. Jude Fundraiser You Probably Didn't Know
YouTuber Ryan Trahan just wrapped up a massive 50-day journey across all 50 U.S. states, staying in Airbnbs, and creating daily videos – all to raise money for kids with cancer. The goal of Ryan, who has amassed over 21 million subscribers? Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The result? Over $11.4 million raised. $10 million more than their original goal. Millions of people watched. Thousands donated including major brands like T-Mobile, Staple Games, Airbnb, DoorDash, Kia, and more. And now, the internet is celebrating what's being called one of the most heartwarming and impactful YouTube series ever. But here's what many don't know: St. Jude was founded by a Lebanese. Danny Thomas was born Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz in Michigan in 1912. He was the son of Maronite Catholic immigrants, Charles Yakhoob Kairouz and Margaret Tawk, from Deir El Ahmar, Lebanon. He worked in television, radio, film, and music. Make Room For Daddy, which was later known as The Danny Thomas Show, is the essential part of his career as an actor. The show successfully ran for 11 years. He also recorded several Arabic folk songs in collaboration with Toufic Barham for a St. Jude Hospital Foundation fundraiser record. Before becoming a big hit on TV, Danny Thomas was living paycheck to paycheck. The devout Christian prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus, patron saint of hopeless causes, and vowed: 'If I find success, I will build you a shrine.' Shortly after, he landed a breakthrough role. That promise led to him founding St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis in February 1962, with a mission that no child should die in the dawn of life – and that no family would ever receive a bill – not for treatment, travel, housing, or food. It would be 100% donation-funded. And that's exactly what it still is today. Ryan and his wife, Haley, traveled across America for 50 straight days, staying in unique Airbnbs in every state – from treehouses and tiny homes to farm stays and desert domes. Each day, they posted a video and linked back to the fundraiser for St. Jude. The campaign started with a goal of raising $1 million. It blew past that in days. And in true Ryan fashion, it was wholesome, hilarious, and emotional all at once. Danny Thomas' legacy inspired one of the most trusted medical institutions in the world, where breakthroughs in treating childhood cancer have saved millions of lives. Since opening its doors in 1962 with just 125 staff and a $1 million annual budget, St. Jude has helped push childhood cancer survival rates from about 20 % to around 97% today. The hospital continues to treat children from nearly 70 countries, always free of charge. The Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL) is affiliated with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital so if you're looking to extend the support, consider donating to them.
L'Orient-Le Jour
21-07-2025
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Kinamania will help you create your own bag
The bag-making workshop launched by Kinamania will return to Lebanon for its second edition on July 31 and Aug. 7: A beautiful terrace overlooking the sea, a large table covered with leather scraps in every color and matching thread, snacks to nibble on and a mellow atmosphere. Those who have taken part in the experience are eager to do it again. The founder of Brussels-based Kinamania, which specializes in shoes, sandals and leather goods, Kristina Zouein, was also looking forward to reliving this moment with anyone willing to give it a try, after the success of her workshop last summer. In Ghbeleh, high above Adma in Kristina's family home, the view is stunning, the sun is radiant and the vibes inspire creation: a fitting atmosphere to design your own bag. No experience is needed to create one of the two proposed models: the Muse or the Carryall. The first is a structured trapeze-shaped bag with a shoulder strap, flap and a small contrast interior pocket. The second is a slouchy, unstructured tote with a shoulder strap and an exterior pocket for a credit card. Between sewing and lunch, four hours pass quickly, and you leave with the tremendous satisfaction of bringing home something that you fashioned to your liking. The leather is sourced mainly in Lebanon. The palette also includes metallized leathers for an evening look. "The idea of these workshops is to send a message of connection between Brussels and Beirut and to raise awareness about leatherworking with beautiful color combinations. Each person creates their own combinations. In Lebanon, we love color!" said Zouein. "The goal of this experience is to make participants proud. First, you gain awareness of craftsmanship. Then, you get to wear a bag that will draw attention, and you'll be able to say you made it yourself," she added. The Kinamania story began in Beirut at Johnny Farah's leather workshop in Saifi. It continued in Belgium, but it has never strayed from its roots in Beirut, with a showroom there and a collaboration with Cynthia Chamat (Boutique Hub). The aim is to offer work to Lebanese artisans while aligning with market realities. The creator's original idea was to make "minorquines," the traditional sandals of the Balearic Islands — called majorquinas in Majorca and minorquinas in Menorca, with a broad strap in the front and a strap at the back. Zouein, who trained in management and marketing at AUB, nevertheless became passionate about working with her hands, especially with leather. She finds obvious satisfaction in keeping her hands busy and developing her sense of geometry and measurement. This craft has also carried political messages and contributed to collective solidarity, sometimes providing work to Syrian refugee craftswomen and sometimes featuring the famous cross-stitch embroidery done by embroiderers in the Palestinian camps. "Making, acting, repairing" is the trilogy at the heart of this ethical brand, which will soon branch out into more sophisticated shoes, such as derbies and personalized bags. To experience this summer workshop set against the blue horizon, register by clicking this link or on WhatsApp at +961 3 68 69 36 to attend on July 31 or Aug. 7.
