This is one of the many stories that shook the world on August 4, 2020.
At the time of writing this piece, two years later, Lebanon is in an even darker place. The economic crisis had already started long before the explosion, but since August 4, the daily lives of millions of Lebanese have been worsening at a dangerous speed. Food prices have skyrocked, and fuel shortages have been causing hours of electricity cuts, forcing hospitals and businesses to shut down. Lebanon is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe. Those who can, leave their countries to look for a better future elsewhere.
No one should flee because of a government’s glaring mistakes. But how do we fight back?
Our voice can be a powerful weapon. They are few, and we are many. It’s up to us to choose to act, or forget and move on.
Sometimes, I choose to forget.
What can we do to help?
For a comprehensive list of ways to Lebanon, visit 🇱🇧 Help Lebanon
There are many ways to help countries struck by conflict. I believe sharing stories is one of them.
Stories can give hope, open minds, drive meaningful conversations and reconcile multicultural differences. They give communities a voice. Stories help us realise that some of us are lucky. They help us be grateful for what we have.
We need to hear the stories of people from war-struck countries, whether they're from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, Congo, Lebanon, Sudan, or any other country suffering from political conflict. Conflicts in each country have different global consequences―some are more localised, and we might feel less affected by them. But what's comparable is how civilians from these countries feel. They all deserve the same amount of compassion and listening.
I have a project called A Mailbox for Hope. It's about creating a digital space for people from marginalised communities to share their stories and receive letters of hope. Their stories would be published in a "scrollytelling" format to amplify their voice and maximise impact. If you'd like to help me work on this project, let me know and I can tell you more!
You can share this story using the image below and this link:
https://185jours.com/Our-Stories-Fireworks
Published on 02/03/2022
Drawings and text by Maylis Moubarak
Pictures by Jo Kassis
Video by El Espectador