Five years ago, the Port of Beirut blast tore through the Lebanese capital, destroying lives, livelihoods and homes. Fatalities, injuries and trauma aside, the tragedy also played out through the crumbling remains of about 650 heritage and culturally significant buildings, as the explosion’s shockwave ripped through the city’s historic districts.
Now a national day of mourning, August 4 has looked different each year since the catastrophe, as people slowly try to piece their lives back together. Directly after the blast, the world came together to help rebuild, including a host of heritage NGOs that took on the monumental task of restoring and safeguarding the stunning Ottoman and French Mandate buildings.
However, the once-strong restoration efforts – funded by private donations and a few international NGOs and other institutions – have stalled in recent years. Funding has dried up and new catastrophes occupy people’s minds. After almost two years of watching a horrifying genocide in Gaza, and Lebanon’s own suffering under Israeli bombardment in late 2024, this year’s port blast anniversary feels different.
The victim’s families still strive for justice, but the recent war’s destruction is a more pressing concern for the rest of the populace. According to NGO Beirut Heritage Initiative (BHI), which formed in the wake of the blast, about 60 per cent of the damaged heritage buildings were restored through non-profit efforts, but the remaining 40 per cent sit in limbo with the work halted.
“After the blast, there was great mobilisation from NGOs and individuals to restore the heritage and even the contemporary buildings that were destroyed,” BHI member Yasmine Dagher tells The National. “The reconstruction efforts lasted for about two and a half years. Starting February 2022, with the war in Ukraine, funding started to decline.
“In October 2023, with the war in Gaza, a lot of funding went there for humanitarian efforts, so now heritage is not a priority any more,” she adds. “Of the 40 per cent remaining unrestored, approximately 15 per cent were inhabited prior to the blast, but are now so damaged that they need a huge budget to restore them.”
One such building that still resembles a dilapidated, blown-out shell is an Ottoman site in upper Gemmayzeh – once a stone-clad two-storey with beautiful archways – that completely collapsed. The location swept headlines when a Chilean rescue team detected possible signs of life under the rubble a month after the explosion, as the country held its breath for a potential survivor. Ultimately, none was found, and the destroyed building sits as an eerie reminder of those 72 hours, unlikely to be rebuilt any time soon.
Some people chose to restore their homes and businesses privately after funds dwindled, doing repair work over the years or restoring a floor or two to use but leaving the rest for another day. Larger projects including some churches and Sursock Palace have been hosting fundraising events or renting out the gardens as a wedding venue to pay for restoration. Other owners are not interested in restoring due to the costs, and prefer to demolish the remains to start anew.
“Of the unrestored buildings, 25 per cent were uninhabited prior to the blast, which is a big number, and already about a third of those buildings have been destroyed since,” Dagher says. “In September 2020, the Directorate General of Antiquities passed Law 194, which obliged owners to not destroy or sell their heritage buildings, and this law was active for a period of two years.
“After 2022, a lot of destruction permits were given. About 10 buildings were partially or fully destroyed in Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael,” she adds. “A lot of buildings in Zokak el Blat, Bachoura and Achrafieh are also being destroyed, but they are not in the spotlight simply because they’re not in the zone that was affected the most.”
Dagher says one of most positive outcomes has been the encouragement of thinking outside the box.
By partnering with institutions such as the British Council, she has managed to run on-site training sessions for foreign student restorers and craftspeople, giving them a chance to learn firsthand whilst restoring damaged structures.
Another post-blast NGO, Together Li Beirut, says that funding is only half the battle. Inefficient legal protection for heritage buildings and a lack of government strategy on restoration makes it difficult to move forward when small NGOs are unable to pick up the slack.
“We haven't had any clear national strategy on this and, given the challenges of the government and incapacity to pull efforts and funds, the restoration has been a difficult process,” Together Li Beirut's programme coordinator Soha Karam says. “It is important to protect these buildings from demolition by any real estate development, but it's equally important to rehabilitate them so they have a social and economic impact.
“We can’t just restore buildings and leave them without purpose. Heritage is a long-term thing and should be preserved for generations to come,” she adds. “Strategically, we need to think of how we give them another life, for them to be economically sustainable; for it to make sense to restore them.”
Despite the cultural significance of Lebanon’s architecture, the only law that protects heritage structures is from 1933, officially classifying only those sites built before the 1700s as “heritage”. While some additions to the protected lists were made – such as religious sites and a few grand mansions – the language and criteria on anything built post the 18th century is vague.
This situation leaves many of Beirut’s stunning Ottoman, French Mandate and Modernist architecture at the mercy of legal loopholes. Even as volunteer organisations work to restore blast-damaged properties, like many things in Lebanon, as new crises take over, older ones are left forgotten.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD%204
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: CVT
Power: 170bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Price: Dh98,900
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The British in India: Three Centuries of Ambition and Experience
by David Gilmour
Allen Lane
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
