Iceland Ambassador visits UNESCO Beirut and salutes Li Beirut’s efforts to revive cultural life

On a visit to Beirut to present her credentials as the new ambassador of Iceland to Lebanon, Mrs. Unnur Orradótir Ramette, Ambassador of Iceland to France and Permanent Representative to OECD and UNESCO, met with a delegation of UNESCO’s Beirut Regional Office for Education in the Arab States. Accompanied by Carla Jabre, Consul of Iceland in Beirut, she was received by Costanza Farina, Director of UNESCO Beirut. The latter elaborated on the progress achieved by UNESCO’s flagship initiative Li Beirut in the past year, and thanked Iceland for its contribution to Li Beirut, which allowed the organization of the TERDAD festival for the revival of cultural life in the Lebanese capital in July 2021.

Over the course of 3 days, the festival had united five local cultural organizations representing different forms of art, Metropolis, Zoukak, Maqamat, Irtijal and Samandal, which presented public performances and workshops in four emblematic places of the city damaged by the blasts. Ambassador Ramette praised UNESCO’s project “which has benefitted more than 200 creative professionals”. “Culture awakens hope”, she affirmed.

Ambassador Ramette went on to visit Metropolis Cinema’s premises, where she had the opportunity to hear from Hania Mroue on the challenges faced by local artists in the field of cinema, support from public institutions, as well as censorship. She also visited the area of Qarantina and the Zoukak theatre, which was once a meeting space for youth coming from disadvantaged communities and which was completely destroyed by the explosions.

Iceland’s contribution to Li Beirut is also allowing the restoration of 17 artworks that were damaged on the day of the explosions. The paintings which all carry the signatures of renowned Lebanese painters are being currently restored by the Beirut Museum of Modern Art. Visiting the BeMA, Ambassador Ramette had the opportunity to hear about the story behind this unique collection and the concept behind the Museum which should open its door in 2026. She also met there with the art restorers who shared insights on their meticulous work of expertise to safeguard Lebanese culture.

Li Beirut is an international flagship initiative launched from Beirut by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, in the aftermath of the explosions, on August 27, 2020, to support the rehabilitation of schools, historic heritage buildings, museums, galleries and the creative industry, all of which suffered significant damage in the deadly explosions.