A Better Beirut

A Better Beirut have teamed up with MOSAIC for a special Arabic feature that highlights their advocacy work with the support of @actedlebanon & @sidc.lebanon that aims to raise awareness on s orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics as well as promote human rights and inclusion of LGBTQI+ communities in Lebanon. This episode was produced by Samir Ballouz and Tamara Rasamny, edited by Tamara and hosted by Lara Ayazri. Interviewed: Mahdy Charafeddin Find the episode with English subtitles (Watch on Youtube: or Facebook: https://fb.watch/bvagwXwRmL/

Samir and Farrah met with Omar Badr from Sawti, an initiative from Impact Lebanon. Sawti, or my voice/vote in Arabic, hopes to equip voters with the information needed for the upcoming elections.

Impact Lebanon is a non-profit grassroots organisation that raised millions to help Lebanon's recovery. Sibylle George, one of the co-founders, tells us the story of how it happened, what they are funding and what is next.

Farrah, Samir and Nico get together and talk about their experience after the blast. They talk about what the future could hold and vent about the daily realities of living in a post-blast Beirut.

Bob, founder of theworldsucks has been filming good deeds being done in the hope to see them replicated. His videos went viral and got millions of views. He tells us about his experience and why he's doing it. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXDY4M3ivJ3hJgTLe-sVaSw https://www.Instagram.com/theworldsucks.lb https://www.patreon.com/theworldsucks

Guillaume Credoz, our guest, is the founder of Bits to Atoms and Beirut Makers. He's an architect, designer and lecturer. We talk design. www.bitstoatoms.xyz @beirutmakers @bitstoatoms.xyz

Joseph Bechara from the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative talks to us about their work helping communities manage their forest. www.lri-lb.org

Mounia Akl, film director and writer, tells us her story. From a home made video on YouTube that went viral to major international success, Mounia explains her life's decisions and relationship with Lebanon. http://www.mouniaakl.com/ Instagram: @mounia.akl

Marwan Zouein is the architect behind the renovation of the Massad stairs at the beginning of Mar Mikhael. Marwan explains the importance of public spaces and why renovating stairs can be more tricky than it seems.

Badri Meouchi, president of the Lebanese Transparency Association, talks to us about corruption in the country and how the association is fighting it. Helpline: 03/868303 http://www.transparency-lebanon.org/

Samer Makarem, member of Muwatin Lebnene, tells us about the movement that cleaned up after the protests and their later developments. https://www.instagram.com/muwatinlebnene/

Mira Abdel Malak is part of a women's activist group who write special chants during the recent protests. Most of their songs go viral in an instant either because they are loved or because they are hated. Mira tells us her story.

For our 3rd installment of the thawra-focused mini-series, we talk to Natalia from Haki Thawra, a daily public forum happening in downtown at the Samir Kassir Garden. Every evening, people gather to share their experiences, their worries, and their questions on an open mic. For more and to see live streams, follow @hakithawra on Instagram.

Sara Sibai, TEDx organizer, is now forming talks in Gibran Khalil Gibran Garden (near the ESCWA building downtown). She and her friends pooled their skills and contacts to launch Bedna Na3rif, a series of daily teach-ins lead by professors, lawyers and experts so protesters are better equipped with the knowledge they need to build a better Lebanon. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bedna.na3ref/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/bedna.na3ref/

First episode of a mini series about the people on the ground during the protest fighting to make Lebanon a better place. Founder of Matbakh El Balad, Wael Lazkani, Lebanese chef is feeding thousands of people for free with his soup kitchen. Listen to his story. https://www.instagram.com/matbakhelbalad/

This episode was recorded before the revolution started. We meet the hosts Samir and Farrah. Who are they? What's their story?

Beirut AI: Teaching and connecting people to the AI technology to innovate and solve problems. Website: https://beirut.city.ai Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeirutAI/

Diana Kaissi, Executive Director at the Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative tells us about their role in making the Oil and Gas industry transparent. Hosts: Samir Ballouz and Farrah Berrou LOGI: www.logi-lebanon.org Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abetterbeirut

Fadi Bizri, partner at B&Y Venture Partners and co-founder of SE Factory, meets Farrah and Samir. They discuss entrepreneurship in Lebanon, investing in new technologies and the job market for developers. B&Y Partners : https://byvp.com SE Factory: https://sefactory.io

Collectif Kahraba is an organisation that fights to make art available to all. Founder of the movement, Aurelien Zouki, tells us about the events all over Lebanon that they promote and the artist residency they support at the Hammana Artist house. Collectif Kahraba: https://www.collectifkahraba.org/ Hammana Artist House: https://www.hah-lb.org/

We have Alia Fares from the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association. She explains the 470km trail going from the south to the north and the association behind it. For more info: https://www.lebanontrail.org/

BeirutVersus is an organisation dedicated to what is above our heads. Khalil Azar founded Beirut Versus to share astronomical research, conduct professional astro-photography. https://www.instagram.com/beirutversus

We have Ralph Haiby, the co-founder of Sikasok. The brand is dedicated to create funky Lebanese design socks. From tarboush to arguileh, everything goes. Ralph talks about how it all started, the struggles to have a business running, the community and designs. Sikasok: https://www.instagram.com/sikasok_/ https://sikasok.com/

This episode we meet with the BGC: Jackson Allers - Natalie Shooter - Ernesto Chahoud They are the base of Beirut's underground music scene. People fly to listen to their vinyl only parties. We have them for a chat to talk about who they are, what they do and where they are going.

Jaleesa is an application that delivers babysitters. We interview Hassan Bayloun, founding member of this award winning online plateform. https://www.jaleesa.co/ https://www.instagram.com/jaleesakids

Maya Khattar is the co-founder of Rechmaya Distillery, she talks about how they started: their story, struggles and vision for the future. We find out what makes a gin good, how to taste it and drink it. For more info: http://www.rechmayadistillery.com/

Samir interviews Nizar, host of The Lebanese Political podcast. They discuss the challenges of creating a podcast and the vision they have for the future. The Lebanese Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/lebpoliticspodcast

Mabsout opened Multiverse, a place for people to meet and play boardgames. He tells us more about this unique store dedicated to games, models and stories.

Ronnie Chatah, the ponytailed dude behind Walk Beirut, the first walking tour of Beirut. Now based between Beirut and New York, Ronnie tells us how the tours started, how they've fluctuated over the years, and the new narrative they've taken on after his personal life became part of the story. www.walkbeirut.com https://kerningcultures.com/the-things-that-cant-speak Beirut in the 1920s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JZoIlKE8pw

Right before we said goodbye to 2018, we spoke to Rana Khoury, founder of Phenomenal Women and founding member of Beirut Madinati, the independent party that ran for Beirut Municipality in 2016. In this episode, Rana talks to us about the fight for women's rights, her own journey in politics, and the idea of choice in the life of an activist. https://www.facebook.com/PhenomenalWomenOnline/ #ShameonWho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c93hSKth548 Shame on Who Graffiti Stunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3tmR_oAcQg

On a more serious note, Samir & Farrah talk about mental health with Mia Atwi of Embrace, the NGO that launched the Lebanese National Suicide Prevention Hotline. https://www.embracefund.org/ Introduction to Embrace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HACEZz6ZRM

We have a chat with Habib Battah, investigative journalist of Beirut Report, about Beirut's heritage sites that are on the verge of extinction and why he feels Lebanon is a place worth writing about. http://beirutreport.com instagram.com/habib_b

Anthony Khoury, lead singer of Adonis the band, joins us to discuss the music scene in Lebanon and the thought process behind some of Adonis' hits including, “Min Shou Bteshki Beirut?” http://adonisband.com https://play.anghami.com/artist/40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN7zkdoNTUw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kptTV21D0-k

The garbage guru, Ziad Abi Chaker, talks to us about the various environmental projects being carried out in Lebanon through Cedar Environmental, from slaughterhouse waste to plastics to ecoboards. A Zero Waste Lebanon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC-k7aj2Ip0 An Incinerator for Beirut? A Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee88DvyvXQY Ziad's talk for TEDxBeirut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C-E-lPqTdA

Samir & Farrah talk with Bethany Kehdy (of Taste Lebanon) about the food of the Levant, her bespoke tours across the country, and her new supper club, Swinging Mawsam. Taste Lebanon: http://www.tastelebanon.co.uk/ YouTube Short on Taste Lebanon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgwRWGNgD0Q Swinging Mawsam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgwRWGNgD0Q Bethany's Cookbooks: A Jewelled Kitchen & A Jewelled Table