Minister of Culture Ghassan Salameh visited the Beirut Port exhibition at the Architectural and Urban Observatory – Beit Beirut in Sodeco, accompanied by his advisor, architect Jad Tabet.
After touring the exhibition, which addressed the repercussions of the port's reconstruction on the city of Beirut, the Minister of Culture commented: "Beit Beirut is fulfilling its purpose, which is to shed light on the calamities that have befallen the city, particularly the 2020 explosion, and also on the potential future role of Beirut in the region's economy and social fabric. It is a robust academic exhibition, yet accessible to everyone. I hope to see many school students come here to learn about the history of their capital and to reflect on its future, because today we face various choices regarding reconstruction and rebuilding Beirut."
He added: "I congratulate Beit Beirut on this initiative, which is both beneficial and enjoyable. Beit Beirut's primary function is to serve as a repository of the city's memory, but it is also a laboratory for reflecting on the city's future. By 'city,' I mean the city and its port, for they are twins, each living in constant communication and interaction with the other. This is, of course, a place to reflect on the calamities that have befallen Beirut, beginning with the civil war that began in 1975 and crippled its heart, and continuing with the 2020 port explosion that destroyed its maritime lung. Therefore, for those who wish to remember, this is the place to remember, and for those who wish to think about what the capital should be like in the future, this is also a place for reflection."
He concluded: "Thanks again to the organizers of Beit Beirut and to those who prepared this informative, enjoyable, and thought-provoking exhibition."
Before leaving the room where the model of the Beirut port silos was displayed, Minister Salameh, at the request of the "Tell Me" initiative, wrote the following: "The silos are also a philosophical challenge, as they lie between the duty to remember and the right to forget, and freedom can only exist through both."
It should be noted that the exhibition was curated by Hala Younes, Mona Hallak, and Hadi Mroueh, and was made possible with the support of the Directorate General of Antiquities – Ministry of Culture, the Oriental Library – Saint Joseph University in Beirut. It was produced thanks to the commitment of the activists of the "Tell Me" initiative, which has been working since April 2025 to reopen Beit Beirut.
After touring the exhibition, which addressed the repercussions of the port's reconstruction on the city of Beirut, the Minister of Culture commented: "Beit Beirut is fulfilling its purpose, which is to shed light on the calamities that have befallen the city, particularly the 2020 explosion, and also on the potential future role of Beirut in the region's economy and social fabric. It is a robust academic exhibition, yet accessible to everyone. I hope to see many school students come here to learn about the history of their capital and to reflect on its future, because today we face various choices regarding reconstruction and rebuilding Beirut."
He added: "I congratulate Beit Beirut on this initiative, which is both beneficial and enjoyable. Beit Beirut's primary function is to serve as a repository of the city's memory, but it is also a laboratory for reflecting on the city's future. By 'city,' I mean the city and its port, for they are twins, each living in constant communication and interaction with the other. This is, of course, a place to reflect on the calamities that have befallen Beirut, beginning with the civil war that began in 1975 and crippled its heart, and continuing with the 2020 port explosion that destroyed its maritime lung. Therefore, for those who wish to remember, this is the place to remember, and for those who wish to think about what the capital should be like in the future, this is also a place for reflection."
He concluded: "Thanks again to the organizers of Beit Beirut and to those who prepared this informative, enjoyable, and thought-provoking exhibition."
Before leaving the room where the model of the Beirut port silos was displayed, Minister Salameh, at the request of the "Tell Me" initiative, wrote the following: "The silos are also a philosophical challenge, as they lie between the duty to remember and the right to forget, and freedom can only exist through both."
It should be noted that the exhibition was curated by Hala Younes, Mona Hallak, and Hadi Mroueh, and was made possible with the support of the Directorate General of Antiquities – Ministry of Culture, the Oriental Library – Saint Joseph University in Beirut. It was produced thanks to the commitment of the activists of the "Tell Me" initiative, which has been working since April 2025 to reopen Beit Beirut.
