There are no words for the terrible tragedy that hit Beirut on 4 August.
The scenes of destruction in the wake of the explosion brought back to people’s minds the still vivid memories of the Civil War with families torn apart, homes and business lost, and fear for the future. Paired with the worst economic crisis the country is witnessing and a Covid-19 pandemic that seems to have spiraled out of control, the prospects looked bleak indeed for the country.
Still, the tragedy revealed the many friends that Lebanon can count on; friends that included volunteers from all over the country flocking to the wounded capital to help the victims, Lebanese expatriates mobilizing support online and foreign governments sending aid any way they can even as the Beirut port is still struggling to recover. German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas said Germany would "not leave the people of Beirut in the lurch," pledging a further €20 million in humanitarian aid and development cooperation funds.
Faced with a disaster of such magnitude, the most pressing priorities are providing basic needs like medical supplies, food and shelter for all afflicted people, before restoring their faith in a better future by creating livelihoods, promoting better economic inclusion and nursing psychological wounds.
In such times of heightened uncertainty, another more pernicious danger threatens people’s lives and wellbeing: fake news spread panic and fuel violence. One more way we have joined hands with the many friends of Lebanon is by helping combat this “disinfodemic.” Through UNDP, KfW has been funding trainings for editors and reporters of the National News Agency (NNA) on combating fake news. Using their newly acquired tools and knowledge, the NNA journalists have started operating a website dedicated to detecting and debunking fake news focused on people’s health on health-related news.
As events continue to unfold and become distorted, safe and positive media spaces are vital to promote constructive dialog and reduce inequalities. The Peace Building in Lebanon News Supplement you are reading is one such space. The supplement is published with funding from Germany through the German Development Bank KfW and through the common vision of peace building shared by journalists, activists, researchers and artists in Lebanon.
While voices for peace can still be heard, actors for positive change can still write a bright future for Lebanon, standing united by the first words of the Lebanese anthem as they demonstrated so well in the aftermath of the explosion: “All for the country.”