august 4

Victims’ Families Demand Justice on 5th Memorial of Port Blast

On Monday evening, the fifth anniversary of the devastating Beirut port explosion, families of the victims led a solemn march, reaffirming their calls for truth, justice and accountability. Two groups set off from Martyrs’ Square and the Karantina Fire Station, converging at the Statue of the Emigrant near the blast site, carrying portraits of ...

From Beirut’s August 4 Tragedy to 'Blooming Joy' by Rana Hatem Slim

Gemspace Art Gallery, tucked in the heart of Beirut, is hosting the solo exhibition of artist Rana Hatem Slim. Titled Blooming Joy, the collection invites visitors into a luminous, sensory world where color and emotion intertwine to celebrate joy in all its forms. Rana Hatem Slim spoke to This is Beirut about her work. In the gentle chaos of ...

August 4: Four Witnesses at the Epicenter

That day began like any other. Sam, a young bartender then working in Hamra, was already on shift, and the restaurant was packed. “I was preparing orders when I felt the ground shaking. A massive jolt. They say there were two explosions, but I only heard one. A sound unlike anything I’d ever heard.” Jacques, architect, was sitting down to ...

Five Years On: Lebanon Marks Beirut Port Blast Anniversary with Calls for Justice and Remembrance

On the fifth anniversary of the devastating Beirut Port explosion, which killed over 200 people and injured thousands, officials and institutions have renewed their calls for justice and remembrance, while tributes were held across the country. Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar visited the Beirut Fire Brigade headquarters, where he laid a wreath at ...

The Holy Father Remembers Lebanon in Prayers on August 4

“Beloved and suffering Lebanon” was the heartfelt theme of a prayer vigil held Sunday evening in the outdoor courtyard of Our Lady of Deliverance Church, in Beirut’s Karantina district near the port. The ceremony, attended by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Paolo Borgia, featured a candlelit procession and the blessing of the 75 olive trees - ...

Beirut Port Blast Anniversary: President Aoun Vows Justice Will Be Served

On the fifth anniversary of the Beirut port explosion, President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed the Lebanese state’s commitment to uncovering the full truth behind the deadly blast and holding all those responsible accountable, “regardless of their positions or affiliations.” In a statement released on Monday, August 4, President Aoun ...

Minister of Justice: Beirut Port Blast Probe Nearing Final Stage

Minister of Justice Adel Nassar announced on Friday that the investigation into the devastating Beirut Port explosion of August 4, 2020, is approaching its final phase. Nassar emphasized the importance of reaching the truth and ensuring accountability, declaring that no state can be complete without justice for such a catastrophic ...

August 4: Families Revive Memory With Olive Trees

When justice falters, memory remains. A memory planted with bare hands into a soil still shaken by anger and silence. For five years, families of August 4, 2020 explosion victims have waited in vain, expecting answers, accountability, and convictions. But waiting led nowhere. So, some have stopped waiting. Not out of vengeance, but to stand their ...

Ahead of August 4 Anniversary, Audi Warns: Lebanon Meant for Life, but Many Stay Silent Before Truth

The Metropolitan of Beirut for the Greek Orthodox, Archbishop Elias Audi, delivered a sermon in which he said, “In a few days, the fifth anniversary of the heinous explosion that struck our beloved city, Beirut, the capital of a country called to life, will be upon us.” He added, “Yet many within it remain blind to the truth, silent out of ...