[cs_content][cs_section bg_image=”https://www.storiesofourcity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Beirut_Blur.jpg” parallax=”true” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_inset=”0px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_inset=”0px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_custom_headline level=”h2″ looks_like=”h2″ accent=”true” class=”cs-ta-center”]Stories from Beirut[/x_custom_headline][x_image type=”none” src=”https://www.storiesofourcity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Beirut_CityBanner.jpg” alt=”” link=”false” href=”#” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=”” style=”display: block;margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;border: 5px solid;padding: 0px;”][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][cs_section bg_color=”rgb(136, 134, 134)” parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_inset=”0px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_inset=”0px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
The Necessity of Art
By: Scott Lashinsky
March 29, 2018[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Once hailed as ‘the Paris of the Middle East,’ Beirut is a city of contrasts, a cosmopolitan crossroads where East meets West. As such, it is a city that unabashedly embraces art. Retired visual artist and art instructor Mahmoud Safa shares his journey as an artist growing up in this famed artsy city, which began when he was four years old and has taken him around the world.[/cs_text][x_button type=”transparent” size=”small” block=”false” circle=”false” icon_only=”false” href=”https://www.storiesofourcity.org/home/beirut-stories/the-necessity-of-art” title=”” target=”” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” info_content=”” style=”position: relative;left: 50%;margin-right: -50%;transform: translate(-50%, -50%);”]STORY HERE[/x_button][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Ballad of an Exodus
By: Scott Lashinsky
August 24, 2017[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Nasser Shorbaji, aka Chyno, is a bit of an anomaly. The son of a Syrian-Filipino couple from Damascus, Chyno—whose mother tongue is English— works as a hip-hop artist based out of Beirut, Lebanon. His feeling as a sort of outlier in the various environments he has found himself in throughout life is what originally drew him to hip-hop. Hear Chyno share about the genre’s rich diversity, its power to express self and reflect one’s environment, and how the Syrian hip-hop scene’s freedom of expression has expanded since the Syrian revolution.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/Chyno_MASTER.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Band of the Def
By: Scott Lashinsky
February 23, 2017[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Like rock n’ roll before it, hip-hop started mainly as a cultural movement decades ago that spread worldwide, affecting even the far reaches of the earth. The Middle East is no exception. Hear Chyno and FZ, two members of Lebanon’s live hip-hop band Fareeq El Atrash, share about their beginnings as a musical group and about their contribution to the still fairly nascent, but highly promising, Middle Eastern hip-hop scene. All the music featured in this episode comes from the band’s second full-length album.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/Band_of_the_Def_Final.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Albert and the Prank Wars
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Raffi shares another improv story live at the Alt City event in Beirut.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/raffi_city_stories_1.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Funny Ramadan Stories
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Maya and her dad share some funny Ramadan experiences.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/funny_ramadan_stories_2011_final.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Boats, Bathubs and the Titanic
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Manuel tells his story of how the movie Titanic changed his life. [/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/manuelfinal.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
That’s Trouble?
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Yousef shares his story of getting into trouble as a kid. It shines a light on the family culture in Lebanon.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/77-youseftrouble_final__mp3.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Reconciliation Day
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Valentine’s Day is more than just for lovers here in Lebanon. It is a day marking the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri as well as a day celebrating reconciliation.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/Reconciliation_Day_mp3.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Explosion
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Fatimeh’s story of the explosion on February 14, 2005, which killed former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/explosion.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Do You Wear a Berka?
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Rima, like most Lebanese women, is concerned with fashion. But when she got to the United States, she realized that women there dress more conservatively than many women in Lebanon.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/storiesofmycity/Episode_60-Do_You_Wear_a_Burka_ReMaster.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Break in Photos
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Abir takes amazing photos, but her stories about how she gets them are even better.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/51-break_in_photos_mp3.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Oof, I Really Love Him
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]When I met Sarar at the cafe, I was expecting a great story. But when I left, I walked away with more. We chatted for hours. I wish you could hear it all … but for now, you can listen to one of the best love stories I have ever heard.[/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/42-_oof_I_really_love_him_mp3.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Runaway Recorder
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]’I wonder what he said?’ I thought to myself. I rushed in the door and hit play. I was mesmerized from the start—his voice, his story. Well, it all took me in. This is the story that Jade told my recorder (not me; he wouldn’t tell me his story, just the recorder). [/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/15-_runaway_recorder_mp3.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
A Whole New Meaning to Middle School Politics
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]Politics touch every area of life in Lebanon—even in how you make friends in middle school. [/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/17-_a_whole_new_meaning_to_middle_school_politics_mp3.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][x_line style=”border-top-width: 1px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]
Which War?
By: Katy Gilbert[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-center”]”Which War?” is a common phrase heard in conversations in Beirut, Lebanon. A sad but true fact of living in a country with a very fragile peace. Ronnie tells the story of trying to distinguish between the multiple wars in Lebanon and how this affects all levels of society. [/cs_text][x_audio_player src=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/storiesofmycity/22-_which_war.mp3″ advanced_controls=”true” preload=”none” autoplay=”false” loop=”false”][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]