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Click to watch: https://youtu.be/c3ILmIEV3dE I share my thoughts on the situation evolving between Tarek Bitar and Ghassan Oueidat's jurisdiction, the realization that a local investigation into the port blast simply will not yield tangible results, Wissam Eid’s important legacy and reflections on my earlier conversation with Melhem Khalaf and Najat Aoun Saliba during their fifth night in parliament. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com

In memory of Aimee Daou Click to watch: https://youtu.be/NC25udsI63o Listen to our earlier conversation (Ep.334: Life in a Time of Cholera, Corona & Cancer): www.soundcloud.com/thebeirutbanyan/ep334 And check out Warren Zevon's final performance of Mutineer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShB7zbHu9X4 Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com

We're with Najat Aoun Saliba & Melhem Khalaf for Episode 344 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/PqTrgZd23NU Apologies for the poor audio. This was taken from an Instagram Live session filmed in parliament during their fifth night sleeping there, and the internet connection was sub-standard. The quality improves as the discussion progresses. We discuss Tarek Bitar's sudden return, Baabda elections and their firm belief in institution-building and local agency. Najat Aoun Saliba & Melhem Khalaf are members of parliament. Fellow MP Paula Yacoubian also makes an appearance towards the end. Photo credit: Mohamad Yassin / L'Orient Today Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com

I share my thoughts on Tarek Bitar's predicament, protestors' demands at the Justice Palace and an insistence on proactive diplomacy that focuses on Iran's security interests in Lebanon while discrediting pandering voices seeking accommodation with Hezbollah's weapons. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com

We're with George Wardini for Episode 341 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/sUhmyviJG7M And like last time, we switch roles between host and guest. We discuss the reasons both of us cover political developments in Lebanon, the art of persuasion through content creation and a wider pursuit for decency, fairness and justice. George Wardini is a content creator. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

This happened by accident. Gabrielle Elia and I had just finished recording Al Wadi (Part 2), and my mom wanted to speak with her for a moment. The cameras, microphones and Zoom kept recording. With their permission, they let us listen and turn this into an anniversary episode. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/kHGDRpzWgjo In memory of those across generations and communal lines that paid the ultimate price for a free and tolerant Lebanon.

In memory of Mohamad Bahaa Chatah 7 March 1951 - 27 December 2013 https://youtu.be/-jQlvqrh2CQ

Video version: https://youtu.be/AgfKUejHnkg Al Wadi (Part 2) catches up with Gabrielle Elia, author of 'Impressions of My Youth in Lebanon'. We dive deep into Wadi Abu Jmeel's history - a bygone neighborhood once central to downtown Beirut - and the Lebanese Jewish community's position in a time of post-independence uncertainty for Lebanon. Our discussion explores Gabrielle's childhood, full of an innocent joy that she retains. We also talk about relics both abandoned and restored of a once vibrant community's rich and troubled past. Our conversation also touches on the storytelling craft, and why Gabrielle continues to write about a country she left over half a century ago. If you haven't already, listen to the first episode of Al Wadi (Episode 170) released in June 2020: https://soundcloud.com/thebeirutbanyan/ep170 And check out all her books (including 'Impressions of My Youth in Lebanon') via the following Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=%22Gabrielle+Elia%22&i=stripbooks Special thanks to Christian Konjian and Charlotte Gaudreau for helping film in Montreal. Soundtrack by Marc Codsi. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

0:00 Intro 3:01 Michel & Michel 29:48 Architecture 40:12 Moawad & Baroud 55:11 Leverage We're with George Wardini for Episode 337 of The Beirut Banyan. And, at times, we switch roles between host and guest. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/RKdAGJs3UeI We discuss Michel Moawad's presidential candidacy, the 'Change' bloc's Baabda-elections voting record, looking at local politics through three dimensions, possibilities for a 'Change'-'Opposition' alliance and leverage when it comes to lost diplomacy. George Wardini is a content creator. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

0:00 Intro 2:50 Career 10:19 Social media 18:24 Not visible 31:06 Silos 36:45 L'Orient 40:51 St. George 44:38 Holiday Inn 1:01:22 Burj El Murr 1:09:37 Grand Theater 1:16:03 Martyrs Square statue 1:23:54 The fist 1:28:55 The egg 1:33:24 Connection 1:39:07 Beit Beirut 1:43:46 National museum 1:48:36 Generational shift We're with Zaven Kouyoumdjian for Episode 336 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/S6HAaWIXbTw We discuss his over two decade career as a journalist in a shifting media landscape, his evolution from mainstay television screens to more alternative outlets, and his newly published book 'Beirut Guilty Pleasures' covering the city's layered - and scarred - history through photography and narrative text. Zaven Kouyoumdjian is a renowned television host & journalist. Check out 'Beirut Guilty Pleasures' at Antoine Bookstore and Antoine's online catalogue: www.antoineonline.com Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

0:00 Intro 3:03 Four years ago 12:02 'West Beirut' 21:12 Storytelling 27:39 Twelve years ago 47:23 Anxiety & depression 59:51 Change 1:05:39 Personal favorites 1:13:09 Satisfaction 1:23:28 Favorite movie(s) We're with Anit Tabet for Episode 335 of The Beirut banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/quyly6uhD_c We discuss cinema culture, movie reviewing, contrasting classic films with newer series, more selective streaming services and how Ziad Doueiri’s West Beirut brought us closer to our respective storytelling careers. We also discuss overcoming mental health concerns, the pandemic’s long-term impact on cinemas worldwide & where the Lebanese industry stands today. Anis Tabet is a film critic. Check out the 'Let's Talk About Movies' website: www.tlkabtmovies.com Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

A conversation about a friend's incredible strength in fighting stage three breast cancer, going through double mastectomy surgery, coping with cancer's temporary remission followed by recurrence and spread into bone marrow, proactively maintaining mental health despite being bed-ridden for over three months and how she is an inspiration to anyone handling immense personal pain in a time of collapse and uncertainty. With Aimee Daou of Bolero - Batroun. Here is the link to Warren Zevon’s final talkshow appearance while referencing “enjoy every sandwich”: https://youtu.be/giTi8KWSZl4 Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

0:00 Intro 0:24 Complications 21:21 Next phase 31:34 Michel Moawad 48:47 Taif 58:27 Sectarianism 1:07:20 Hostage We're with Ibrahim Mneimneh for Episode 333 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/bn0M5vwcziI We discuss complications surrounding the ‘Change’ bloc’s fracturing, the next political phase and how to approach Baabda elections, defending the Taif Agreement and addressing sectarian reform through a long-delayed senate, and challenging our hostage-like situation by producing legislation & legacy. Ibrahim Mneimneh is a Member of Parliament. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

0:00 Intro 2:11 What's happening 18:14 Mechanism 30:22 Pragmatism 42:45 Baabda 52:29 Michel Moawad 1:04:52 Long battle We're with Gistelle Semaan, Iman Tabbara & Ghiya El Asaad for Episode 332 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/lCYHieBqEDs We discuss the fracturing of the 'Change' bloc, an internal mechanism needed that takes voting and consensus into account when needed, populism vs pragmatism, the Baabda elections underway, Michel Moawad's viability and the long battle ahead and against paralysis. Gistelle Semaan, Iman Tabbara & Ghiya El Asaad are members and friends of National Bloc. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

I share my thoughts on the 'Change' bloc fracture, democratic voting vs consensus, compromise vs absolutism & October 17's national-political pursuit overlayed with differing lists & districts. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

I share my thoughts on the 10-year marker of Wissam El-Hassan's assassination, joining his son Mazen El-Hassan in Martyrs Square where both of our fathers are buried side by side, heading to Gemmayze afterwards and untangling the political discussions that grew from there. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

0:00 Intro 1:32 Cynthia Zarazir 26:08 Organization 45:18 Line 29 1:16:43 Baabda 1:42:48 Serail 1:48:34 Hezbollah 1:53:42 Social contract We're with Rawad Taha & Laury Haytayan for Episode 329 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/jvDheG_l1x8 We discuss all that is post-elections political terrain and also cover bank heists, the need for more October 17 supporters and groups to organize into political parties, Line 23 vs Line 29, Baabda elections and new potential names for the Serail, Hezbollah's crippling role in sub-state security and reform, and the evolution of Lebanon's social contract. Rawad Taha is a journalist and Laury Haytayan is an oil and gas policy expert. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

0:00 Intro 3:16 Personal story 10:09 Not so negative 16:15 Accessible for the youth 26:07 Idea of the project 32:23 National healing process 41:28 Planting seeds 51:10 'Allo, Beirut?' exhibition We're with Tala Khlat & Delphine Darmency for Episode 328 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/e-emNUkREZ0 We discuss citizenship building, civic engagement and the wider role of youth empowerment and education. Our conversation includes the power of collective memory in reclaiming history and addressing national wounds within venues like Beit Beirut, ranging from the civil war to all forms of political violence. We also talk about the 'Allo, Beirut?' exhibition currently underway in Beit Beirut. Tala Khlat is the founder and president of Min ila, and Delphine Darmency is an independent journalist and visual storyteller. Please visit min ila's website: www.minila.org Or contact Tala Khlat via her social media platforms for more info on how to support her youth empowerment work in Min ila and the 'Allo, Beirut?' exhibition: Facebook: Tala Khlat Instagram: talakhlat The AUB Neighborhood Initiative implemented the production phase of the 'Allo, Beirut?' exhibition currently underway in Beit Beirut. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.

Apologies for the mismatched audio levels. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/5lUD1VEgxFg I share disagreements with the wider framing of core problems explored within the opinion piece 'The Time to Act is Now' authored by the EU various European ambassadors and the need to create leverage and diplomatically engage Iran over Lebanon. Link to L'Orient Today article authored by EU and various European ambassadors: https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1312839/the-time-to-act-is-now.html

0:00 Intro 1:18 The death of the country 9:12 A process that's denied 22:40 Line 29 36:55 Baabda 48:02 Reclaim what was stolen 52:44 'Madrase' moment 1:03:02 Political violence 1:14:38 Environmental degradation We're with Najat Aoun Saliba for Episode 326 of The Beirut Banyan. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/JniZaGvq5wM We discuss her first four months as a member of parliament, the debate surrounding Line 23 vs Line 29, the Baabda presidency-selection process moving forward, her 'madrase' moment, the ongoing struggle against impunity and tackling widespread environmental degradation. Najat Aoun Saliba is a member of parliament and Taqaddom. Since we cannot upload bank details directly in this information box, please contact Najat Aoun Saliba's team via her social media platforms and they will forward necessary info on how to support her environmental protection office: Facebook page: Najat Aoun Saliba Instagram: najat.aoun.saliba Twitter: najat_saliba Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Animation & illustration by Sana Chaaban.