The Beirut Banyan

On losing one's sense of belonging, meaning of home, childhood friends and a brother to war. With Hassan Merhi - author of Love During Revolution. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please 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 Sub...

An episode covering the BIEL displaced encampment, public vs private property disputes, the former Normandy trash dump and Solidere's reconstruction efforts in retrospect. We also discuss missed opportunities and alternatives to Solidere, post-civil war urban landscape beyond the company's zoning, gradual urban decay over the past fifteen years, competing narratives over resistance and the existen...

An episode covering Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon on May 25, 2000, loosened state capture 26 years later despite Hezbollah's continued armament, diplomacy at play on multiple tracks, what a pending regional deal with Iran looks like and containment towards their regime means for Lebanon. With PolyBlog founder George Wardini. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donation...

An episode discussing competing narratives over Lebanon's national interest, an ideological divide over Hezbollah's weapons, covering economics in times of conflict and preconditions before any consideration for peace with Israel. With L'Orient Le-Jour economic journalist Stephanie Bechara. Check out Stephanie's Substack piece "The cause I came home to": https://substack.com/home/post/p-194594679...

A story about displacement, refuge and love. Reflecting on growing up in a refugee camp, the outbreak of civil war, Israeli invasion, post-war redevelopment, downtown reconstruction, renewed conflict and what was and remains Beirut. With architect Al Hamed. Commemorating the start of the civil war on April 13, 1975. Videography by Alexy Chidiac. Music by Marc Codsi. Translation by Amira Kazoun. Ma...

LIVE at Union Marks with Bashshar Haydar & Michael Young. Taped live on Saturday, 28 February - hours before learning of Ali Khamenei's fate. A discussion covering security arrangements with Israel, questions surrounding normalization efforts and potential fallout from a forced peace deal. The episode also covers Iranian leverage towards ceasefire efforts between Lebanon and Israel, and the future...

LIVE at Union Marks with Ammar Abd Rabbo, George Azar & Patrick Baz. Part of the REMAINING photo exhibition discussion series for the Lokman Slim Foundation at the Abroyan Factory / Union Marks in Burj Hammoud The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating throug...

A conversation on events unfolding in Iran and Lebanon with Saeedeh Marvi. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please 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 YouTube channel and your preferred audio platform. Follow...

LIVE at Union Marks with the director and cast of A Sad and Beautiful World Part of the REMAINING photo exhibition discussion series for the Lokman Slim Foundation at the Abroyan Factory / Union Marks in Burj Hammoud The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating...

LIVE at Union Marks with Marwan Hamadeh, Katia Jarjoura and Monika Borgmann Part of the REMAINING photo exhibition discussion series for the Lokman Slim Foundation at the Abroyan Factory / Union Marks in Burj Hammoud - on display until March 3, 2026 Marwan Hamadeh is a former minister and member of parliament, and himself a survivor of an attempted assassination on October 1, 2004. Katia Jarjoura...

Introducing the Remaining Photo Exhibition - a signature project of the Lokman Slim Foundation, with photography by Edouard Elias and curated by Katia Jarjoura. Through Elias’s photographs, the exhibition documents political assassinations since 2005 and resists the erasure of victims and their loved ones, as well as the traces and sites of violence, from collective memory. The exhibition document...

An episode discussing the pending gap law, corruption, army spending, rebuilding trust in the banking sector, prospects for Lebanese-Israeli relations and America's diplomatic role at large. With economist and Arab News columnist Nadim Shehadi. Check out Nadim Shehadi's article 'Lebanon is not resilient, it is traumatized': https://www.arabnews.com/node/2144181 and Michael Young's piece 'A Mechani...

George Wardini sits down with Ronnie Chatah for a special conversation—one shaped by years of friendship and a shared curiosity about politics, both local and global. With Ronnie Chatah’s grasp of international affairs and his sharp reading of Lebanese politics, the discussion asks: What is next for the region? How does the United States view Lebanon and the Middle East? How does Iran view Lebanon...

An episode discussing the one year anniversary of the Assad regime's fall, the emotions felt in Sassine Square that day, what closure looks like moving ahead and what remains in Lebanon's control With Youmna Gemayel, daughter of Bachir Gemayel. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.payp...

Armistice before peace

From an interview discussing the negotiations-mechanism with Israel, conditions for economic recovery, Hezbollah's status today and what hope means in 2025 0:00 Mechanism for negotiations 1:53 Conditions for economic recovery 3:10 Hezbollah today 3:57 Meaning of hope

In light of the Pope's visit and the wider message of peace and hope, these are three scenarios I see playing out in the not-too-distant future for Lebanon.

Political stability & economic prosperity on our terms

Celebrations are not enough. On the eve of independence our voice needs to be heard, in every platform, every institution that can apply pressure on Iran.

An episode discussing the Lebanese army's role and limitations, prospects of economic recovery alongside an ever-expanding cash economy, and general expectations regarding next year's parliamentary elections. With economist and Arab News columnist Nadim Shehadi. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal...

Getting Iran out of Lebanon comes first. Not second or third.

An episode discussing a personal decision to return to government, walk out after other ministers from the same sect left during cabinet sessions on disarmament, picking up where Fouad Chehab left off and the long-term task of administrative reform, and regaining trust among citizens. With Minister of Administrative Reform Fadi Makki. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer d...

An episode discussing sub-state disarmament, the mood for 'Change' approaching 2026 parliamentary elections, pragmatism vs purity tests on measuring government success, factors due to war vs local agency, positive trends moving forward and how to interpret the moment we're living through. With Member of Parliament Ibrahim Mneimneh. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer dona...

A ZDF German Television interview hosted by Golineh Atai Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:38 Why is sub-state disarmament so important? 2:36 What do you want Hezbollah not capable of anymore? 5:21 Is it an issue of domination of the country through weapons? 6:42 How can you measure Lebanese support for Hezbollah’s armed role today? 12:02 How do you reply to those who say without Hezbollah there is no chal...

I answer press-related questions on the government's political decisions and security condiserations needed for sub-state disarmament. The podcast is only made possible through listener and viewer donations. Please 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 ou...