Beyond Magazine Issue 19 Winter 2016 by Beyond Magazine

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IN ORDER TO RISE FROM ITS OWN ASHES, A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN.

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IN ORDER TO RISE FROM ITS OWN ASHES, A PHOENIX FIRST MUST BURN.

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EMOTION 12 DOWN IN THE DUMPS

How dirty politics has turned the country into trash

22 YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU A citizen’s guide to winning the war on waste

32 IS THE GRASS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE? There’s a world of difference in how countries tackle waste

E SSENCE 44 RESCUE MISSION When junk becomes art

60 THE CHILL FACTOR Skiing can lift your spirits and wellbeing

82 GONE BUT GROWING IN MEMORY

H ORIZONS 92 A TRIBUTE TO BEIRUT by Diana Boudargham Tannoury

98 ONE TOWN AND ITS NEW SOURCE OF HOPE 116 ONCE UPON A TIME... Beyond revisits a world of wonder

T H E

B E Y O N D

T E A M

OWNER AND GENERAL DIRECTOR Pascale Choueiri Saad CO-OWNER Ronald Saad CHIEF EDITOR Pascale Choueiri Saad CHIEF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Edgard Chehab ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Bassam Kantar COPY EDITOR Jody Jaffe ART DIRECTOR Lamia Maatouk RESPONSIBLE DIRECTOR Antoine Hajj GUEST PHOTOGRAPHERS Riad Khoury, Christine Azar, Akl Yazbeck CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alia Fawaz, Sawsan Abou Fakhreddine, Tamara Batshon, John Gray, Pierre Sakr, Karim Dahdah PRINTED BY Chamas for Printing & Publishing, Mazraa, Colombia Center ADVERTISING & MARKETING FST, info@fivestarstourism.com EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES mag.beyond@gmail.com

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Five Stars Tourism s.a.r.l. Azarieh St. Azarieh Bldg. Block 01 Beirut, Lebanon Tel: +961 1 994 006 Fax: +961 1 994 007 THIS MAGAZINE IS PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR WHEN ALL THE TREES ARE CUT DOWN WHEN ALL THE ANIMALS ARE DEAD WHEN ALL THE WATERS ARE POISONED WHEN ALL THE AIR IS UNSAFE TO BREATH ONLY THEN YOU WILL DISCOVER YOU CANNOT EAT MONEY

WHEN DESPAIR FOR THE WORLD GROWS IN ME, AND I WAKE IN THE NIGHT AT THE LEAST SOUND IN FEAR OF WHAT MY LIFE AND MY CHILD'S LIFE MAY BE, WHEN ALL I CAN SEE AND TALK ABOUT IS GARBAGE AND CATASTROPHES; WHEN I LOOK AROUND AND REALIZE THAT THE POLITICIANS, WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO GIVE US OUR RIGHTS AS CITIZENS, AREN'T DOING THEIR DUTIES AND COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT ME OR YOU; WHEN I FIND OUT THAT MOST OF THE CIVIL SOCIETY MOVEMENTS WERE JUST PLAYING POLITICS WITH HIDDEN AGENDAS WHILE PRETENDING TO BE WASTE MANAGEMENT EXPERTS; WHEN I NOTICE THAT ALL THE ABOVE PARTICIPATED IN CONVERTING MY GREEN LEBANON INTO A DUMPSITE… I FEEL HELPLESS AND DISGUSTED. SO I CLOSE MY EYES AND LIE DOWN, TAKING MY MIND TO A PLACE WHERE THE WOOD DRAKE RESTS IN HIS BEAUTY ON THE WATER, AND THE GREAT HERON FEEDS AND WHERE THE MAJESTIC CEDAR BREATHES. I COME INTO THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS WHO DO NOT TAX THEIR LIVES WITH FORETHOUGHT OF GRIEF. I COME INTO THE PRESENCE OF STILL WATER. AND I FEEL ABOVE ME THE DAY-BLIND STARS WAITING WITH THEIR LIGHT. FOR A TIME, I REST IN THE GRACE OF THE WORLD, AND I AM FREE.

MA I N CONT R IBU TORS

A is W co ed ou no ge

EDGARD CHEHAB

With 17 years of experience in the environmental field, Edgard Chehab is a renowned name in local and regional green circles. He is the assistant resident representative and manager of the Energy and Environment Program of UNDP, Lebanon. He is also the advisor to the Ministry of the Environment. Beyond is lucky to have Mr. Chehab as its environmental consultant and dear friend.

RAWIA ZANTOUT

Rawia Ghandour Zantout was born in Lebanon but grew up in the south of France where she studied at the Centre International de Valbonne and later at the University of Southern Europe in Monaco. Following her passion for art she took private lessons in drawing and painting in parallel with her studies. To date Rawia has participated in more than 12 exhibitions in Lebanon and abroad.

DIANA BOUDARGHAM TANNOURY

BASSAM KANTAR

ALIA FAWAZ

ALFRED MOUSSA

In her contributions to Beyond , Diana Boudargham Tannoury continues to push her poetic license to the next level. With a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in international communications and international relations from Boston University, Mrs. Boudargham Tannoury enjoys writing short stories and poems in the hope that her words will help raise awareness about natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fragility.

Alia Fawaz is a freelance writer based in Beirut with a passion to see a greener, cleaner Lebanon. Can we influence others to be environmentally responsible? Trying to answer this question is both a challenge and the source inspiration for her as a regular contributor to Beyond. She covers the increasing renewable energy projects and eco-initiatives in the country and shares snippets of natural wonders from around the globe.

A seasoned Lebanese journalist, Bassam AlKantar is a founding member of the Lebanese Environment Party. Kantar frequently writes about environmental and human rights issues. He strongly believes that the free press can be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad. Kantar won a fellowship from the Earth Journalism Network to cover the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change summit.

A photography artist who has captured the nature, architecture and people of 15 countries and 120 cities in five continents, Alfred Moussa has been taking his best shot since his tender years. He has contributed to Lebanon's Ministries of Tourism and Environment and LBC International, among many others. Mr Moussa's work has earned him nods from Photo Laureates, American Art Festival, Georgetown University, World Press Photo and many more. Info@alfredmoussa.com

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EMOTION

DOWN IN THE DUMPS

HOW DIRTY POLITICS HAS TURNED THE COUNTRY INTO TRASH Words BASSAM ALKANTAR

On July 17, 2015, the Naameh landfill was shut down, 15 years after its initial closing date. The Government of Lebanon had no contingency plan for dealing with waste management. Trash quickly began to overflow from the streets and riverbanks of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, leading to Lebanonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worst trash crisis in history.

14 An assessment of strategies/policies as well as an examination of the legal, institutional, and regulatory framework show that a series of solid waste management policies, strategies, and master plans from 1998 until today, including the 2012 waste-to-energy option, have been approved by successive Lebanese governments but have not been implemented. Cabinet Decision No. 46, dated October 30, 2014, as amended by Decision No. 1, dated January 12, 2015, asked the Council for Development and Reconstruction to immediately start preparing the Terms of Reference for an open tender to award the contract of street sweeping and waste collection and transportation within the Lebanese governorates. On August 25, 2015 the cabinet adopted the suggestion by the Minister of the Environment to dismiss the results of the tenders on the Solid Domestic Waste (SDW) services, and it commissioned the Ministerial Committee to pursue alternatives to be proposed to the Cabinet in a timely manner. On September 9, 2015 the Cabinet approved a plan proposed by the Minister of Agriculture and the Head of the Experts’ Committee for the Treatment of the Solid Waste Crisis. The plan, approved during an emergency cabinet meeting, gives municipalities a leading role in treating local waste. According to

the plan, any solution must incorporate the 3R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), and include organic composting as well as dumping in sanitary landfills. Moreover, solutions should present a balance of environmentally beneficial, feasible, cost-effective, and socially sensitive practices that work together to attain the desired goal. THE EXPERTS’ PLAN The headlines and guidelines of the so-called “Experts Plan” adopted the principle of treatment decentralization and giving the municipalities and the Federation of Municipalities a role in assuming responsibility for the SDW file for a sustainable period and in accordance with implementation mechanisms that would be established for this purpose. The implementation mechanisms would be based on a balanced standard that takes into account the quantities of waste, and any available project for treating waste should be immediately considered by the municipalities and the Federation of Municipalities. Supervision of the project implementation would be carried out by a centralized, technical team that would be headed by the Minister of the Interior and Municipalities and that would be composed of representatives from the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Finance, OMSAR, the CDR and a number of experts.

19 THE NIMBY SYNDROME While the “sustainable period” was praised by political parties, municipalities and the environmental NGOs, the “transitional period” was refused and criticized by Nimbies! “NIMBY” (an acronym for the phrase "Not in My Back Yard") is a pejorative characterization of opposition by residents to a proposal for a new landfill because it is close to them, often with the connotation that such residents believe that the developments are needed in society but should be farther away. The government has failed to implement the plan, however, because of the sharp political divides among its factions, which show no desire to make concessions in their refusal to establish landfills in their regions and share responsibility for collective waste. The NIMBY syndrome was responsible for the failure to implement the government's decision to build two sanitary landfills in the area of Srar in the Akkar and the Masnaa area in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, and to use Sidon’s waste treatment plant to receive part of the solid waste during the interim period. The government also agreed to study the possibility of using the Burj Hammoud dumpsite in the coming period within the framework of a rehabilitation plan that would serve to develop the area. It also agreed to commission the CDR to prepare the necessary studies with the Ministry of the Environment to rehabilitate the Ras El Ain dumpsite and to award the necessary contracts The government also proposed moving the waste

that had been accumulated in Beirut and Mount Lebanon between July 17, 2015 until the present to the Naameh Sanitary landfill, which would be reopened for this purpose for seven days. The government’s decision also proposed decrees by both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior and Municipalities, relating to the distribution of the municipalities and their unions’ share from the telecommunication revenues of the Independent Municipal Fund funded from the Ministry of Telecommunications without any discount, including the payment by installments of the outstanding amounts for the period between 1995 and 2010. The government also agreed on giving the Higher Relief Committee a Treasury advance of 300 billion Lebanese pounds for development projects in the North and Beqaa regions. The failure to implement the “Experts Plan” is complicating the situation. The lack of treatment, especially with regard to passive dumps, is putting increased pressure on air, water, groundwater, and soil. The estimated cost of environmental degradation resulting from municipal waste reached $66.5 million in 2012. The opportunity loss from intervention that could improve waste sector management amounted to $74 million. The cost is expected double in 2015. Lebanon's sectarianism has never sunk so low as to include waste. One is left to wonder whether the current crisis is actually about waste or rather a sectarian conflict that is fueled by other factors.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU A CITIZENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE TO WINNING THE WAR ON WASTE Words SAWSAN ABOU FAKHREDDINE

The recent garbage crisis has revealed the ugly truth about the many years of mismanagement of this sector. We have seen the result of the failure of households and municipalities to assume their responsibilities with regard to sorting, collecting, and managing their solid wastes. The accumulation of waste in the streets, the uncontrolled dumping of waste, and the burning of waste are creating a catastrophic situation with a harmful impact on health and the environment.

MAXIMUM IMPACT LANDFILL

WASTE TO ENERGY

RECYCLE WASTES

(ORGANIC & NON-ORGANIC)

REUSE WASTE

REDUCE WASTE GENERATION MINIMUM IMPACT

The solid waste management pyramid shows that there are different techniques for processing and treating solid waste, each with a different impact on the environment.

24 In order to develop an integrated solid waste management program, there is a need to shift from the current approach of “waste disposal” to one of “waste minimization, processing, and recycling,” using environmentally friendly approaches and technologies. This can only be achieved with the participation of local community groups. It is necessary to empower the local authorities with the know-how and financial means to treat solid waste, and to educate people about the process and its impact on social life, heath, the economy, and the environment. DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO WASTE MANAGEMENT Understanding the variety of solutions as illustrated in the pyramid is essential, as it provides a big picture of the solid waste management process, and helps in understanding the different inputs and advantages/ disadvantages of each approach; At the bottom of the pyramid is “reduce waste generation,” which is a micro solution applied any place where waste is actually generated (individuals, household, business, industry, etc.) and which has the minimum impact on the environment. At the top of the pyramid is

“landfill”, which is a macro solution applied at the level of big cities, municipalities, and regions. With this solution very little waste is treated, and it has the maximum impact on the environment of all the solutions. In between, there are different solutions for solid waste management, such as incineration with or without energy recovery, reusing, and recycling. The most appropriate and efficient solution for waste management begins by minimizing the amount of waste generated per day and by adopting reusing and recycling of waste as illustrated below:

A closer look at the composition of solid waste in Lebanon shows that the majority (51%) is food. Therefore, the first step in reducing the generation of solid wastes is to control the amount of food that we throw away every day and to change our daily consumption of products that generate big amount of waste.

SOCIAL

ECONOMIC/ ADMINISTRATIVE

TECHNOLOGY

WASTE MINIMIZATION & REUSE

WASTE RECYCLING

WASTE DISPOSAL

INDIVIDUAL

MUNICIPALITY

HOUSEHOLD

UNION OF

BUSINESS

MUNICIPALITIES

INDUSTRIES

DISTRICT

GOVERNORATE

27 WHAT CAN YOU DO? How can you REDUCE your waste? Here are some tips: •Take your own bag or basket to the grocery and market. •Do not accept bags for your purchases in stores unless you really need them (e.g., you do not need to place a bag of bread in another bag). •Choose products wrapped in the least unnecessary packaging. •Buy everything that you can in bulk (large economy sizes) rather than in small packages that use much more wasteful packaging. •Try using concentrated products (e.g., soap) that need less packaging. •Buy vegetables loose rather than in plastic bags. •Don't waste food and store leftovers in a reusable container. •Give your food scraps to animals. •Maintain and repair items (e.g., clothes, appliances) so that they last longer. •Sell or donate things that you don't want instead of throwing them out (e.g., clothes, books can be sold at garage sales or handed down to younger people). •Borrow, rent or share things that you don't use often (e.g., tools). •Try to use cloth napkins, sponges, and dishcloths instead of paper towels and napkins. •Do not take more than you need to use. For example, don't take packets of ketchup, napkins, or utensils from restaurants unless you need them. •Use low-energy fluorescent bulbs that last longer than the regular incandescent bulbs. •If you mow your lawn or trim plants, let the trimmings remain on the soil to decompose and release important nutrients for the plants. The second solution is to REUSE your waste. Some tips are to: •Use both sides of the paper. •Wash plastic containers and jars and reuse. •Buy things in plastic or glass containers that can be reused. •Reuse boxes. •Use reusable containers for food instead of disposable boxes, plastic wrap, foil, or sandwich bags. •Reuse plastic bags. •Ask restaurants to use reusable food containers that can be washed (or at least paper, which is less damaging to the environment). •Reuse envelopes. The third solution is recycling and composting. Recycling is the recovery of useful materials, such as

paper, glass, plastic, and metals, from the trash in order to make new products. Composting involves collecting organic waste, such as food leftovers and yard trimmings, and storing them under conditions that are designed to help them break down naturally. The resulting compost can then be used as a natural fertilizer.

RECYCLABLE ITEMS PAPER & CARTON Papers and Carton constitute 17% of waste in Lebanon. Recycled paper helps to save trees and natural resources. One ton of paper and carton can be sold for $70.

BATTERIES Batteries contain heavy metals and should not be thrown away with the regular trash. Recycling is always the best option.

PLASTICS Plastics constitute around 10% of solid waste in Lebanon. One ton can be sold for $100.

GLASS Glass, especially glass food and beverage containers, can be recycled over and over again. In Lebanon, glass constitutes 9% of solid waste. White sorted glass can be sold for $50.

METALS Households generate around 3% of metal wastes, whereas some businesses and industries produce much more. One ton of sorted metal can be sold for $50.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE Products such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides contain potentially hazardous ingredients that require special care when you dispose of them. These products may be dangerous to people or bad for the environment if poured down the drain, dumped on the ground, or thrown out with regular trash.

30 A NATURAL APPROACH: COMPOSTING Composting, or green recycling of organic waste, (i.e., food waste, leaves, grass trimmings, wood, feathers, crop residue etc.), is a natural biological process, carried out under controlled aerobic conditions. The effectiveness of the composting process is dependent upon the environmental conditions present within the composting system (i.e., oxygen, temperature, moisture, material disturbance, organic matter and the size and activity of microbial populations). Natural recycling (composting) occurs on a continuous basis in the natural environment and the resulting nutrients are returned to the soil to support plant growth. In Lebanon, since approximately 50 to 60 percent of the waste is organic, composting can play a significant role in diverting waste from landfills and transforming organic waste into soil fertilizers. Composting can be carried out at the household level if there are gardens or open vegetated spaces where organic waste can be composted, or at the municipal or regional level where composting facilities can be established. The success of recycling or composting depends on the appropriate sorting and separation of food from recyclable materials, which improve the quality of composting and increase the value of recyclable material. Benefits of Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling: •Reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators; •Conserves natural resources such as timber, water, and minerals; •Prevents pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials; •Saves energy; •Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate warming; •Helps sustain the environment for future generations; •Enables products to be used to their fullest extent

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN In an attempt to solve this crisis, an Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan was proposed by the Government. It would make municipalities responsible for the management of solid waste. Local communities would develop and implement local waste management plans that are based on minimization of waste generation, sorting from source, and recycling. The following table shows the current status of solid waste management in Lebanon as oppose4d to the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan in the medium term:

CURRENT STATUS

NEW PHASE

High production of wastes (0.8kg to 1kg per person)

Decrease in the production of wastes through raising awareness and incentives to encourage minimization of waste generation.

Sorting of recyclable material amounts to 10 to 15% of collected garbage

Gradual increase in the sorting of recyclable material to reach 20% in the first three years

Dumping in landfills 85 to 90%

Gradual increase of composting, recycling of wastes and adopting waste to energy methods to reach 75% in the first three years --> decrease in dumping to 25%

Illegal, uncontrolled dumping sites spread all over the country

Establish landfills and solid waste treatment facilities in specific zones to serve a group of municipalities with external monitoring body involving the municipalities and local NGOs

Absence of sorting from source (households, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, industries, schools, etc.)

Promote sorting from source by municipalities and the government through incentives.

Management of waste at the central level

Decentralized management of solid waste in its different stages (sorting, collecting and treatment) at the level of municipalities, districts, or governorates.

Contamination of soil and water and air resulting from uncontrolled dumping in forests and rivers and residential areas

Decrease pollution levels in soil, water, and air through monitoring of established waste treatment facilities.

The success of any initiative aiming at the sustainable management of solid waste in Lebanon requires full collaboration among the various players, as well as a serious commitment at all levels of society. We need

to start educating ourselves and our children about the added value of solid waste management. We have to make the concepts of minimization of waste and sorting a part of our culture and our daily life.

IS THE GRASS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE? THERE’S A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN HOW COUNTRIES TACKLE WASTE Words ALIA FAWAZ

The ugly truth is that garbage, waste and pollution are in the news everyday, with growing statistics of shocking levels of trash filling our planet. A recent World Bank report projected that the amount of solid waste generated globally would nearly double by the year 2025, going from 3.5 million tons to 6 million tons per day. What’s actually worrying is that most of this waste isn’t being handled properly; millions of plastic fragments are flooding the world’s oceans and disrupting marine ecosystems, and plenty of trash in developing countries is either burned in incinerators that generate air pollution or dumped recklessly in urban environments.

SWITZERLAND

34 Clearly we are up against incredible challenges to reduce waste in a growing consumption-driven world. But the good news is that in the last decade public interest in recycling has increased dramatically especially throughout the industrialized world. We explore two extremes of the realities and share some examples of how waste is being dealt with in different parts of the world…. THE GREENER SIDE SWEDEN seems to have perfected garbage management with more than 99 per cent of all household waste now being recycled in one way or another. Most Swedes separate all recyclable waste in their homes and deposit it in special containers in their block of flats or drop it off at a recycling station, which can be found within 300 meters from any residential area. The southern Swedish city of Helsingborg even fitted their public waste bins with loudspeakers to play pleasant music – imagine that? You will also find that rubbish trucks are often run on recycled electricity (biogas), their wasted water is purified to the extent of being potable and special rubbish trucks go around cities to pick up electronics and hazardous chemical waste. Their pharmacists even accept leftover medicine. Furthermore, 50 per cent of their household waste is burnt to produce energy – heat and electricity at incineration plants. And an additional 700,000 tonnes of waste is imported from other countries to fuel its power needs. In case you’re wondering, the smoke from the incineration plants consists of 99.9 per cent non-toxic carbon dioxide and water, but is still filtered through dry filters and water. The dry

filters are deposited and the sludge from the dirty filter water is used to refill abandoned mines. Sweden recycles and sorts its trash so effectively that less than 1% ends up in landfills. Over in SWITZERLAND recycling rate is also one of the highest in the world – and it comes at a hefty price (for residents that is). The country charges for their disposal of junk and you must use an official (expensive) grey refuse bag to dispose of your garbage. Prices for the bags range from $1.64 to $9.60 USD each, depending on the size. Because of this, the Swiss are obviously very diligent with their recycling. Switzerland has also introduced a landfilling ban, demanding that all non-recycled combustible waste be incinerated.

35 And as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major producers of electric appliances, Japan even has their own Home Appliance Law that's been in effect for over 10 years now. It places the responsibility of recycling on everyone from the consumers to the manufacturers. So if you need to get rid of a large appliance, you are required to pay a recycling fee and purchase a ticket. The fees depend on the appliance, brand, and size of the unit. The cost of recycling a small television, for example, would run you about $19.30, while a refrigerator is a higher fee at $32.16. With this law, all manufacturers must accept the discarded appliances and recycle them, while the consumer is responsible for delivering the discarded appliance to the retailer or manufacturer and paying the required fees for collection and recycling. The government also ensures additional collecting facilities of the discarded appliances so that it is delivered to its manufacturers. Thanks to this effective system in place end-of-life home appliances can be reborn as raw materials and not end up as scrap metal and plastic parts in landfills.

Similar to Lebanon, SINGAPORE has a population of 4.8 million, a high population density of 6500 people per km2 and very limited natural resources. But perhaps the comparisons end there; especially when it comes to garbage management as Singapore's impeccably clean streets reflect some of the strictest littering laws and best public services in the world (In the 1960s, the former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew introduced stringent anti-litter laws, which are still in force today). For example, if you are caught dropping garbage, you can be fined up to $1,000 for the first conviction and up to $5,000 for repeated convictions. You can also get a fine for putting spent chewing gum anywhere other than a bin ($100), for urinating in lifts ($500), and for failing to flush a public lavatory ($100).

SWEDEN

JAPAN is famed for its meticulous organization habits and more recently going to extraordinary lengths in recycling practices. In the city of Yokohama for example, residents are required to sort their trash diligently and put the recyclables into the 10 different categories of recycling. The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaders even handed a 27-page instruction booklet to every resident, explaining how they were to sort out their trash.

36 HONG KONG, CHINA

37 NEW YORK CITY, USA

38 BELGIUM has the highest score in Europe when it comes to recycling old unwanted cars thanks to their state-of-the-art post shredder technologies. It boasts a scrap cars recycling rate of 91% and their goal is to increase it to 95% by end of this year. Once a car is recycled, shredder waste is what remains and that is normally difficult material to recycle, as it's a mix of all kinds of different materials. Belgium’s post shredder technology makes it possible to recover useful raw materials from the shredder waste by using mechanical separation techniques. Hazardous materials such as fluids, tires and batteries are carefully removed from the discarded vehicles. The shredders then shred what is left, together with consumer goods, into shredded steel scrap.

and recycled in Austria since the mid 1970s, divided into clear and coloured glass. Austria even has bottle banks at every supermarket that pays 10-40 cents per bottle. Much of this success is attributed to a company called Austria Glas Recycling. The organization collects and reuses an impressive 80% of the glass in circulation throughout country each year. The glass is then used as a secondary raw material for the production of new bottles and jars. NOT SO GREEN In NAPLES, ITALY, the dealings of the local mafia - the Camorra – in the region’s trash disposal is legendary. In the 1990s the Camorra realized how lucrative the waste business could be – in the range

IN THE 1990'S THE CAMORRA REALIZED HOW LUCRATIVE THE WASTE BUSINESS COULD BE – IN THE RANGE OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS - AND STARTED TO ILLEGALLY FILL THE REGION WITH INDUSTRIAL GARBAGE (INCLUDING TOXIC INDUSTRIAL AND NUCLEAR WASTE) COMING FROM SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND OTHER PARTS OF ITALY.

As you would expect Germans are very diligent with their bin system and there is a separate trash bin for each waste category. GERMANY also introduced the successful Green Dot system, which means packaging is slimmed down. The way it works is that manufacturers and retailers have to pay for a "Green Dot" on products: the more packaging there is, the higher the fee. This clever system has led to less paper, thinner glass and less metal being used, thus creating less overall garbage to be recycled. Germany even has a separate recycling bin for dead animals (in Germany, it’s illegal to bury pets in public places.) There is a rendering plant near the town of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse that accepts deceased pets; animal fat is recycled into glycerin, which is used in cosmetics like lip balm and other products. AUSTRIA is among the world’s top recyclers (a category shared by Germany and Belgium). Recycling plastic is a priority by law in Austria, and its glass recycling regulation is considered some of the best in Europe. In fact glass has been actively collected

of billions of dollars - and started to illegally fill the region with industrial garbage (including toxic industrial and nuclear waste) coming from several European countries and other parts of Italy. The Campania area became known as the “Triangle of Death” with waste-related pollution allegedly linked to higher cancer and birth defects rates compared to other similar regions. Dioxin, tetrachloride, lead, arsenic, PCBs, asbestos, industrial sludge, toxic solvents, and other chemicals have been seeping into the soil and ground water. In 2008, samples of buffalo milk produced in Campania featured traces of dioxin, leading to export bans in some countries. Great efforts have been made to reverse this situation but it’s still an on-going battle, as there is no easy or quick solution to such a deeprooted waste situation that has spanned decades. DHAKA, the capital city of Bangladesh is one of the world’s most densely populated cities. Due to lack of infrastructure, knowledge for proper method, technological assistance as well as socio-economic

39 NAPLES, ITALY

40 YOKOHAMA, JAPAN

41 barriers, the city also lacks an efficient garbage management system. Everywhere you look garbage is visible: lined on the streets outside of houses, parks and even hospitals and schools. The municipal waste management service has capacity to collect just 60 percent of the trash, leaving the rest strewn around the city. It’s even quite common for the dwellers of Dhaka city to throw their garbage through the window regardless of where it will drop! MEXICO CITY had one of the largest landfills in the world until it was shut down in 2011. The Bordo Poniente landfill, located just outside of Mexico City, was built on a dry lake bed partly to handle the rubble from the devastating 1985 earthquake. Over 20 million people of Mexico City's metro area dumped close to 14,000 tons of garbage into Bordo Poniente each day. However, Bordo Poniente's closure left just two smaller landfills to receive the same amount of trash. As thousands of illegal dump sites sprang up, garbage truck queues stretched for miles, and worst of all, trash spilled into the streets. To fix the problem, Mexico City's government went to work on recycling and creating initiatives aimed at changing the wasteful culture of its residents. In one innovative effort, officials set up a barter market in which residents could trade recyclables for food vouchers. But even with more Mexicans recycling, Mexico City officials still needed a solution for the outdated waste-disposal infrastructure, especially Bordo Poniente. More than 75 million tons of waste are already buried at the dump, and all that trash produces large quantities of landfill gas — a crude mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor that produces a foul smell and contributes greatly to greenhouse gases. In fact, there's so much landfill gas spewing from the site that Mexico City officials estimate it contributes to 20 percent of the city's greenhouse gasses. Luckily plans are underway to harness the landfill gas into a form of biogas that will power up to 35,000 homes, instead of letting that gas seep into the atmosphere. While it may not have the garbage management problems facing many of the third world countries, the UNITED STATES does generate more waste than any other nation in the world. One person will waste 2.04 kg of municipal solid waste per day. This is directly correlated to their higher levels of

consumption. Americans constitute 5% of the world's population yet they consume 20% of the world's energy, eat 15% of its meat, and produce 40% of the earth’s garbage. Unfortunately, a great deal of gas emissions come from trash, and decomposition of municipal waste is one of the major sources of methane emissions in the world. Methane emissions, which are produced during the decomposition of solid waste, are more harmful than carbon emissions (methane is 20 times more potent by weight than carbon dioxide). In the U.S., many modern landfills are equipped with systems that capture methane gas before it escapes into the atmosphere. As of July 2013, more than 600 different landfill gas reclamation projects throughout the United States had produced 16 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, enough to power almost 1.2 billion homes. CHINA is not far behind the U.S. in generating waste, and by 2030 it is expected to produce twice as much as the Americans! To cope with growing trash concerns the Chinese government undertook a massive effort to burn trash for energy, constructing hundreds of incinerators to reduce its trash mountains. However, lax regulations, coupled with poor incinerator quality, are resulting in large releases of harmful pollutants like dioxin and mercury into the atmosphere.

N.B. Last but not least we can mention our beloved Lebanon and the ongoing garbage conundrum on this list, but we won’t. Let’s hope that the experts and politicians will be able to sort that out (literally and figuratively). And let’s end this review on a positive note hoping the country will come to grips with the waste crisis and find a longterm sustainable solution. Inshallah. Hoping for the best and keep practicing our three R’s in our own homes and establishments: Reduce, Recycle and Reuse.

ESSENCE

RESCUE MISSION

WHEN JUNK BECOMES ART Words ALIA FAWAZ

Lately we have been seeing that recycling is not just restricted to the resurgence of the object itself, but that it can be used to create something creative and aesthetically beautiful, while also carrying a meaningful message. This is certainly the era of the eco-artists, or â&#x20AC;&#x153;junk sculptors.â&#x20AC;? They are transforming used objects into impressive pieces of contemporary art.

LEO SEWELL 45

46 MICHELLE READER American artist LEO SEWELL creates beautiful sculptures, usually in the shape of animals. They come in a patchwork of colors, or sometimes in one metallic hue. Look closer and you will find everyday familiar objects artfully assembled to create his unusual and striking figures. A plastic ruler, a paintbrush, soda bottle tops, plastic toys, hockey sticks, the inner mechanisms of a clock, and anything that has been used and that is normally discarded, can end up as his materials.

Sewell has produced over 4,000 works in the last 50 years. They are displayed in over 40 museums and in private collections worldwide. Most of Sewell’s work is made from plastic, metal, and wood, chosen for their color, durability, and patina. The used components are merged together using stainless steel fasteners, screws, and nails, while his larger outdoor pieces are mostly welded together. “I think Michelangelo would also be working with found objects if he were alive today,” he says.

Growing up in Annapolis, Maryland, near a U.S. Navy dump, fueled Sewell’s interest in collecting junk as a young boy. “They would throw away parts of boats and airplanes and I would find them fascinating,” explains Sewell. “I would take these objects home and mostly just take them apart,” he adds. His parents soon encouraged him to actually build something with these “junk” items, and their advice paved the way for his prolific career as a junk sculptor.

Through her art, London-based MICHELLE READER not only highlights the need to address the problem that is created by the amount of waste that each of us produces, but she also tells the story of each individual through the things that he discards, such as a child’s drawings, a shopping list, or a birthday card. Much of Reader’s work is developed through commissions for businesses. She uses the waste that is produced by the company to create a unique sculpture for a one-off event or for display on its premises.

"THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "AWAY". WHEN WE THROW ANYTHING AWAY, IT MUST GO SOMEWHERE" ANNIE LEONARD

PTOLEMY ELRINGTON 49

50 One such example is a jaguar sculpture that she made for Sky. The big cat was created from materials sourced from its recycling warehouse, including satellite dishes, remote controls, and electrical cables. The sculpture was inspired by Sky’s Rainforest Rescue campaign, and will be displayed in the company’s offices. Another inventive sculpture is Bombus Locuru, a white-tailed bumblebee created to highlight the plight of bees, and the link to pesticides referenced by the use of a gas mask for the bee’s face. “My sculptures draw attention to environmental issues in an aesthetic, playful, and visually engaging way,” she explains.

FROM A DISTANCE HARVEY’S IRIDESCENT, MASSIVE ARTWORKS LOOK AS IF THEY HAD BEEN MADE FROM EXPENSIVE CRYSTALS, BUT IN FACT THEY ARE A COLLECTION OF TRASH, RANGING FROM DISCARDED WATER BOTTLES, EGG CARTONS, AND SALAD BOXES TO MUFFIN TINS.

For another UK-based artist, PTOLEMY ELRINGTON, the round metal cap fittings that are usually seen on the hub of a car wheel are the main ingredients of his art. Look closer at his dramatic silvercolored sculptures and you will see the familiar logos of BMW or Volvo. His inspiration comes from the shapes and qualities that are found within the materials that he comes across, as well as his desire to encourage recycling, which is something that he strongly advocates. “I hate waste, and sometimes things we think of as valuable only have a brief life and are then discarded,” Elrington says. “It would be a great thing to re-design all products so that they have a second, or even a third purpose,” he adds. Painter and installation artist KATHARINE HARVEY is from Ontario, Canada. She has created 19 magnificent recycled art installations since 2001. Her work has been displayed at the Bank of America in Los Angeles, the World Financial Center in New York, and at the Ontario House at the 2010

Vancouver Winter Olympics, among a long list of other corporate landmarks, public spaces, and art galleries. From a distance Harvey’s iridescent massive artworks look as if they had been made from expensive crystals, but in fact they are a collection of trash, ranging from discarded water bottles, egg cartons, and salad boxes to muffin tins. She ties the trash items with monofilament into long strands or sews them into fishing nets, creating silhouettes and reflections that mimic the movement of water. “My installations evoke both states of calm and calamity by portraying water’s power,” explains Harvey. Harvey began with small trash installations. When she gradually used the materials on a larger scale, the environmental implications became more apparent to her. “We are reminded of the vast island that has formed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean consisting of plastic refuse brought together by oceanic currents,” she says.

51 KATHARINE HARVEY

RAWIA ZANTOUT

IMPRESSIONS FROM LIFE Words TAMARA BATSHON

Talented Lebanese artist Rawia Zantout has always drawn inspiration from the French impressionist masters of the 19th century. Her mesmerizing oil paintings brimming with vivid colors, light and optimism mirror a world of recreation and natural beauty. She shares some of her breathtaking paintings in these next pages and gives us her personal insights on life, on nature and on resilience.

"I ESCAPE. I TRAVEL TO MY OWN WORLD... MY SOLACE... TO MY NATURE."

ON LIFE

THE LILAC JUNGLE

"LIFE FOR ME IS A JOURNEY. MY MISSION IN LIFE IS TO TRANSFORM MY LIFE’S JOURNEY

FROM

“JUST LIVING” TO

“LIVING IN FULFILLMENT AND HAPPINESS.” THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF YOU ACHIEVE INNER PEACE WITH YOURSELF. THE MINUTE YOU ACHIEVE THIS PEACE IS THE MINUTE YOU SEE LIFE AS A BEAUTY AND A BLESSING… I PERSONALLY FIND MY INNER PEACE WITH MY BRUSH."

"I CALL IT THE ENCHANTING BEAUTY. FOR ME NATURE IS A HIDDEN PARADISE FILLED WITH SCENIC LANDSCAPES, COLORFUL FLORA, SPLENDID WATERFALLS, EXOTIC LOCALS, BREATHTAKING BLOOMING TREES AND FLOWERS, PICTURESQUE DENSE LUSH GREEN FORESTS, DAZZLING DESERTS, BREATHTAKING SEASCAPES, SERENE FLOWING RIVERS AND AND AND… LET’S JUST SAY NATURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY SOURCE OF INSPIRATION. I JUST LOVE PAINTING IT. UNFORTUNATELY MAN’S NEED FOR COMFORT HAS LED TO ITS DESTRUCTION, WHICH GAVE ME ANOTHER REASON TO DEPICT NATURE. PERHAPS IT’S MY WAY OF PRESERVING IT."

INSPIRED BY NATURE

THE POND IN THE JUNGLE

ON RESILIENCE

THE BLOOMING FOREST

"LIVING IN A COUNTRY WHERE UNFORTUNATELY NATURE HAS BECOME A SCARCITY MAKES YOU SEEK TO FILL THIS VOID. A COUNTRY ENGULFED WITH GARBAGE DISASTERS, POLITICAL TURBULENCE, ENDLESS CONFLICTS, ECONOMIC DEPRESSION, POVERTY AND SO MUCH MORE… MY RESILIENCE IS TO PLUNGE INTO MY ART, MY PAINTING... "

THE CHILL FACTOR SKIING CAN LIFT YOUR SPIRITS AND WELLBEING Words JOHN GRAY

If you’re planning to ski this winter, you are not only going to have plenty of fun, but you will also be doing yourself a lot of good….

62 Silvio Chiha is an internationally known water skier from Lebanon. He is a multi-talented athlete who has competed in wake boarding, sailing, alpine skiing, judo, and mixed martial arts. Beyond sits down with Silvio, who shares his experiences as well as his passion for sports.

I used to go to Italy for worlds championships for those under 21 years of age. One of my favorite resorts is Madona di Campilio, as I love the artificial snow and the amazing technology there.

HOW ABOUT SKIING IN LEBANON? DO WE HAVE GOOD SLOPES? YOU ARE A MULTI-TALENTED ATHLETE, BUT YOUR CURRENT SPECIALTY IS WATER SKIING, RIGHT? TELL US ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SPORTS THAT YOU PRACTICE AND THE AWARDS THAT YOU HAVE WON.

In Lebanon we have amazing slopes. The problem is the quality of the snow that we have, which is very different from the snow in Europe and the U.S. In addition to that, the ski season here is quite short.

I was raised with sports. When I was young, my mother always tried to expose me to all kind of sports, from tennis to waterskiing. I discovered at a very young age that I had a passion for waterskiing, and in particular slalom. I have won many awards and tournaments all over the world in waterskiing. I have also won national tournaments in snow skiing, sailing, judo, and mixed martial arts.

IT MUST BE EXHILARATING FOR YOU WHEN YOU SKI. HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY FEEL?

WE ARE GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT ALPINE SKIING FOR THIS WINTER ISSUE. IS THIS A SPORT THAT YOU ENJOY?

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE GENUINELY ADDICTED TO SKIING. WHAT IS THE APPEAL OF SKIING?

Like the majority of Lebanese youth, having the snow slopes next door, it was very natural for me to go from waterskiing to snow skiing. I really enjoy it, although it has a shorter season than waterskiing, which I practice almost all year long. I love snow skiing, and it is a sport in which I have excelled at a national level for many years. I have skied slalom, free style, and free ride. Slalom consists in passing through gates as fast as possible. Freestyle consists in performing high and tricky jumps. Free ride is about skiing on virgin slopes, slopes that no one has skied before.

Well, skiing can be very addictive, as the adrenaline rush that you get sometimes is just amazing! I guess it's better to become addicted to skiing than to other things. There is also a sense of camaraderie that you develop on the slopes while pushing each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s limits!

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GO SNOW SKIING?

I always strive to take calculated risks and to stay safe, while pushing my limits. I try to protect myself at all times. I always wear complete protective gear, including a helmet, back protection, etc. However, the risk is always there, and when you are on the top there is no other choice but to take the risk.

I like exploring new terrains. I have skied on almost all of the skiable slopes in Lebanon and in all the ski resorts, and I have an appetite for off-piste adventure as well.

It is an amazing feeling, especially when you are the first one on the slopes. The feeling is indescribable. It can be like enjoying a piece of chocolate, or whatever you are addicted to, after a very long time. After a painfully long wait you finally get to have it!

HOW CAN YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU STAY SAFE PRACTICING THIS SPORT? WE HEAR ABOUT MANY ACCIDENTS, INVOLVING EVEN THE MOST SEASONED SKIERS.

SILVIO CHIHA BY AKL YAZBECK SPORTSCODE IMAGES

66 Accidents happen in all kinds of sports. We have to wear the right gear in order to minimize impact of an accident.

MANY PEOPLE SUDDENLY QUIT SKIING AROUND THE AGE OF 40. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THIS TREND EXISTS IN LEBANON AND ELSEWHERE? There is no reason to stop skiing at 40! Skiing is a sport that you can practice all your life, but you just don't have to go too hard on yourself. It's OK to let go of your ego! Obviously at 40 you won’t recover from an injury as quickly as you did when you were 20. On the other hand, I think that by middle age people start to have other priorities in life, and skiing is considered to be an expensive sport.

SKIING MUST GIVE YOU GOOD COORDINATION AND STRONG MUSCLES. WHAT ARE THE FITNESS BENEFITS? Skiing gives you amazing coordination! It is very important to have a strong core and lower back. You also need to have pretty strong legs to handle all the pressure. The best way to stay in shape is to work on the medicine ball during the summer, as it’s all about coordination.

DO YOU THINK THAT SKIING IS A GOOD PREPARATION FOR LIFE? DOES IT HELP IN OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES? I think that every sport is a good preparation for life and it steers young people away from drugs, cigarettes, and other temptations. It’s all about maintaining a healthy mind in a healthy body. DO YOU ENJOY OTHER SNOW SPORTS? Yes, I love snowmobiling with my dad and some friends. It’s an amazing sport that enables you to explore unexplored territories. In Lebanon we get the chance to see amazing landscapes. It is also

a great chance to spend time with the family in different places and mountains in Lebanon. FOR ASPIRING SKIERS AND COMPETING SKIERS FROM LEBANON, WHAT MORE IS NEEDED TO MAKE LEBANESE SKIERS ABLE TO COMPETE IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS? On an international level, we need to send our athletes outside the country more often for training. It’s very important, as we don't have the good snow in Lebanon or the year-round facilities to maximize training

Health Benefits Skiing is an exceptional sport that involves physical, mental, social, and emotional aspects of wellness. Apart from burning up to 3,000 calories during six hours of skiing, you will tone practically all of your muscles and strengthen your joints (which can help you to avoid knee damage and osteoporosis later in life). Skiing also makes the heart pump faster, which keeps it strong, and it increases your lung capacity. Skiing can also boost your immunity. It even relieves depression and gives you a healthy dose of sunshine during the dreary winter months. You can’t deny that skiing is a great social activity that brings together people of all different ages and cultures.

RISE UP

IT'S TIME TO (LITERALLY) JUMP FOR JOY Words ALIA FAWAZ

The act of jumping is usually associated with youngsters. We often see children giggling and bouncing on an outdoor trampoline or on vinyl, inflatable castles, particularly during the summer. However, jumping should not only be something that reminds us of our childhood; it should be something that we do every day. We all deserve to experience the unbridled joys of leaping, no matter how old we are. We are, after all, children at heart, and what better way to feel youthful and energetic than to jump, jump, and jump some more?

69 Jumping acts as a natural mood enhancer. If you are feeling blue, spring into excitement by jumping up and down, smile your biggest smile, wave your arms about, and all the while try to feel depressed. You will find that it is nearly impossible to do so. In addition to making you feel happy, jumping has many health benefits. According to a report in the American Journal of Health Promotion, jumping ten times a day twice a day provides greater bonebuilding benefits than running or jogging. Jumping or rebounding is very easy and it is also a great way to keep fit. If you are planning to drop those stubborn excess kilos, try jumping, whether on a trampoline or using rope. In fact, some health experts believe that the trampoline is the greatest exercise that was invented by man. All you have to do is to jump for 10 minutes a day on your trampoline, and it will start working for your body, with its 60 trillion or so cells. When we are rebounding, the gravitational pull pushes out the toxins in our body. During the time that your body is suspended in midair, it becomes weightless. This enables the lower pressure in your cells to promote the movement of nutrients into the cells. Jumping is also known as the best exercise for a healthy lymphatic system, which is important for healthy and beautiful skin (The lymphatic system removes all sorts of waste and toxins from your blood). Along with a host of other benefits - that are too many to mention - jumping also stabilizes your nervous system and releases serotonin, which combats depression and lowers stress levels, as do yoga and deep breathing. So what are you waiting for? Get on your feet and start jumping!

The Art of Jumping You may have come across some of those iconic, black and white pictures of celebrities jumping in midair. Over a period of six years in the mid-1950s, the Russian-born magazine and portrait photographer, Philippe Halsman, captured many of his subjects in midair for American magazines, as a personal favor after the official photo shoots. Pictures of Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Salvador Dali, and Grace Kelly are among Halsman’s 197 playful portraits of celebrities. They were published in his 1959 book, Philippe Halsman’s Jump Book, in which he introduced the term “jumpology.” Halsman explained how jumping had a therapeutic effect on his subjects.

PHILIPPE HALSMAN AND MARILYN MONROE

LUCILLE BALL

FRED MUGGS

DUKE AND DUCHESS OF WINDSOR MURRAY KEMPTON

SHIRLEY MACLAINE

DEAN MARTIN AND JERRY LEWIS

ROBERT OPPENHEIMER

GRACE KELLY

POP CORN NUDE

RICHARD NIXON

JEAN SEBERG

DOROTHY DANDRIDGE SOPHIA LOREN

GONE BUT GROWING IN MEMORY Words JOHN GRAY

In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world, where land is becoming scarce and burial plots are becoming hard to come by, you may wonder whether cemeteries even make sense anymore. Pretty soon, only the rich will be able to afford a traditional ceremonial burial. Furthermore, the practice of destroying trees and burying coffins that are made of wood is not ecologically friendly. Imagine a cemetery that looks like a forest. Instead of tombstones, the dead are remembered as living, breathing trees.

"LISTEN TO THE TREES AS THEY SWAY IN THE WIND."

WHAT IF CEMETERIES LOOKED LIKE THIS?

86 Having a tree to remember loved ones is being made easy thanks to Bios Urn, a special biodegradable urn. Bios Urn is composed of 100 percent biodegradable materials: coconut shell, compacted peat, and cellulose. It comes in two parts – a top capsule with the proper medium to allow a perfect germination of the seed, and a bottom cone where you can place the ashes. The design of Bios Urn enables the seed to germinate apart from the ashes. When the capsule begins to decompose, the tree roots are already strong enough to make contact with the ashes and grow through them. Bios Urn is can be used with any seed from a tree, shrub, or plant. Relatives and pet owners can also choose from one of the company’s currently available seeds: pine, gingko, maple, oak, ash, or beech. This urn doesn’t have an expiration date, so you can buy it when you want and save it for a long time. You can also use it with old ashes–just transfer them into the Bios Urn and plant it where you want. The urns currently retail at $145, and you can even buy them from the company’s website. Even if this type of burial may not appeal to you, as it may conflict with your traditions or religious customs, there is no denying that the practice of immortalizing your loved one in something that is both beautiful and good for the environment is going to do more good than harm to our planet.

"TO DWELLERS IN A WOOD, ALMOST EVERY SPECIES OF TREE HAS ITS VOICE AS WELL AS ITS HARDY, FEATURE." THOMAS UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE

"AT NIGHT I DREAM THAT YOU AND I ARE TWO PLANTS THAT GREW TOGETHER, ROOTS ENTWINED, AND THAT YOU KNOW THE EARTH AND THE RAIN LIKE MY MOUTH,SINCE WE ARE MADE OF EARTH AND RAIN." PABLO NERUDA, REGALO DE UN POETA

A TRIBUTE TO BEIRUT BY DIANA BOUDARGHAM TANNOURY

BE'EROT, BIRUT, BERYTUAS City of Wells, Bronze Age City Waters flow beneath you, thousands of years surround you Embraced by the Land of Canaan White the Lebanon is, white its snowy peaks Byblos, its first inhabited city; The Canaanites settled you The Phoenicians, their descendants, journeyed around you Founders of colonies in Crete, Cyprus, Carthage and Cadiz Enriching you with trade around the seas

Bejeweling you with the first alphabet Mother of future written languages Through civilizations, you were engulfed by the Egyptians Defeated by the Assyrians and Babylonians Invaded by the Persians, absorbed by the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines Ruled by the Arabs, Crusaders, Mamluks and Ottomans Yet your essence remained across the times;

...

... Destroyed and rebuilt in Hellenistic Antiquity, Laodicea, you were renamed On Alexander the Great, the ancient Phoenician God Baal shed his light And the old ruins of his temple became Heliopolis, City of the Sun Under the Romans, you were Berytus Tyche, the Goddess of Fortune enshrined your coins Your law school shone in all its glory The temples of Jupiter, Bacchus and Venus rose to their might With the Byzantines, you embraced Christianity Your temples, places of worship they became

Until the ground shook with so grand a quake It destroyed all in its wake Under the Arabs, you embraced Islam Greek books translated into Arabic Your temples were forts against the Crusaders, between both religions, caught In the hands of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, John of Ibelin The old Lord of Beirut, rebuilt you after the battle with Saladin Later, you were taken by the Mamluks and ruled by the Ottomans Here our journeys part, my City of Wells, to your resilience I bow My ancestors, with open arms you welcomed Thousands of years passed away and true to your land

YOU REMAINED.

HORIZONS

ONE TOWN AND ITS NEW SOURCE OF HOPE Words TAMARA BATSHON

Wadi Khaled is about 160 kilometers from Beirut, in the Akkar region in northeast Lebanon. It is a sleepy, deprived town, where most residents struggle to make ends meet. Messy roads riddled with potholes, poor drinking water, and extensive power cuts are the norm. The lack of basic amenities was exacerbated when around 30,000 Syrian refugees flocked to this area, doubling the population. The inhabitants were already suffering from poor water services, as a result of the lack of adequate infrastructure.

100 Thanks to various water projects* that are supported by international funding, the water supply and its quality is about to improve in Wadi Khaled. One such project is the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiative that is managed and implemented by the UNDPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Energy and Environment Programme, with resources provided by the Swiss Development Corporation. Working closely with the concerned municipality and Libanconsult, a specialized engineering company, the UNDP project was inaugurated in June 2015.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS PROJECT IS LOCATED CLOSE TO THE SYRIAN BORDER, WHERE THE SECURITY SITUATION IS NOT STABLE. TO ENSURE SAFETY, ALL MISSIONS TO THE SITE ARE PLANNED SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE AND ARE CLOSELY MONITORED BY MEANS OF INTERNAL SECURITY CLEARANCES FROM THE UN DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY AND SECURITY (DSS).

A TWO-PHASED WATER PROJECT The project consisted of doing a detailed design and study for the most affected villages in Wadi Khaled. After the studies were completed, the water project was planned in two phases: Phase 1 - The supply of water to the existing reservoirs in both Knaisse and Quarha is secured through a transmission pipeline between Hnaider water tower and Knaisse and Quarha. This phase consisted of building a distribution water network (in Knaisse and Quarha) connecting the current village reservoir to the main zones in the town, and then establishing the house connections to cover all the residents. The consultant recommended rebuilding the main transmission line between Hnaider water tower and the water source in Nabaa Al Safaa, since the existing pipeline was too damaged in several zones and could not be rehabilitated. Phase 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; In Al Majdal village: rehabilitating the main distribution network connecting the village

reservoir to the main districts, and then establishing the house connections to all the residents. It is important to note that this project is located close to the Syrian border, where the security situation is not stable. To ensure safety, all missions to the site are planned several days in advance and are closely monitored by means of internal security clearances from the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS). Between June and September 2015, the house connections and all the site works such as excavations, pipe bedding and laying etc., were successfully completed. UNDP handed over the project to the local authorities in November 2015. *The Economic and Social Fund for Development (ESFD), which is affiliated with the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR), was already working to undertake the preliminary designs of the water network in the region.

101

102

LEBANON, YOU CAN DO BETTER Words TAMARA BATSHON

We all deserve to live in an environment where the air is breathable, the climate is stable, and biodiversity is preserved. In order to ensure that such environmental conditions exist, the concept of environmental governance was created. Environmental governance is a relatively new concept that refers to the processes of decision-making involved in controlling and managing the environment and natural resources.

103

104 Environmental governance in Lebanon will need to improve significantly over the next decade in order to raise Lebanon’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI). In 2010, Lebanon scored 57.9/100 on the EPI scale and ranked 90th among 163 listed countries. Ratings aside, it is clear that much work needs to be done in Lebanon with regard to the protection of the environment. POLICY-MAKING FACES PROBLEMS In the two and a half decades since the end of the Lebanese civil war in 1990, Lebanon has seen a qualitative and quantitative growth in environmental institutions, with the Ministry of the Environment playing a key role. However, when it comes to environmental laws and regulations in this country, the process of legislation and policy-making is not well defined, and accountability is sporadic. While governmental agencies, including the Parliament and the Council of Ministers, prepare and issue a battery of laws and regulations, procedures are inconsistent and not clear. Upstream policy formulation is often lacking. Frequent cabinet reshuffles further delay and jeopardize policy-making, as new governments and ministers tend to shelve previous policies or policies that are still being formulated, and start all over with a new team of advisors. This stop-andgo approach has no doubt also affected the state of environmental affairs in the country. PROGRAMS TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE Ratification of major environmental conventions

and treaties by the government of Lebanon has secured sizable grants and program funding from the international community over the years. There are also many Lebanese environmental NGOs and other organizations that support conservation and that have launched a number of niche programs. These include programs for reforestation (“Jouzour Loubnan,” “Friends of the Cedars of Bsharre Committee,” etc.), forest fire prevention (“Association for Forest Development and Conservation”), and so forth. Recognizing the challenges ahead, the European Union is currently funding an €8 million program called “Support to Reform of Environmental Governance (StREG)” that was launched in March 2014 and that will last for four years. The overall objective of StTREG is to improve the environmental performance of the Lebanese public sector by reforming four aspects of environmental governance: legal, administrative, financial and technical. The contracting authority is the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the beneficiary will be the Ministry of the Environment. Looking ahead, Lebanon urgently needs to mobilize and sustain environmental funding over the long term. The first step should be fully expending the budget that is allocated to the Ministry of the Environment by means of a clear and transparent work planning process. In addition Lebanese citizens and the media should assume a fundamental role in monitoring and reporting environmental activities and crimes. (Information for this story courtesy of UNDP Lebanon)

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‫َ‬ ‫ـــــظ ْر‬ ‫ّات عا َم ّد ال َن‬ ‫َجن ْ‬ ‫ما ِبي ْن ِ‬ ‫شـــ ِب ْع ِم ْنها َن َظ ْر‬ ‫عان ْغماتها‬ ‫ِو ْطــيور َ‬ ‫الق َم ْر‬ ‫ِب ْينام ِو ْب ِي ْصـــحى َ‬

108

COOL IT BEFORE YOU MELT AWAY Words ALIA FAWAZ

Every living thing on the planet is now feeling the dire consequences of global warming. Countries keep churning out more and more greenhouse gas emissions to meet the demands of the growing world population. Experts tell us that things will only get worse.

109 Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Platz der Vereinten Nationen 1 53113 Bonn Germany

Acknowledgement of participant's nomination Do not fold or wrinkle this area

Ms. Pascale Choueiry

Online Registration Code:

71447428456830

KVFQEM

This is to acknowledge that the individual has been accredited as a media representative to attend the meeting specified below. Participantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full name

Ms. Pascale Choueiry Nominated for meeting session

Twentyfirst Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) and the eleventh Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Meeting location

Paris, France Nominated by

Beyond Magazine Participation type

Media - Periodical Attendance dates (from/until)

30 Nov 2015 / 11 Dec 2015

Print out this acknowledgement and bring it with you to the conference. At the registration counter, nominated participants must provide this document and a personal identification in the form of a valid passport or a nationally approved photo identification card, matching the online details provided to the UNFCCC secretariat. You may collect your badge on-site at the media registration desk at the conference venue. Your photo will be taken at the registration station; it is not necessary to send a photo in advance. Please note: This document does not automatically entitle the participant named herein to gain entry into the conference premises. In the interest of security and safety of all participants and the smooth and efficient conduct of the sessions, the UNFCCC reserves the right to deny and/or restrict access to the conference premises, or to request participants to leave the conference premises. The UNFCCC secretariat shall not be responsible for any expenses incurred by participants who are requested to leave the premises or are refused registration or access to the sessions for which they have been nominated and/or registered as participants.

110 Scientists have consistently warned us that if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, we will pass the threshold beyond which global warming becomes catastrophic and irreversible. That threshold is estimated as a temperature rise of 2°C above preindustrial levels. If emissions of greenhouse gases continue at current levels, we will see an increase of around 5°C. COP21 The 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)in Paris, also known as COP21, discusses the issue of climate change and sets the main parameters for the next era of international action on climate change following the Kyoto Protocol of 1997. It includes mitigation action, adapting to the impact of climate change, and securing means of implementation such as finance, technology transfer, and capacity- building. All of the parties to the UNFCC of 1992 will contribute to climate action through a national, bottom-up approach called the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC). The sum of the proposed greenhouse gas emission reductions that are indicated in the INDCs is supposed to prevent the global temperature from increasing by more than 2°C. COP21 also clarifies issues related to financing from developed countries, which is an important trigger for implementing mitigation and

adaptation actions. Considering the track record of the countries with the largest emissions as well as the difficulty of implementing climate agreements, meeting the goals of this summit is a tall order. Nevertheless, having these discussions and setting the objectives of COP21 are crucial steps in the right direction. LEBANON AND COP21 Lebanon has been actively participating in climate change negotiations since 2007. It submitted its INDC on September 30, 2015. Despite its low share of global emissions (0.07 percent), Lebanon plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by between 15 percent and 30 percent by 2030 (conditional on the provision of international support). As a vulnerable country with scarce water resources and high population density in coastal areas, Lebanon is already facing, and will continue to face, several challenges as a result of climate change, such as sea-level rise and a decrease in precipitation. Participating in COP 21 negotiations gives Lebanon the opportunity to be involved in determining global policies that will limit global warming and promote climate action on the ground by increasing funding for the most vulnerable countries. Lebanon’s participation in COP 21 helps the conference to reach a climate agreement that takes into consideration this country’s particular conditions and capabilities.

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REFRESHING NEWS Words TAMARA BATSHON

Many villages in Lebanon suffer from water shortages, which result from poor water management as well as the effects of climate change. One village in the northern district of Akkar has benefitted from a recent water project. This is proof that with the right methods and education, water need not be scarce.

113 With the help of a project that is being executed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and G, a Lebanese non-governmental organization (NGO) that promotes green living, the village of Menjez is becoming water wise. This project, funded by Coca Cola, has a wide outreach to various beneficiaries, including both the village itself and surrounding villages. The project aims to improve farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; access to water by eliminating leakages, thereby improving agricultural viability. By saving water that is normally utilized for agriculture, the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall water security improves. This will also help to protect the local river, the water from which has traditionally been utilized for irrigation. The project works with households, targeting primarily the women, and the local schools (including schools in neighboring villages). It has raised awareness, with a view to developing a new generation of water-conscious citizens. THE MENJEZ ACTION PLAN First, the project has installed drip irrigation for farmers in a 60,000 square-meter plot in Menjez, which will lead to water savings of between 60 percent and 85 percent. This will result in saving 20,400 cubic meters of water per year. Drip irrigation that

is properly designed, installed, and managed helps to conserve water by reducing evaporation and deep drainage as compared with other types of irrigation, such as flood or overhead sprinklers, since drip irrigation enables water to be more precisely directed to the plant roots. Second, the project has installed a rainwater harvesting system at the village school, with a holding capacity of 2000 liters. This will save around 34 cubic meters of water per year for irrigation. This system was installed close to the school garden, so that the water that is retained can be used for irrigation purposes. Third, 1,400 aerators have been distributed to houses, the school, and public buildings. Aerators are the tiny screens that are placed on the tip of water faucets to limit water flow and splashing. Residents of Menjez have found that their water usage has decreased by nearly 50 percent as compared with their usage prior to the installation of the aerators. Thanks to these initiatives, as well as awareness raising campaigns that are targeting households, the local schools, and farmers, the community is now familiar with sustainable water conservation practices.

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EVERY DROP COUNTS

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ONCE UPON A TIME... BEYOND REVISITS A WORLD OF WONDER Words JOHN GRAY

The world is continually shocked and saddened by the news of ISISâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s destruction of cultural heritage sites. Precious ruins and artifacts, including mosques, shrines, churches, and other historical sites, such as the Temple of Bel in Palmyra, are being ruthlessly demolished in Syria and Iraq. In light of this monumental tragedy, we pay tribute to the remarkable structures from the past by describing the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as originally compiled by the Greeks during the Hellenic era. These amazing works of art and architecture have inspired us for thousands of years, and they are a testament to the remarkable imagination, determination, and hard work of which human beings are capable.

117 ROMAN THERMES RUIN IN BEIRUT DOWNTOWN, LEBANON

118 The Great Pyramids of Giza is the only wonder of the ancient world that still exists today. The three pyramids – those of Khufu, Khafram, and Menkaura – were built between 2,700 B.C. and 2,500 B.C. to serve as royal tombs. The largest and most impressive pyramid is that of Khufu. It covers 53,000 square meters and it is 139 meters tall. For more than 4,000 years it held the title of the tallest building in the world. Consisting of 2.3 million blocks of stone, Khufu’s pyramid is perhaps the most colossal single building ever built. Even today it is considered to be a true masterpiece of technical skill and engineering ability.

ACCORDING TO HISTORIANS, THE TEMPLE IN OLYMPIA WAS NEGLECTED AND FELL INTO RUINS AFTER THE OLYMPIC GAMES WERE BANNED BY THE CHURCH. THE STATUE WAS SENT TO CONSTANTINOPLE. IT WAS LATER DESTROYED, EITHER BY A FIRE OR AN EARTHQUAKE.

The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were built by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II around 600 B.C., near the Euphrates River in what is today known as Iraq. They are described as being selfwatering planes of exotic flora and fauna reaching a height of over 23 meters through a series of climbing terraces. The king allegedly built the gardens because his lover, Amytis, was homesick for the natural beauty of her hometown Media (in the northwestern part of what is today Iran). Their actual existence is debatable, with some historians saying that the gardens are fictional and others claiming that they were destroyed by an earthquake sometime after the 1st century. The colossal Statue of Zeus, king of the Greek gods, was made by the sculptor Phidias in around 430 B.C. The towering 12-meter statue was placed in the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games. It depicts a giant, bare-chested figure with ivory skin and hair and robes made of gold, seated on a wooden throne. According to historians, the temple in Olympia was neglected

and fell into ruins after the Olympic Games were banned by the Church. The statue was sent to Constantinople. It was later destroyed, either by a fire or an earthquake. The Greeks were famous for building ambitious temples fronted by massive columns. One of these was the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. Much larger than the Parthenon, this marble temple was 129 meters high and it was supported by 127 columns. It featured the statue of Artemis, goddess of the hunt and fertility. The original temple was destroyed by Herostratus, who wanted to be remembered for this act, in 356 B.C. It was later rebuilt twice. In the1860s, archeologists dug up ruins of the temple’s columns at the bottom of the Cayster River. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus was a tomb built by Artemisia for her husband, Mausolus, the king of Carnia in Asia Minor, when he died in 353 B.C. The burial place of Mausolus was so enormous and ornate that the word “mausoleum” was later coined to describe all large, above-ground tombs. The

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STATUE OF DEER IN HARBOR OF MANDRAKI IN RHODES CITY, RHODES ISLAND, GREECE

121 FORTRESS IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

122 massive mausoleum, made entirely of marble, was 45 meters high and 125 meters in circumference. The building’s complex design featured an 18-meter high base of steps, followed by huge columns and a stepped, pyramid-shaped roof. It also had a 20-feet high marble statue of a four-horse chariot with lifesize figures of Mausolus and Artemisia. Sadly, this incredible tomb was destroyed in an earthquake in the 13th century, and its rubble was used to build a castle in Bodrum. The most impressive statue ever built was the Colossus of Rhodes, a 34-meter high bronze statue of the Sun god Helios. Many artists portrayed this statue as Helios standing astride Rhodes’s harbor, with ships sailing between his legs. It was completed around 280 B.C. and stood for sixty years until it was toppled in an earthquake. It was never rebuilt. Hundreds of years later, the Arabs invaded Rhodes and sold the remains of the statue as scrap metal, so archeologists do not know much about the statue. It is said that the Colossus of Rhodes served as an inspiration for the Statue of Liberty in New York. Historians say that the lighthouses of today owe their vertical shape to the original lighthouse known as the Pharos of Alexandria. In fact the word “Pharos” became the word for “lighthouse” in many languages. The lighthouse was built on the island of Pharos (near modern-day Cairo) and helped to guide Nile River ships in and out of the city’s busy harbor. Archeologists later found ancient coins depicting this lighthouse, and from them they concluded that the structure had three major tiers, with a 16-foot statue, most likely of Ptolemy II or Alexander the Great, on top. The lighthouse was destroyed during a series of earthquakes between 956 A.D. and 1323 A.D. Some of its remains have since been discovered at the bottom of the Nile River.

THE RUINS OF THE ANCIENT CITY OF EPHESUS, TURKEY

OLYMPIA, GREECE

BODRUM ANCIENT THEATER, TURKEY

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CARYATIDS IN ERECHTHEUM, ACROPOLIS, ATHENS, GREECE

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ZEUS BY PHIDIAS, OLYMPIA, GREECE

PYRAMIDS IN GIZA, EGYPT

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HARBOUR GATES AND LIGHTHOUSE ST. NICHOLAS AT RHODES, GREECE. ISHTAR GATE, BABYLON

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DO NOT DISTURB

WHERE BEAUTY REIGNS IN PEACE Words ALIA FAWAZ

In a world that is becoming increasingly urbanized, there are fewer and fewer unspoiled places of natural beauty. These precious, unblemished corners of the Earth undeniably refresh our senses and make us feel humble in the face of Mother Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s majesty. Here we look at some of the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awe-inspiring locations, including magnificent waters, mysterious landmarks, and spellbinding terrains. - Water wonders - Untracked forests and wetlands - Isolated splendors

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WATER WONDERS Located in an area spanning North and South Carolina, the Jocassee Gorges is home to rare plants and one of the highest concentration of waterfalls in the eastern United States. Here, during a hike, you can just stand and gaze in amazement at the enormous rush of water plunging down a rock face. This area is also home to black bears, bobcats, wild turkeys, and salamanders. It features 60 species of rare plants, including 90 percent of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rare Oconee bells.

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WATER WONDERS Another stunning location in the United States is the Florida Keys- a string of tropical islands off Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southern tip, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It has an area of 322 square kilometers. The exceptional underwater sea life in this marine sanctuary extends from Biscayne National Park in the north to Dry Tortugas off Key West. This area has the only coral reef system in the United States. At its official underwater park, you can ride a glass-bottomed boat and view the spectacular corals and fin fish up close.

WATER WONDERS

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Hudson's Bay, Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive inland sea, is located within the Arctic Circle. It is covered by ice for much of the year. The large salt-water area is bordered by trees and populated mostly by the indigenous Inuit. Plenty of visitors come from the south, especially to see the Beluga whales and the 150 species of birds. In the fall you can see the greatest concentration of polar bears in the world. They come here in early November after the denning season.

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UNTRACKED FORESTS AND WETLANDS On the border between Poland and Belarus is what remains of a once larger primeval forest that covered most of Europe. The Bialowieza is home to rare animals such as the wisent and trees that are more than a century old. The forest has an area of 1,554 square meters. The larger portion of it is in Belarus, but since the country has little tourism, most visitors see it from Poland. Roughly 150,000 visitors pass come each year. There are guided tours on foot and on horse-drawn carriages.

UNTRACKED FORESTS AND WETLANDS

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To see how weather extremes can play out in one area one should visit Pantanal in central western Brazil, where literally two worlds are witnessed in one location. From June through October the Patanal is a dry sun-baked savanna, but that all changes when the rains come during the rest of the year, flooding 80 percent of the land. Among the thick forests and palm grooves you can see capybaras (the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest rodents), giant anteaters, waterbirds, and the elusive jaguars.

137 In deep, dark Africa, people claim that Ndoki has more wildlife per square mile than any other place in Africa. Located in Northern Congo, this sprawling forest is largely unexplored, because of the heat and areas of deep water, insects, and dense bush. Nature reserves, such as the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, have been established to protect Ndokiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wildlife from poachers and loggers.

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ISOLATED SPLENDORS Most of us envision deserts as hot terrain but some can witness temperatures of less than 0 °C during the winter months. In fact in the Gobi Desert, a high plateau in northern China, the temperature can drop to –40 °C on a winter day. The Gobi Desert is considered to be a cold desert, where frost and snow can be sometimes seen on the sand dunes. Formerly part of the Mongol Empire, this massive desert (1.3 million square kilometers) was the source of many historical finds, including the first dinosaur eggs. Bactrian camels roam these plains, and they have two humps – instead of one like Arabian camels – to help them to withstand the cold winters.

ISOLATED SPLENDORS

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Surprisingly, life exists in the extremely arid Namib Desert, which is considered to be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest desert. This sparsely inhabited coastal desert in Namibia has the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highest sand dunes, gravel plains, and rugged mountains. While it may not rain for several years, fog is common, bringing life-giving moisture that insects and small mammals have developed ingenious methods of gathering. The Namib Desert attracts companies that come to mine its diamonds, tungsten, and salt.

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ISOLATED SPLENDORS In an attempt to attract more settlers, Greenland was the name given to the world’s biggest island. While you can that say that white ice is more common here than greenery (more than 80% of the island is covered by an ice cap) Greenland does have incredible mountain scenery and plenty of fjords to inspire visitors. It boasts the world’s largest national park – Northeast Greenland – which covers 972,000 square kilometers of protected wilderness. Nearly all of its 57,000 inhabitants live along the fjords in the southwest of the main island, which has the mildest climate.

ISOLATED SPLENDORS

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In the southeastern corner of Venezuela a cluster of otherworldly mountains stand tall and flat thousands of feet above forest floors. Known as tepuis, they are steep sandstone cliffs and more than a hundred of these isolated table-top mountains grace this remote region, which inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s novel The Lost World. Each teeming with unique species of plants and animals, the tepuis get much more rainfall than the surrounding jungle below them. One of the tallest and most accessible is Roraima at 2,810 meters. Until now scientists have extensively explored only a handful of the tepuis.

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No matter what, and come what may, Lebanon for me will always be the way it is described in this song by Wadih el Safi. In times of real pain and despair, I listen to this song, as it helps to keep me going and inspires me to continue to believe in our country. They can take everything away but they can never destroy the Lebanon that I picture in my mind, described so aptly by the words of this song.

Pascale Choueiri Saad

‫ ما بينشـــبع منها نظر‬ ‫ بينام وبيصـــحى القمر‬ ‫ بجفونها سحر الهوى‬ ‫ من كتر ما بتحمل َثمر‬ ‫ وجبال عصيت عالدني‬ ‫ رسمات ملياني صور‬ ‫ وجبال رافقها االزل‬ ‫ بتسيل من قــــلب الحجر‬

‫جنات عا مد النـــــظر‬ ‫وطــيور عانغماتها‬ ‫ازهار زينها الغــــوى‬ ‫وغصون تعبها الهوى‬ ‫وديان موردها غني‬ ‫ومروج خضرا ملونة‬ ‫وصدور بتحطم جــــبل‬ ‫انهار ميتها عســــل‬