Brussels – June 21, 2025
A breath of optimism is sweeping through Lebanon. For the first time in decades, Beirut appears to be emerging from the prolonged darkness brought on by economic collapse, political instability, and the scars of conflict. Driven by the vision of businessman Michel El Murr and firmly supported by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Martyrs’ Square and Nejmeh Square have been fully restored and illuminated as part of a powerful initiative titled “Beirut, Pulse of Life.”
This urban revival is far more than a cosmetic project. It marks a historic and psychological turning point for the residents of a long-suffering capital. Where there was once abandonment, light has returned. Where silence and bitterness prevailed, life is resuming. The crowd gathered at the reopening event expressed a level of excitement the country hadn’t seen in years.
A Symbolic Act, a Universal Message
Michel El Murr, a prominent media figure and committed entrepreneur, stands at the heart of this transformation. As owner of MTV Lebanon and editor of the newspaper Nidaa Al Watan, he embodies a new generation of economic actors who refuse to accept decline—they act. His vision is clear: “Beirut is the most beautiful thing Lebanon has,” he declared with emotion. And it is through beauty and memory that even the deepest wounds can begin to heal.
Alongside First Lady Nehmat Aoun, President Joseph Aoun praised the initiative as “an act of faith in the country’s ability to regenerate itself through culture, light, and popular will.” Referring to Beirut as “the pulse of life,” he described Martyrs’ Square as a living witness to both Lebanon’s glory and its enduring resilience.
Lebanon, a Country of Possibility?
In a Middle East more fractured than ever, Lebanon momentarily reverses the trend. While many of its neighbors are descending into chaos, Beirut is reclaiming its historic role as a regional beacon—a crossroads of civilizations and a source of hope. Restoring these iconic landmarks will not solve the country’s structural crises, but it rekindles a vital spark: the belief that transformation is still possible.
The message sent from Beirut transcends Lebanon’s borders. It declares that, despite everything, cities can rise again, societies can reconcile with themselves, and collective memory can be reborn as a force for the future.
A Mediterranean Phoenix
Ultimately, what Michel El Murr, Joseph Aoun, and thousands of Lebanese citizens achieved in a single evening is a lesson to the world: to relight a city is to restore a people’s dignity. And in that light, Europe—and the world—might recognize a Lebanon faithful to its history: a nation that, like a phoenix, always rises from its ashes.
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