We're joined by Fadlo Khuri for Episode 33 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss all that is The American University of Beirut. Fadlo Khuri is the current president of AUB, and reflects on 153 years of the institution's role in contributing to the higher education of local, regional and international students. We discuss the October Uprising, the university's commitment to freedom of expression, and a determination to remain resilient and resonant for generations to come. Read Fadlo Khuri's recen...
Nov 04, 2019•1 hr 13 min
Voices from the Square, Part 3 with co-host Elia Haber, bringing conversations and reflections directly from Martyrs Square. Elia captures the October Uprising with her third and fourth guests, Rania Mroue - a 48-year old mother, actress and drama coach, and Carlos Haidamous, a 24-year old photographer who was abroad when the uprising began and determined to return and participate. Both Rania and Carlos share their hopes and desires from the ongoing protests, and a commitment that calls for unit...
Nov 03, 2019•18 min
A new branch of The Beirut Banyan. Our second episode with co-host Elia Haber, bringing conversations and reflections directly from Martyrs Square. Expectations and hopes are shared from everyday voices. Elia captures the October Uprising with her second guest, Rami El Ali, a 37-year old professor of philosophy at Lebanese American University. Rami shares his thoughts on needed political and economic reform, his criticism of the current sectarian system and why he insists on immediate change. If...
Nov 02, 2019•11 min
We're joined by Zeina Saab and Munir Nabti for Episode 30 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss recent grassroots activity in Beirut, NGO contributions throughout Lebanon and what the October Uprising means to them. Zeina is the founder of The Nawaya Network and a co-founder of SE Factory, focusing on disadvantaged youth empowerment. Check out the following link to learn more: www.nawaya.org Munir is a co-founder of AltCity and Pitchworthy, focusing on technology and social entrepreneurship as a ...
Nov 02, 2019•55 min
A new branch of The Beirut Banyan. Our first episode with co-host Elia Haber, bringing conversations and reflections directly from Martyrs Square. Expectations and hopes are shared from everyday voices. Elia captures the October Uprising with her first guest, Karma Charafeddine, a 34-year old interior designer committed to environmental preservation and protection. If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing to our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebe...
Nov 01, 2019•12 min
We're joined by Tom Young for Episode 28 of The Beirut Banyan, and we get an artist's portrayal of a country he loves and considers home. Tom is a trained architect and talented painter, and applies his appreciation for urban heritage to his paintbrush, reflecting on Lebanon's abandoned past and illustrating scars and wounds left open from from the civil war. Check out Tom's website: www.tomyoung.com and visit his Instagram page to see his latest work: @tomyoungart If you're enjoying these episo...
Nov 01, 2019•1 hr
We're joined by Firas Maksad for Episode 27 of The Beirut Banyan, and we get a sober view from Washington on where the uprising in Beirut may take us. Firas is an adjunct professor at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, and regularly contributes to various outlets on Middle East politics, including Foreign Policy. Check out his recent piece on the events that led to the current uprising: https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/21/lebanon-sectarian-protests-forest-fi...
Oct 31, 2019•32 min
We're joined by Tarek Mitri for Episode 26 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss his childhood in Tripoli, his political evolution as a student both in Tripoli and AUB, and his career that took him from religious dialogue and understanding through academia to several ministerial portfolios in the Lebanese government. Tarek Mitri served as Minister of Environment, Minister of Culture and Minister of Information under several governments following the 2005 elections. He also served as an Acting For...
Oct 31, 2019•1 hr 10 min
My attempt at reflecting on the past 24 hours in words, shared in this episode.
Oct 30, 2019•5 min
We're joined by Nayla Tueni for Episode 24 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss the important role of social media during ongoing demonstrations across Lebanon, and how traditional outlets like Annahar continue to contribute and pursue in-depth analysis. Nayla Tueni discusses the legacies of her late father, Gebran Tueni, and late grandfather Ghassan Tueni. Pioneers in Lebanon's proud history of freedom of expression and thought, her father paid the ultimate price for his commitment to the ideal...
Oct 29, 2019•52 min
We're joined by Chibli Mallat for Episode 23 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss prospects for a new Lebanese constitution. Chibli suggests what he thinks constitutional reform should look like, in light of renewed calls to remove confessional quotas and dismantle sectarian governance. Chibli was a presidential candidate in 2005-2006, following the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Lebanon. He is a legal scholar and an expert on Lebanese constitutional history. If you're enjoying these episode...
Oct 28, 2019•46 min
We're joined by Farrah Berrou for Episode 22 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss our shared passion for storytelling. Farrah is a member of A Better Beirut podcast team, and also recently started her own podcast about Lebanese wine, B for Bacchus. Farrah is currently capturing snapshots from the uprising through her Instagram page: momentsofthawra. She also has a blog full of years of reflection about her life in Beirut: www.bambisoapbox.com If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The B...
Oct 27, 2019•1 hr
We're joined by Ishac Diwan for Episode 21 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss crony capitalism and its effect on Lebanon's economy following the civil war. We also reflect on the past ten days of protests and the potential for needed economic and political reform in Lebanon. Ishac formerly worked at the World Bank and has lectured at Harvard, Columbia, New York University and is currently in Paris serving as Director of the Chaire Socio-economie du Monde Arabe at Universite PSL (Paris Sciences...
Oct 26, 2019•27 min
We're joined by Marie-Joe Abi Nassif for Episode 20 of The Beirut Banyan. Our conversation was previously recorded about the debate surrounding civil marriage in Lebanon, and meant to follow Episode 14 with Roderick Sursock (and as a companion to Episode 6 with Marie-Joe's husband, Abdallah Salam). Due to the uprising underway (and the shift in focus to demands for political change), we decided to include a portion of the conversation that focuses on the broader debate between secularism and sec...
Oct 25, 2019•21 min
We're joined by my mom, Nina Mikati Chatah, for Episode 19 of The Beirut Banyan. We hear her hope for continued momentum and hesitations with the length of time it may take for state leaders to resign. We also hear her firm belief that this uprising is unique, and perhaps a final chance in her lifetime to see a better Lebanon. If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing to our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan And subscribe to our podcast...
Oct 24, 2019•54 min
We're joined by Mazen El-Hassan for Episode 18 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss the commitment, sacrifice and legacy of his father, Wissam El-Hassan, and we reflect on both of our fathers' contributions to reforming the state and why seeing people in Martyrs Square and at their tombs is especially important for both of us. We also discuss the meaning of what's happening across Beirut and throughout Lebanon, what proper reform actually means, and what's at stake for the future of the Lebanese sta...
Oct 23, 2019•34 min
We're joined by Makram Rabah for Episode 17 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss the government's attempts to pass through its reform package, the ongoing demonstrations in Beirut and throughout Lebanon, and whether this type of uprising can actually change the way the country is governed. Makram is a history professor at AUB, a regular contributor to Al Arabiya news, and a writer and analyst on domestic and regional politics impacting Lebanon. He is also the author of 'Campus at War' about stud...
Oct 22, 2019•1 hr
We're joined by neighbor and friend, Sarah Borgi, for Episode 16 of The Beirut Banyan, and we carry on from yesterday's conversation. Sarah and I share thoughts on recent developments with Hariri's reform package announced earlier today, what this protest means for the future of the Lebanese state, and the ongoing demonstrations entering their fifth day in Martyrs Square and across Beirut and Lebanon. If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing to our Patreo...
Oct 21, 2019•45 min
We're joined by family and friends for an improvised episode of The Beirut Banyan. This episode takes place at a cafe in downtown Beirut, and is recorded over two sessions: the first in the early afternoon as the protests were growing; the second in the early evening while ongoing protests continued into the night. If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing to our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan And subscribe to our podcast from your p...
Oct 20, 2019•2 hr 1 min
We're joined by Roderick Sursock for Episode 14 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss the Sursock family's legacy and story, particularly when it comes to Beirut's rapidly changing urban landscape. Roderick and his mother, Lady Yvonne Sursock Cochrane, are living memory of a vastly different Beirut. Roderick shares his childhood growing up in the palace, what took him away from Lebanon and a determination to return even during the worst years of fighting. He firmly believes in holding on to what ...
Oct 16, 2019•55 min
We're joined by Philippe Massoud for Episode 13 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss Lebanon's hospitality industry and what inspired him to open ilili Restaurant in New York. Philippe's father, George Massoud, ran the Coral Beach Hotel throughout the worst years of the civil war, and he was ultimately killed there. The family continued to run the hotel for several years thereafter, ultimately selling the hotel just as the war neared its end. We discuss Philippe's memories of the Coral Beach, hi...
Oct 10, 2019•1 hr 21 min
We’re joined by Sam Dagher for Episode 12 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss his career in journalism and what brought him to the world of storytelling. Sam was the only non-Syrian journalist reporting from Damascus between 2012-2014, and was later arrested and forced out of the country for his criticism of the Assad regime. His recent book titled ’Assad or We Burn the Country’ documents his time covering the Syrian rebellion in the midst of the Arab Spring, and the ruling family’s determinati...
Sep 30, 2019•1 hr 6 min
We’re joined by Tony Badran for Episode 11 of The Beirut Banyan. Tony is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and has written extensively on US foreign policy towards Lebanon. Tony’s take on US policy is a blunt assessment of mistakes he perceives made by the current and previous administrations. His writings have appeared in numerous outlets, most recently The Wall Street Journal. Please click on the following link to access the piece: https://www.wsj.com/articles/leba...
Sep 24, 2019•1 hr 5 min
We're joined by Yasma Fleihan for the tenth episode of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss the legacy of her late husband, Bassel Fleihan. Bassel was a Member of Parliament and served as Lebanon's Minister of Economy from 2000 - 2003. He also was a senior advisor to late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Bassel was seated next to Rafik Hariri on 14 February 2005, and he survived the truck bombing that targeted their convoy. He was rushed to Paris for surgery and treatment of third degree burns covering...
Sep 18, 2019•50 min
We’re joined by Ziad Majed for Episode 9 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss the legacy of Samir Kassir. Ziad was a close friend and political ally of Samir, and he shares with us the journey that took them to the forefront of Lebanese politics, and ultimately led to Samir Kassir’s assassination on 2 June 2005. Currently living in Paris and lecturing at the American University of Paris, Ziad pursues a career that blends academia with journalism and politics, true to Samir Kassir’s legacy. Full ...
Sep 11, 2019•1 hr 27 min
We're joined by Nadim Houry for Episode 8 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss all aspects of human rights following the end of the civil war. Nadim was the director of Human Rights Watch / Lebanon for over a decade before moving to Paris to run Arab Reform Initiative. He reflects on accomplishments made, the challenges surrounding his work and the setbacks felt following the 2005 protests that culminated in the Syrian army's withdrawal from Lebanon. Follow us on Instagram: thebeirutbanyan Twitt...
Sep 04, 2019•1 hr 24 min
The breakdown of infrastructure, lack of domestic accountability and the desperate need for state sovereignty and regional neutrality.
Aug 30, 2019•6 min
Minister of Interior Raya El Hassan joins us for Episode 7 of The Beirut Banyan, and we cover a wide range of issues under her portfolio. From traffic safety to a women's inability to independently pass her nationality; from the applicability of civil marriage law to the capabilities of internal investigations. The challenges and constrains of Lebanese state sovereignty are discussed at length. Raya El Hassan was the first female Lebanese Minister of Finance (a post she held from 2009 - 2011). S...
Aug 28, 2019•55 min
We're joined by Abdallah Salam for Episode 6, and we get into all the technicalities surrounding the civil marriage debate in Lebanon. Abdallah is an international lawyer based in New York, and recently held his civil marriage ceremony in Beirut. Him and his wife, Marie-Joe Nassif, are currently pushing for their marriage registration at the Ministry of Interior. Our conversation includes previous civil marriage registration attempts, and the few successful registrations that occurred over the p...
Aug 21, 2019•1 hr 20 min
We're joined by Nadim Shehadi, executive director of Lebanese American University's New York campus. Nadim offers a historic perspective on sectarianism and secularism, and comes to conclusions rather unique among academics focusing on the region. His case for the sectarian power-sharing order Lebanon inherited is a must-listen-to, as well as his adamant opposition to civil marriage. Nadim is a Chatham House Associate Fellow and previously served as the director of Tufts University / Fletcher Sc...
Aug 14, 2019•1 hr 45 min
