NNA - As part of the initiative ofUnesco 'LiBeirut' the Agency of United Nations andItaly today signed an agreement for the restoration and recovery of the industrial heritage of the Beirut railway station in Mar Mikhael, thanks to a loan from the Italian Cooperation of 2.000.000 euros. The announcement was made during a ceremony held by UNESCO, the Italian Embassy in Beirut and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (Aics), at the station, in the presence of the Director General of Antiquities, Sarkis Khoury, representing the Minister of Culture, the Director of the Railway and Public Transport Authority, Ziad Nasr, representing the Minister of Transport, and the director of the Country Program of UN-Habitat in Lebanon, Taina Christiansen.
The station Mar Michael, built in 1894 was abandoned during the civil war, and in 2020 was hit by explosions in the port of Beirut. This project is part of a global intervention financed by Italy to preserve the industrial heritage of the old Mar Mikhael railway station and open the space to the public. The first component of the Italian-funded intervention will be implemented by Un-Habitat and aims to create one public green space in the railway station area for the benefit of the people of Beirut. With the second component, Italy's grant will allow UNESCO to preserve the original function of the site and its cultural value and authenticity, while creating a platform for social connection, cultural experience and artistic creativity, offering an open space for artists to work and promote their products. The initiative is carried out in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and in agreement with the Directorate of Rail and Public Transport of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.
"With this project, Italy strengthens its commitment in the field of urban heritage conservation," underlined the Italian ambassador to Lebanon, Nicoletta Bombardiere. “After the restoration of the Sursock Museum, the redevelopment of the Mar Mikhail railway station represents another step towards healing the damaged socio-economic and cultural fabric of Beirut from the port explosion. The protection and promotion of cultural heritage can be an engine for sustainable development, while also strengthening a nation's identity. That's why our partnership with Lebanon is a continuum, including other major projects such as the National Museum of Beirut and the Temple of Jupiter in Baalbeck. The partnership with UNESCO plays an important role in this strategy”.
“Through the LiBeirut initiative, UNESCO places heritage at the center of international efforts. In the field of cultural heritage preservation, Unesco is proud of this partnerships strategic with Italy, which is the main donor of LiBeirut's heritage component. This initiative is a testament to our joint commitment to improve the livability of Beirut and strategically contribute to its revitalization. As a space open to the public, the project will support the social and cultural participation of all people, with particular attention to the most vulnerable at times of severe socio-economic challenges in the country,” said the director of UNESCO's Multisectoral Regional Office in Beirut, Costanza Farina.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, the director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (Aics) in Beirut, Alessandra Piermattei, underlined that "Italian Cooperation supports the rehabilitation of 10.000 square meters of the Mar Mikhael railway station through two separate but interconnected projects carried out by two UN agencies, Unesco and Un-Habitat. The signing of the agreement with Unesco for the restoration of the industrial heritage left in the area and the Un-Habitat project for the public green space will complement each other. The initiative will lead to improve the life and well-being of the citizens of Beirut and to reactivate the economic and social development of the area”.
Thanks to Unesco's expertise in the conservation of cultural heritage, they will be renovated six historic buildings belonging to different periods. The forms and structures will be carefully repaired and restored according to international standards and good practices, using original materials and construction techniques which will preserve the characteristics and authenticity of the site. Railways embody values that make them one of the most important elements of industrial heritage, while today railway stations are reinvented to create dynamic, multifunctional spaces where people can do more than just travel to and from.
Mar Mikhael Railway Station, a unique industrial heritage site in the heart of Beirut, has enormous potential to become a space where citizens can enjoy social and cultural exchanges. In addition to the degradation suffered due to abandonment, the assets of this iconic place located in the vicinity of the port of Beirut were seriously damaged by the devastating explosions of August 4, 2020. LiBeirut is an international initiative launched by Beirut by the Director General of Unesco, Audrey Azoulay, following the explosions that occurred on August 27, 2020 to support the recovery and rehabilitation of schools, historic buildings, museums, galleries and creative industries, all strongly affected by the deadly explosions. Through this initiative, UNESCO has also completed the rehabilitation of 280 educational institutions.—Nova News
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