Knowledge Sharing & Public Learning
Stories of Resilience — Lebanon and Palestine between history, art and solidarity.
Turin, 14 December 2024
Round table, documentary screenings and photography exhibitions.
On 14 December 2024, Green Growth Generation organised in Turin Stories of Resilience: Lebanon and Palestine between history, art and solidarity — an evening of cultural exploration, political dialogue and fundraising dedicated to two territories today marked by a profound humanitarian crisis.
The event offered participants a narrative on two levels: on one side, in-depth historical, political and current affairs analysis through documentary screenings and an expert round table; on the other, an immersion in Lebanese and Palestinian cultural richness through food, photography exhibitions and an Arabic calligraphy workshop.
A project rooted in the very origins of Green Growth Generation, founded in Beirut in 2021 by Gabriella Esposito, with the aim of building a network of local projects capable of supporting and strengthening communities on the ground.
The documentaries
Tripoli Fresco
Vincent Genet and Sarah Kabbout
The evening opened with the screening of Tripoli Fresco, a documentary by French artist Vincent Genet and Sarah Kabbout. An intimate and profound portrait of the Lebanese city of Tripoli, capturing its soul through the rhythm of everyday life — from the alleyways of the ancient city to the modernist spaces of the International Fair.
Réflection d’un Hom(m)e
Chloé Khoury
This was followed by Réflection d’un Hom(m)e by Chloé Khoury, one of the emerging voices of Lebanese cinema. A deeply introspective work exploring the concept of “home” and one’s relationship with roots, taking the audience on a symbolic journey between Lebanon and France — places the director has inhabited, “but never truly lived”.
The round table — history, politics and testimonies from the field
The second part of the evening offered an in-depth analysis of the political and social dynamics of Lebanon and Palestine, through four authoritative voices.
Rossana Tufaro — Researcher in Contemporary History of the Middle East
A journey through Lebanon’s recent history: from the Palestinian diaspora following the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, to the years of the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990), the Sabra and Shatila massacres (1982), and the Ta’if Accords (1989), when Lebanon’s confessional system was reformed but not abolished.
Rosita Di Peri — author of “Contemporary Lebanon”
An in-depth examination of Lebanon’s confessional system — established to guarantee coexistence among religious communities, progressively transformed into a system of sectarian control. A central theme in contemporary Lebanese political debate, compounded by the country’s economic and social crisis in recent years.
Pasquale Porciello — journalist and analyst of Lebanese domestic politics
A testimony from the field: living through war in Beirut means confronting constant uncertainty — not only bombardments, but increasingly frequent power cuts, food and fuel shortages. A direct and vivid account of the situation on the ground.
Roberto Renino — founder and president of Amel Italia
The presentation of Amel, an NGO founded in Lebanon in 1979 by a group of doctors, journalists and activists responding to the atrocities of the civil war. An intervention that clarified the concrete impact of the funds raised: from food purchases to medicines and essential goods.
The photography exhibitions
Stories Matter — contemporary Lebanon through five artists
Born within the New European Bauhaus programme, Stories Matter is a storytelling and creative narrative project exploring contemporary Lebanon through the works of five selected artists.
The photographs, taken between March and April 2022, document the complex social dynamics of Beirut and its peripheries: from the reduction of public spaces after the civil war to public transport transformed into a place of connection and sharing among different communities.
Pop Palestine — a journey through food, identity and memory
Pop Palestine is the visual account of a journey undertaken in 2013 by a group of Florentine friends — Silvia, Alessandra, Armando and Stefano — alongside Fidaa, a young Palestinian chef. A photographic journey through Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah and Nablus, where each stop becomes an encounter with traditions, people and flavours.
Food emerges as a powerful tool of Palestinian cultural identity: every dish, every ingredient tells a story — food as a means of discovering and understanding the deep soul of Palestine.
The Arabic calligraphy workshop
To close the evening, Sara Yousfani guided participants through an Arabic calligraphy workshop, tracing together words of union and hope:
“For you are like me, and there is no difference between us.” — Khalil Gibran, My Soul
A symbolic invitation to transcend barriers and rediscover the humanity that connects us.
A journey that continues
The 14 December event represented a significant moment of connection between cultures, stories and people — but Green Growth Generation’s work on Lebanon and Palestine does not stop here.