A Better Beirut have teamed up with MOSAIC for a special Arabic feature that highlights their advocacy work with the support of @actedlebanon & @sidc.lebanon that aims to raise awareness on s orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics as well as promote human rights and inclusion of LGBTQI+  communities in Lebanon.

This episode was produced by Samir Ballouz and Tamara Rasamny, edited by Tamara and hosted by Lara Ayazri.

Interviewed:  Mahdy Charafeddin

Find the episode with English subtitles (Watch on Youtube: or Facebook: https://fb.watch/bvagwXwRmL/

Partnership with MOSAIC - Discrimination is not straight

Samir & Farrah talk with Bethany Kehdy (of Taste Lebanon) about the food of the Levant, her bespoke tours across the country, and her new supper club, Swinging Mawsam.

Taste Lebanon: http://www.tastelebanon.co.uk/
YouTube Short on Taste Lebanon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgwRWGNgD0Q
Swinging Mawsam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgwRWGNgD0Q
Bethany’s Cookbooks: A Jewelled Kitchen & A Jewelled Table

EPISODE 1 - Food Culture - The common denominator for fatteh is the bread

The garbage guru, Ziad Abi Chaker, talks to us about the various environmental projects being carried out in Lebanon through Cedar Environmental, from slaughterhouse waste to plastics to ecoboards. 

A Zero Waste Lebanon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC-k7aj2Ip0
An Incinerator for Beirut? A Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee88DvyvXQY
Ziad’s talk for TEDxBeirut: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C-E-lPqTdA

EPISODE 2 - Environment - There’s no such thing as waste in nature

Anthony Khoury, lead singer of Adonis the band, joins us to discuss the music scene in Lebanon and the thought process behind some of Adonis’ hits including, “Min Shou Bteshki Beirut?”

http://adonisband.com
https://play.anghami.com/artist/40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN7zkdoNTUw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kptTV21D0-k

EPISODE 3 - Culture - Our music looks a lot like our city

We have a chat with Habib Battah, investigative journalist of Beirut Report, about Beirut’s heritage sites that are on the verge of extinction and why he feels Lebanon is a place worth writing about. 

http://beirutreport.com
instagram.com/habib_b

EPISODE 4 - Heritage - If you complain, get on a plane

On a more serious note, Samir & Farrah talk about mental health with Mia Atwi of Embrace, the NGO that launched the Lebanese National Suicide Prevention Hotline. 

https://www.embracefund.org/
Introduction to Embrace: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HACEZz6ZRM

EPISODE 5 - Mental Health - Call 1564 to talk to someone

Right before we said goodbye to 2018, we spoke to Rana Khoury, founder of Phenomenal Women and founding member of Beirut Madinati, the independent party that ran for Beirut Municipality in 2016. In this episode, Rana talks to us about the fight for women’s rights, her own journey in politics, and the idea of choice in the life of an activist. 

https://www.facebook.com/PhenomenalWomenOnline/
#ShameonWho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c93hSKth548
Shame on Who Graffiti Stunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3tmR_oAcQg

Episode 6 - Politics - Woman's Rights and Beirut Madinati

Ronnie Chatah, the ponytailed dude behind Walk Beirut, the first walking tour of Beirut. Now based between Beirut and New York, Ronnie tells us how the tours started, how they’ve fluctuated over the years, and the new narrative they’ve taken on after his personal life became part of the story. 

www.walkbeirut.com
https://kerningcultures.com/the-things-that-cant-speak
Beirut in the 1920s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JZoIlKE8pw

EPISODE 7 - Heritage - Walking & Talking Beirut with Ronnie

Mabsout opened Multiverse, a place for people to meet and play boardgames. He tells us more about this unique store dedicated to games, models and stories.

EPISODE 8 - Entertainment - Kill dragons with peanut butter

Samir interviews Nizar, host of The Lebanese Political podcast. 
They discuss the challenges of creating a podcast and the vision they have for the future.

The Lebanese Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/lebpoliticspodcast

EPISODE 9 - Politics - Without hope we die

Maya Khattar is the co-founder of Rechmaya Distillery, she talks about how they started: their story, struggles and vision for the future.
We find out what makes a gin good, how to taste it and drink it.

For more info: http://www.rechmayadistillery.com/

EPISODE 10 - Business - Gin is the month of Jun

Jaleesa is an application that delivers babysitters. We interview Hassan Bayloun, founding member of this award winning online plateform.

https://www.jaleesa.co/
https://www.instagram.com/jaleesakids

EPISODE 11 - Jaleesa - The Babysitting App

This episode we meet with the BGC: 
Jackson Allers - Natalie Shooter - Ernesto Chahoud

They are the base of Beirut's underground music scene. People fly to listen to their vinyl only parties. We have them for a chat to talk about who they are, what they do and where they are going.

EPISODE 12 - Music - How Beirut got her groove back

We have Ralph Haiby, the co-founder of Sikasok. The brand is dedicated to create funky Lebanese design socks. From tarboush to arguileh, everything goes.

Ralph talks about how it all started, the struggles to have a business running, the community and designs.

Sikasok:
https://www.instagram.com/sikasok_/
https://sikasok.com/

EPISODE 13 - Business - Lebanese made funky socks

BeirutVersus is an organisation dedicated to what is above our heads. Khalil Azar founded Beirut Versus to share astronomical research, conduct professional astro-photography.

https://www.instagram.com/beirutversus

EPISODE 14 - Photography - Going to the dark sites

We have Alia Fares from the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association. She explains the 470km trail going from the south to the north and the association behind it.

For more info: https://www.lebanontrail.org/

EPISODE 15 - LMT - Hike 10Km, Gain 10Kg

Fadi Bizri, partner at B&Y Venture Partners and co-founder of SE Factory, meets Farrah and Samir. 
They discuss entrepreneurship in Lebanon, investing in new technologies and the job market for developers.

B&Y Partners : https://byvp.com
SE Factory: https://sefactory.io

EPISODE 17 - Business - Star Tech: The Next Generation

Diana Kaissi, Executive Director at the Lebanese Oil and Gas Initiative tells us about their role in making the Oil and Gas industry transparent. 
Hosts: Samir Ballouz and Farrah Berrou

LOGI: www.logi-lebanon.org
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abetterbeirut

EPISODE 18 - Politics - Can Oil and Transparency mix well ?

Beirut AI: Teaching and connecting people to the AI technology to innovate and solve problems.

Website: https://beirut.city.ai
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeirutAI/

EPISODE 19 - Technology - Artificial Intelligence in Lebanon

First episode of a mini series about the people on the ground during the protest fighting to make Lebanon a better place. 
Founder of Matbakh El Balad, Wael Lazkani, Lebanese chef is feeding thousands of people for free with his soup kitchen. 
Listen to his story.

https://www.instagram.com/matbakhelbalad/

Hi.Keefak.Thawra? Episode 1: Feeding the protests

For our 3rd installment of the thawra-focused mini-series, we talk to Natalia from Haki Thawra, a daily public forum happening in downtown at the Samir Kassir Garden. Every evening, people gather to share their experiences, their worries, and their questions on an open mic. For more and to see live streams, follow @hakithawra on Instagram.

Hi.Keefak.Thawra? Episode 3: Voices of the People

Mira Abdel Malak is part of a women's activist group who write special chants during the recent protests. Most of their songs go viral in an instant either because they are loved or because they are hated. 
Mira tells us her story.

Hi.Keefak.Thawra? Episode 4: Chants of the protests

Samer Makarem, member of Muwatin Lebnene, tells us about the movement that cleaned up after the protests and their later developments.

https://www.instagram.com/muwatinlebnene/

Hi.Keefak.Thawra? Episode 5: Cleaning up the mess

Marwan Zouein is the architect behind the renovation of the Massad stairs at the beginning of Mar Mikhael. Marwan explains the importance of public spaces and why renovating stairs can be more tricky than it seems.

EPISODE 27 - Architecture - Stairs of Mar Mikhael

Badri Meouchi, president of the Lebanese Transparency Association, talks to us about corruption in the country and how the association is fighting it.

Helpline: 03/868303
http://www.transparency-lebanon.org/

EPISODE 26 - Politics - A Brief History of Corruption

Mounia Akl, film director and writer, tells us her story. From a home made video on YouTube that went viral to major international success, Mounia explains her life's decisions and relationship with Lebanon.

http://www.mouniaakl.com/
Instagram: @mounia.akl

EPISODE 28 - Culture - Beirut in 35mm

Joseph Bechara from the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative talks to us about their work helping communities manage their forest.

www.lri-lb.org

EPISODE 29 - Environment - Protecting the tree

Guillaume Credoz, our guest, is the founder of Bits to Atoms and Beirut Makers. He's an architect, designer and lecturer. 
We talk design.

www.bitstoatoms.xyz
@beirutmakers
@bitstoatoms.xyz

EPISODE 30 - Arts - Creative Industrial Design

Bob, founder of theworldsucks has been filming good deeds being done in the hope to see them replicated. 
His videos went viral and got millions of views. He tells us about his experience and why he's doing it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXDY4M3ivJ3hJgTLe-sVaSw
https://www.Instagram.com/theworldsucks.lb
https://www.patreon.com/theworldsucks

EPISODE 31 - THE WORLD SUCKS

Farrah, Samir and Nico get together and talk about their experience after the blast. They talk about what the future could hold and vent about the daily realities of living in a post-blast Beirut.

EPISODE 32 - The Beirut Blast - One month later

Impact Lebanon is a non-profit grassroots organisation that raised millions to help Lebanon's recovery. Sibylle George, one of the co-founders, tells us the story of how it happened, what they are funding and what is next.

EPISODE 33 - Impact Lebanon - From Donations to Actions

Samir and Farrah met with Omar Badr from Sawti, an initiative from Impact Lebanon. Sawti, or my voice/vote in Arabic, hopes to equip voters with the information needed for the upcoming elections.

EPISODE 34 - Sawti - Your Vote, Your Voice

A podcast featuring people trying to make Beirut (and Lebanon) a better place to live, now and for the future. New episode every other Monday.
Hosts: Samir Ballouz & Farrah Berrou
Producer: Nicolas Dahan

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/abetterbeirut

A Better Beirut

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