Filled with grief and hope for my city Beirut. I mourn every innocent soul, home and street that was lost in the horrible explosion last week, and hope that Lebanon will live in peace soon.
I’d like also to honor the work and history of the architect Jean-Marc Bonfils, among the victims, for all that he has given to Lebanon. Jean-Marc’s work has been witnessed across the city after he had taken part in projects to restore buildings destroyed by the war. From residential and commercial to urban planning and contribution to building the National Lebanese Library, his creativity and intricate ability to restore the cultural identity with a modern twist are to be commended, while holding on to its beauty and celebration of the cultural aspects and social fabric of Lebanon.
He has given his time, effort, and now his life to a city that he considered as home, and she – Beirut –has surely considered him as a son. I wish I had the opportunity to meet him in person, but in his absence, we can still honor his work, contributions, and memory to promise, once again that we will reinforce our efforts to rebuild Lebanon again.