The Gebran Tueni Foundation launched under the patronage of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, represented by MP Nazih Najem, the Peace of Liberty exhibition at Beit Beirut in the presence of many MPs, officials, journalists, and other figures.
Via Nabil Ismail & Marwan Assaf
Peace of Liberty exhibition included the work of 47 Lebanese artists who addressed freedom through art, each in his or her own way, by adopting an innovative and thought-provoking perspective and expressing the enduring need to protect our freedom of expression.
Via Nabil Ismail & Marwan Assaf
In her opening speech, President of Gebran Tueni Foundation Michelle Tueni stressed on the importance of this exhibition by saying that it is a “milestone in the foundation’s journey.”
“We chose the theme of freedom as the general title of this exhibition because Gebran Tueni dedicated his life to support freedom and defended it until martyrdom,” she emphasized.
Michelle Tueni went on adding that she considers the exhibition “a cultural oasis that reflects Lebanon’s civilized face through the works of a group of great creators, who have expressed [freedom] in their artworks that, through their feathers, chisels, or photographic lens….”
For the foundation and the artists, the exhibition was “an opportunity to remember Gebran Tueni and all his experiences for freedom,” as she noted.
Via Nabil Ismail & Marwan Assaf
During the exhibition the halls of Beit Beirut were echoing with Gebran Tueni’s words from his famous speech that he gave during the Cedar Revolution demonstrations in March 2005:
“In the name of God, we, Muslims and Christians, pledge that we shall remain united until the end of time to better defend our Lebanon.”
Via Nabil Ismail & Marwan Assaf
Attendees were taken in awe by the different artworks as the creators embodied several chapters on everything that takes place in the vast space of freedom with its various faces; from the capital’s stations and downtown Beirut to breaking the injustices and crossing to freedom.
Via Nabil Ismail & Marwan Assaf
The creators’ common statement seemed to be a fierce defense of freedom, which also included, in some artworks the man and his body, and the environment that embraces freedom, with its light and darkness, as well as the ugly face of the war.
Gebran Tueini was a prominent Lebanese journalist and politician who was assassinated in 2005. He was the former editor and publisher of An Nahar daily newspaper, which was established by his grandfather, also named Gebran Tueni, in 1933.
In order to stifle his powerful voice of unity and freedom back in 2005, Gebran Tueni was assassinated by a car bomb on December 12th, in the Matn District of Mkalles while driving from his home in Beit Meri, Mount Lebanon, to his newspaper’s offices in Martyrs’ Square in Beirut. The nation grieved his loss.
Five years after his demise, in December 2010, some of his family members established The Gebran Tueni Foundation: His daughters Nayla and Michelle, along with Myrna El-Murr Abu Charaf, Lina Ghariyos, and Siham Tueni, and that for socio-cultural purposes, namely to support the dreams of the Lebanese youth.
Gebran Tueni Foundation carries Gebran’s message in all fields supporting the dreams of the youth, through expositions, lectures, seminars, and roundtables, The foundation also includes honorary members who were close friends of Gebran Tueni.
