Lebanon: Colours of unity in a divided city

For years synonymous with for sectarianism, a fifteen-year-long civil war, car bombings and suicide attacks, Beirut is slowly undergoing a transformation. Where once militias on either side of the Green Line used graffiti to mark their territory, a group of artists is adding new colour to the streets of the Lebanese capital. Despite the many images highlighting Lebanon′s current political and social dilemmas, there is one overriding message: unity and peace. By Changiz M. Varzi

Abed, 11, a Syrian refugee in Beirut, sitting in front of graffiti by Karim Tamerji, entitled ′Evolution′. Since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, the conflict has spilt over into Lebanon, in the form of both suicide attacks and a huge immigrant influx
Ali Rafei, from the Northern city of Tripoli, is taking a photo of a passerby to use it as a model to complete his cat-man graffiti on a blue wall in Beirut′s Hamra district
The Kabbani brothers are finishing a mural of the famous Lebanese singer and actress Sabah, in Beirut′s Christian neighbourhood, Achrafieh. The identical twins Omar and Mohamed Kabbani from Beirut′s Muslim quarter aim to break down the divisions in the city with their artwork
Yazan Halwani, a young Beiruti artist from the predominantly Christian East Beirut, is working on a mural of Sabah in the Muslim quarter of the city. In reaction to Lebanese politicians′ inattention to cultural activities, Halwani has plastered several walls with the images of Lebanese prominent cultural figures
Graffiti by Zed, near the Green Line, the Lebanese civil wartime line along which Christian and Muslim militias fought
Boxer Girl, graffiti by Ali Rafei, in Hamra. Civil society organisations and NGOs in Lebanon fight for women′s rights and to raise awareness of discrimination against women in the public and private sphere
Shannon Khanounji, 23, paints a wall on an empty plot of land, where the youth of Karakon el-Druz neighbourhood play football. Khanounji said that her graffiti reflect the image of Beirut she has in mind
Hady Baydoun, 43, is spraying a wall in ABC Achrafieh Mall′s parking. Baydoun started his career when the warring factions were still fighting the civil war in Lebanon
A portrayal of Said Akal, the extremely nationalist Lebanese poet, by the street artist Phat2
An unknown street artist makes use of Lebanon′s civil war photos to create anti-war collages
Bow, from the UK, is spraying a wall in the Lebanese capital. Beirut′s controversial and colourful art scene has also attracted European artists seeking to promote peace in this Middle Eastern country
Sya, a British graffiti artist, is putting the final touches to a piece of street art in Beirut