The Stream

Lebanon in Crisis: Coping with the threat of war and economic collapse

We explore how young people in Lebanon are navigating a multitude of crippling crises while living under the constant threat of war.

While social media may show glimpses of people living their best lives in Beirut, the reality on the ground in Lebanon is far grimmer. The economy and government have all but collapsed, and analysts and residents agree the country “cannot afford another war”. With more than 100,000 people displaced and 500 killed since October in cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israel, parts of Lebanon are already battlegrounds. On The Stream, we ask how the country’s young people can plan a future with 200 percent inflation, scarce electricity and war at the doorstep.

Presenter: Anelise Borges

Guests:
Sara Rammal – content creator
Diana Menhem – managing director of the Kulluna Irada political reform NGO
Abbass Abbass – poet
Ronnie Chatah – The Beirut Banyan podcast host