The Heart MONOLOGUE#10 | Whatever You Build + Empty Cans
Sep 23, 2024
Doreen Toutikian, an artist and the visionary behind Beirut Design Week, shares her poignant journey shaped by Lebanon's political turmoil. She opens up about childhood spent hiding from bombs and the haunting reality of anti-Palestinian racism in the arts. As the conflict escalates, she reflects on her fears for Lebanon's future. Doreen also discusses her new venture, Omgyno, aimed at empowering women's health in the region. Throughout, she underscores the importance of community resilience and the power of creative expression amid chaos.
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Childhood in War Through Taima's Eyes
- In war, children perceive fear and hunger differently, often finding strange normalcy in trauma.
- Taima Okasha's monologue reveals how constant hunger and food competition marked life during conflict.
Doreen's War Experience
- Doreen experienced war firsthand in Lebanon's civil war and the 2006 conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.
- She recalls the visceral feeling of bombs dropping near her and the trauma it caused, even as an adult.
Normalized Terror in Lebanon
- Lebanon lives with normalized terror due to frequent Israeli attacks and political instability.
- The threat extends beyond Palestinians to Lebanese civilians fearful of disproportionate retaliations.
