Public Spaces as a Venue for Peacebuilding in Lebanon. The Role of Civic Movements in Reclaiming Public Spaces in Beirut and Tripoli

Abstract

The issue of public spaces is increasingly at the core of civic movements and discourse of reform in Lebanon, having come to the fore most recently in the mass protests of October 2019. Yet, these most recent movements build on years of activism and contestation, seeking to reclaim rights to access and engage with public spaces in the face of encroachments, mainly by the private sector. Urban spaces, including the country's two biggest cities - Beirut and Tripoli - have been largely privatised and have become the preserve of an elite few, and post-war development has been dogged by criticism of corruption and exclusivity. This article explores the history of public spaces in Beirut and Tripoli and the successive civic movements that have sought to realise rights to public spaces. It argues that reclaiming public spaces is central to reform and rebuilding relationships across divides after years of conflict as a cornerstone of peacebuilding efforts. First, the article describes the evolution of Lebanon's two main urban centres. Second, it discusses the role of the consociation system in the partition and regulation of public spaces. It goes on to describe the various civic movements related to public spaces and examines the opportunities created by the October 2019 movement. It then interrogates the limits imposed by COVID-19 and recent crises. Lastly, it explores how placemaking and public spaces can contribute to peacebuilding, and concludes that public spaces are essential to relationships and inclusive participation in public life.