The Mediterranean Youth Council – Committee for Interfaith Exchange and Ecumenical Dialogue – organized the “Beirut Photomarathon 2025” initiative, bringing together 20 young men and women from diverse religious backgrounds to promote dialogue through the art of photography.
On Saturday, August 2, the participants met in Beirut, where coordinators Emile Fakhoury (Maronite Church) and Roudy Jido (Syriac Catholic Church) welcomed them and explained the goals and themes of the photomarathon. They then participated in a training workshop led by professional photographers Rami Rahbani and Simon Souaid, and then set out in teams to take photos expressing five main themes: citizenship, freedom, religion, change, and generations.
The initiative culminated in a public exhibition held on Tuesday, August 5, in Gemmayzeh, Beirut, showcasing 50 selected photos that reflected Lebanon’s spiritual and cultural diversity through the lens of youth.
During the opening of the exhibition, Roudy Jido delivered a speech in which he expressed his gratitude to God and to all those present, emphasizing the importance of youth initiatives that contribute to peace-building in the Mediterranean region. Emile Fakhoury followed with a speech in which he discussed the project’s progress and the role of photography as a means of expression and rapprochement between religions.
The exhibition was attended by a number of religious figures, including His Eminence Archbishop Charles Mourad, His Eminence Archbishop Jules Boutros, Father David Melki, as well as the Secretary General of the Youth Pastoral Office of the Maronite Church, the International Syriac Catholic Youth Ministry, the National Youth Pastoral Committee, and a number of friends and relatives of the participants. Archbishop Mourad delivered a moving speech in which he said:
“In Beirut, every lens is a prayer, and every photograph is a hymn of unity.”
“We carry the camera not as a weapon, but as a bridge.”
“Difference does not negate belonging—it deepens it.”
At the conclusion of the exhibition, a raffle was held for a symbolic prize: an Osmo Mobile 7P, to encourage young people to continue their creative expression through photography.
The Beirut Photomarathon initiative was not just an artistic event; it was a lively space for interfaith dialogue, youth collaboration, and the consolidation of hope through visual storytelling.