Actor and director Kassem Istambouli, founder of the National Lebanese Theatre, announced that its buildings in Tyre, Beirut and Tripoli are now open to those displaced by the recent security situation. This initiative aims to provide temporary shelter for families forced to flee their homes due to recent security developments, offering them a safe haven in a challenging situation.
Istanbouli explained that the theatre’s management has begun preparing the spaces and securing basic necessities to accommodate the families, in cooperation with volunteers from Tiro Association for Arts. He emphasised that this response was in direct reaction to the urgent humanitarian situation. In a statement, he said: ‘Because theatre is a space for people, it must serve them in times of war as well as peace. It will remain open to all who need it.’
He added: ‘We have decided to transform the stage from a performance platform into a safe haven. If the theater is the house of dreams in normal times, today it is a real home for those who have lost theirs. This is our responsibility as a cultural institution, even before it is a symbolic gesture.’
He also stated that the association teams have developed plans to provide temporary accommodation that preserves the dignity of families and offers a minimum level of privacy. He called on other cultural institutions to play a similar role in the current circumstances.
This step comes amidst various community initiatives across several Lebanese regions to accommodate waves of displacement from the south, as well as growing calls to strengthen community solidarity and coordinate efforts between official bodies and civil society.
During the 2024 war, Tiro Association for Arts also organised training workshops for displaced children and young people, and continues to do so through its mobile Art and Peace Bus in war-affected areas.
Lebanese National Theatre opens its doors to war-displaced people
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