Sawfar – Beirut Line

In this field watch, Lebanese artist and activist Khaled Fayad reflects on his personal experience with the challenges of transportation in the town of Sawfar. Fayad, who has a fear of driving, has long relied on public transportation to get around. However, the collapse of the Lebanese economy has made it increasingly difficult and expensive to do so. Before the crisis, a van from Sawfar to Beirut cost just 3,000 Lebanese pounds. Today, the same trip costs 100,000 pounds. This has made it impossible for many people in Sawfar to afford to commute to Beirut, which is the center of economic and cultural life in Lebanon.
Fayad calls on the Lebanese government and the local authorities and community of Sawfar to find solutions to the transportation crisis. He argues that any solution must be affordable and accessible to all, regardless of their social class, gender, or sexual orientation.

Read the full Field Watch in Arabic here.