The country’s capital encapsulates a striking socioeconomic paradox. Although Beirut represents urbanization, many of its communities remain marginalized and extremely restricted due to their lack of access to equal and equitable opportunities. This has long been the city’s biggest trait. Therefore, MARCH wanted to create a cultural hotspot that would help alleviate these disparities and provide vulnerable youth with practical tools that would allow them develop marketable skills and offer them a chance at a better future.
In 2018, the organization inaugurated Hona Beirut, its second cultural café located in the heart of the city at the intersection of different neighborhoods reflective of the capital’s diversity. It acts as one of Beirut’s only green public hangout spots and offers local youth a multifunctional educational space that not only suggests an array of free capacity-building workshops but also features a professional recording studio and a modest library. Additionally, it regularly hosts a variety of cultural events designed to bring the community closer together and provide a pedestal for self-expression. The café has created an unconventional learning network that enables visitors to explore their interests and discover new skills.
