A design collective for Beirut
The blast that rocked Beirut on August 4 resulted in more than 177 fatalities, 6000 injuries, with an estimated 300,000 people left homeless. The scale of the blast is unlike anything Beirut had seen in its turbulent history and Lebanon is already suffering from near economic collapse, a banking and currency crisis, and the pandemic. To show support and solidarity for the people of Beirut, the international type design community has come together to create a typeface that would raise funds to support the victims of the blast and the reconstruction efforts.
The heart of this campaign
Curated by Lebanese designer Dr. Nadine Chahine, the typeface Li Beirut has more than 300 glyphs drawn by 157 designers from all around the world. Among the contributors are award winning designers such as Jean-François Porchez, Jessica Hische, Erik Spiekermann, Martina Flor, Tobias Frere-Jones, Hannes von Doehren, Erin McLaughlin, Erik van Blokland, Petr van Blokland, Martin Majoor, Neil Summerour, Toshi Omagari, and David Berlow. Arabic designers include Mamoun Sakkal, Bahia Shehab, Pascal Zoghbi, Khajag Apelian, Wael Morcos, Yara Khoury, Kristyan Sarkis, and Maha Akl.
The font includes decorative isolated Arabic letters and Latin capitals as well as Arabic numerals and a few symbols, all in one font file, together symbolising the solidarity of the international community with Beirut and its people.
Design that can heal
The type design community has shown amazing solidarity, coming together in the span of just one week, to contribute these brilliant designs. This is what good design can do.
- The Lebanese people are suffering from massive financial difficulties with 50% of the population now under the poverty line. Small businesses are under strain, especially given the pandemic, and now with the blast many people are destitute. Your valuable contribution can help lighten that burden.
- A few years back campaign founder Dr. Nadine Chahine raised $22,170 for the family of Georges Al-Reef whose brutal murder had shocked Lebanon. Today she hopes to support many more families in her hometown Beirut.
- The contributing designers wrote many messages of hope and the overwhelming sentiment was a message to the people of Beirut: you are not alone, and we are with you. By contributing to this campaign, you are sending that message too.
Printed in Beirut, shipped to you worldwide
The financial difficulties that Lebanon is going through has put incredible strains on local businesses. We help them get back on their feet when we engage their business. To that end, the campaign includes printed goods that will be printed at Karaky Printing Press in Beirut, and shipped to you wherever you are. There are some implications to this:
- Shipping costs are significant. It might have been easier to just print in the UK, but it meant a lot to be able to print at home, and for people around the world to get postcards that say: printed in Beirut. This way we show support to local businesses, and send the message that no matter what happens, Beirut carries on, and its renowned presses will not stop. Not for war, and not for explosions. Beirut lives on.
- The financial hurdles for sending money to Lebanese charities are many, given the banking crisis, and the imminent lockdown due to Covid-19. The campaign will continue to vet different routes to overcome that and consult with tax advisers for best possible avenues. We will post regular updates on the progress.
Letters of hope
If you are not able to contribute, there are other ways you can help:
- Check out our Instagram and Twitter account @FontLiBeirut and help us spread the word! Let us spread these letters of hope as far and as wide as possible!
- Tell your friends and family about our campaign, and keep Beirut and its people in your thoughts...
Our design community
A million thanks to the contributors without whom this would not be possible: Abdo Hassanine, Abdo Mohamed, Abdullah Arif, Alja Herlah, Alja Herlah, Amélie Bonet, Amina Tayyub, Amjad Alobaidi, Anagha Narayanan, Ann Bessemans, Antonio Pace, Atea Porchez, Azza Alameddine, Bahia Shehab, Bernd Volmer, Cecilia del Castillo Daza, Chank Diesel, Chris Lozos, Christine Zaghloul, Craig Eliason, Dave Coleman, David Berlow, David Williams, Dino dos Santos, Ebin Sorkin, Eduardo Tunni, Ehab Elhamzawy, Eli Heuer, Erik Moberg, Erik Spiekermann, Erik van Blokland, Erika Georgina Mendoza, Erin McLaughlin, Eyass Elkadi, Fadi kassab, Farah Al- Adawy , Fedwa Snoussi, Florian Parmentier, Foad Aramrad, Francisco Torres, Garine Gokceyan, Gina Serret Jové, Grant Hutchinson, Greta Khoury, Habiba Elgendy, Haitham Almayman, Hala Asfsaa, Hannes von Döhren, Hareem Farrukh, Henrik Birkvig, Ingy Fawzy, Irina Koryagina, Jacques Le Bailly, Jason Campbell, Jean-Françoir Porchez, Jeff Kellem, Jeppe Pendrup, Jessica Hische, Joel Mitchell, John Downer, Jordan Bell, Juanjo Lopez, June Shin, Justin Penner, Kaja Słojewska, Karim Joreige, Ken Barber, Kevin Adams, Khajag Apelian, Khaled Sawaf, Kinda Ghannoum, Kristyan Sarkis, Lara Captan, Laura Serra, Lazydogs Typefoundry, Letterjuice, Lila Symons, Lisa Maione, Lynn Yun, Maha Akl, Mahmoud Abd El-Ghany, Mamoun Sakkal, Marie Boulanger, Mark Simonson, Martin Majoor, Martin Silvertant, Martin Wenzel, Martina Flor, Marty Gotera, Marwa Gadallah, Mathieu Reguer, Max Phillips, Maximilian Bergmann, Maya Rizkallah, Mike Duggan, Mirko Velimirovic, Muhammad Reza Rizky, Muiz, Muna Abdelhadi, Murad Alshawareb, Nadine Chahine, Najla M. Badran, Neil Summerour, Neva Zidic, Nijad Abdelsamad, Nika Langosz, Nikolay Petroussenko, Nina Stoessinger, Nisrine Fayad, Nisrine Sarkis, Nouf Rashid, Nour Alshamy, Omaima Dajani, Ondrej Jób, Osama Shormani, Pascal Zoghbi, Paul Hanslow, Petr van Blokland, Pria Ravichandran, qassim haider, Quentin Schmerber, Rachael Miller, Rana Elgohary, Rania Baltagi, Rania Nader Bechara, Raphaël Ronot, Razan Basim, Riccardo Sartori, Ro Hernandez, Ruggero Gualdesi, Rutherford Craze, Sabina Chipară, Sally Mallat, Samar Zureik, Sami Khaled, Sanskriti Dholi, Sara Jamshidi, Sara Soskolne, Sarah Shebl, Sebastian Losch, Shahd Asabagh, Sheikah Essam, Simon Thiefes, Sophia Tai, Stéphane Elbaz, Stephen Nixon, Thibaut Abou Mrad, Thierry Blancpain, Tiffany Wardle, Tobias Frere-Jones, Tom Grace, Torben Wilhelmsen, Toshi Omagari, Wael Morcos, Yara Khoury, Yesha Goshar, Yorlmar Campos, Zainab AlShibani, Zeina Ghosn, and Zenab Bastawala.
Thank you all so much!
