UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay has announced a new phase of restoration and cultural development projects in Lebanon, marking five years since the Beirut port explosions. During a visit to the capital, Azoulay laid the foundation stone for the renovation of the Mar Mikhael train station and unveiled plans to restore the Grand Theatre, both key landmarks in Beirut’s urban heritage.  The Mar Mikhael station, a 100,000-square-foot site once linking three continents, will be transformed into a cultural and community hub through a partnership between UNESCO and UN-Habitat, supported by $3.5 million in funding from Italy. Scheduled to open in 2027, the project aims to revitalize a long-neglected site at the heart of the city.  The Grand Theatre, closed since 1990 and further damaged in 2020, will undergo stabilization and early restoration works backed by a $1 million contribution from the United Arab Emirates. UNESCO is seeking additional donors to complete the project. (ICE BEIRUT)

Fonte notizia: Archinect News