For 40 days, Zeina el Khalil’s personal exhibition, which will be accompanied by a series of events including workshops, panels, poetry readings, performances and others, animated Beit Beirut, a symbol of the troubled history of Lebanon’s war. The building is located on the former “green line”, on what was a “no-man’s land” that during the Lebanese civil war served as a demarcation line dividing the city into two. Head of Beirut’s Municipality Mr. Itani praised this 40-day cultural event taking place in Beirut and said, “Beit Beirut is now open to the public through Zena El Khalil’s exhibition, which, through its varied works of art, presents a message of peace, love and tolerance in Beirut. This city has suffered the blight of war and deserves to finally live in real peace to celebrate art and culture. Commenting on Healing Lebanon and Zena el Khalil’s work, Torino-based President and Director of Fondazione Merz Beatrice Merz and curator of the exhibition said: “The Fondazione Merz believes strongly in this initiative that fits in with our own working methods which have for some time focused on projects that have dialogue, a capacity for human acceptance and comparison as their guiding principles. I was struck by the delicacy with which Zena el Khalil tackles highly topical themes that take form in works of a great expressive maturity. Zeina is highly accomplished internationally, having made significant cultural contributions to her country in terms of her writing, her blogging (2006 war), her TED talks and art exhibitions and this exhibition will contribute further to her growth in the international art world.”