From March 6 until 20, 2025, the Sursock Museum in Beirut is hosting the photographic exhibition “SHAMS/شمس” (Sun), a journey through images created by the Italian photojournalist Marco Palombi. Through his shots, the viewer will be taken to the classrooms and class yards of Lebanese schools that benefit from Italian Cooperation interventions.
The exhibition, organized by the Beirut office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Lebanon, was inaugurated on March 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Sursock Museum in Beirut and will be open for visitors until March 20.
Since 2017, Italy has invested in the education sector in Lebanon with the aim of ensuring quality education, rehabilitating school buildings, promoting vocational training, and improving access to healthy food in schools. A commitment that has never stopped, even in the most critical moments, adapting with flexibility to the challenges of the Lebanese situation.
Incisiveness, sustainability and inclusiveness: three key principles guiding Italy’s action in the education sector in Lebanon, with a total contribution of 60 million euros from 2017 to present.
For a whole year, Marco Palombi followed Italian project monitoring missions, visiting schools, and basic literacy and numeracy centres throughout Lebanon. Through his photography, he reported the very real impact these interventions have on the lives of boys and girls, presenting a powerful visual portrait of a crucial period in history.
The title SHAMS (Sun) recalls the hope for the future represented by Lebanese youth, a future that all involved hope will be as bright as possible.
The pictures on display in this exhibition create a visual dialogue between subject and viewer, breaking down boundaries and distances. The faces captured by Palombi’s photographic lens are not just individual portraits but become a collective representation of a generation and a people who, despite difficulties, continue to embrace resilience and hope.
Fabrizio Marcelli, Italian Ambassador to Lebanon, pointed out: “Italy has always believed in the power of education as a tool for growth, dialogue and building a better future. Our commitment to Lebanon has never stopped, even in the most difficult times, because investing in youth means investing in the stability and prosperity of the country. This exhibition is a visual witness to what we have accomplished together and the deep bond that unites Italy and Lebanon.”
Alessandra Piermattei, Head of the AICS office in Beirut, added that “The idea of using images to tell the story of cooperation initiatives in the Education sector is of great importance to us, as it gives a countenance to projects and activities implemented and makes tangible the positive impact of Italian Cooperation and its partners.’’
The AICS office in Beirut, in close collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Lebanon, operates on multiple fronts: education, social protection, health, environment, agriculture, cultural heritage and infrastructure. It is currently implementing two programs funded by the European Union, strengthening its commitment to the wellbeing of the Lebanese people.
Through close collaboration with local authorities, civil society, the academic world and international actors, the Italian Cooperation works to maximize the impact of interventions and help build a more prosperous future for Lebanon.
