A powerful statement that triggers both frustration and persistence, frustration for missing what we should have done, and persistence to want to wake up and do something about it.

A lot of damage has been caused, and still is, by each one of us, (unwillingly or unconsciously at times) towards “mother” earth, but it is still called a damage. And as the saying goes “Realizing a mistake is the first step to overcoming and fixing it”.

Did we try reflecting on our hourly actions and how they’re affecting the earth we live on and by and thanks to?

Did we try giving earth a gift back, for all the gifts she is giving us?

Did we try looking beyond our instant worldly concerns, reaching out to the bigger picture, the source of our well-being and of our children and next generations to come? Did we think about the legacy we want to keep for them?

Reflecting on all this made me want to talk about it, write about it, then get up and take an action on ground.

So far, 2150 pine trees were planted this year across a village in Mount Lebanon (where I was bon and still live till the date, Dahrel souwan), I still like to call it a village although the concrete and asphalt have killed almost every authentic aspect of the village concept, I still like to believe it’s a village, maybe because of the rooted nostalgia and longing to the pure childhood and air I breathed, to the magical mystical alleys and places that had us playing, exploring, wandering and enlightening our souls in the woods.

Where have the woods gone? Where has the imagination evaporated? Where has the innocent wilderness of youth vanished? Where has the pure connection to nature and its sacred beauty disappeared and where will my soul wander for enlightenment?

Maybe the 2150 trees that I planted will return flashbacks of my lingering longing to all that.

Maybe it will inspire people around me, or you, who are reading this, to want to do something about it too…

If you have missed the chance 20 years ago, could today be your second best chance?

Diana Maatouk

The campaign highlights the issue by introducing a creative and artistic alternative to the glass waste: the glass-blowing artisanship that transforms the waste into art pieces.
This initiative reduces the glass waste- revives the artisanship in Lebanon and provides recycled and rare pieces of art.

Our challenge was to communicate all of the above in a simple visual and line, simple enough to be absorbed- yet catchy enough to incite the public to buying the art pieces, therefore encouraging the vanishing artisan work.

3 main visuals were posted viral and printed into huge posters pasted in Beirut streets and in art galleries/ restaurants that supported the campaign and welcomed the art pieces to be sold in their outlets.

DIANA MAATOUK

Wars effect is grave and its damage knows no boundaries.
It’s when hatred blinds sights and blocks logic that its poison spreads beyond any compassion or humanity.
Planet earth has sadly and continuously witnessed war’s damage and absorbed its poisonous effect, which has sneakily swirled- time after time- into the deepest of its depth.
Summer 2006 war on South Lebanon, illustrates the effect of this poison that swirled so deep reaching its deepest ocean- injecting unwanted substance into its pure organ.
The damage was so grave the world could not neglect it, this is when Lebanon was called to shout out loud the real image of the damage, a documentary with all details has been projected in the European Sea Festival and what is seen here is only a brief illustration of the bigger damage.

DIANA MAATOUK