DUBAI: A newly published children’s coloring book is aiming to encourage an appreciation of Lebanese architectural heritage among youngsters.
“Kids for Turath” (meaning heritage in Arabic) features 15 of the Lebanese capital Beirut’s most iconic, and sometimes lesser-known, historic and modern buildings.
Palaces, educational institutions, and cultural venues are among the structures that children can learn about and color-in.
The book has been launched at a poignant time for the city following last month’s devastating port warehouse explosion which caused huge loss of life and severe damage to many buildings.
The idea for the coloring book came from Polish-Lebanese entrepreneur Julia Haddad, whose interest in Middle Eastern affairs led her to take up an internship in Beirut in 2012 before going on to work at the capital’s Polish Embassy.
Haddad started a family of her own and also a business, Teepee and Co., specializing in children’s toys and room decor.
“I had a number of ideas, but I decided the one thing that will appeal the most to kids was the coloring book,” she told Arab News.
“My hope is that it will somehow plant a seed in the child’s mind to notice these buildings and think that this is something that they associate with their city.”
Although the book was designed for children, it has also managed to draw the attention of an older audience. “We had a lot of adults saying that they bought the book for themselves rather than for their children,” Haddad added.
It took her more than a year to compile the book through detailed research, consultation with friends, and working with designers to create intricate drawings and short educational texts (in English, French, and soon Arabic) on each structure.
Among the architectural styles highlighted are Ottoman, art deco, and brutalist, and monuments include the Sursock Museum, Cinema Opera, The Egg building, Heneine Palace, and Hotel Albergo.
In the longer term, Haddad hopes that neglected architectural gems in Beirut will be revived to their former glory through restoration.
“A lot of the buildings that we featured were not in great shape. Unless there are more initiatives to save and care about heritage instead of just demolishing it and putting up glass towers, it won’t be there for future generations to see,” she said.
Following the deadly blast in Beirut on Aug. 4, all net profits from the book will be donated to the Lebanese NGO Beit El-Baraka, which is working to support homeless people and destroyed businesses.
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