Lebanon’s reputation for tourism and beauty has brought people for many centuries to this magical piece of earth. There are countless sites to see, timeless history to explore, magnificent nature to contemplate, extravagant food to taste, and unconventional adventures to live. Unfortunately, the war marginalized many Lebanese villages and turned them into favelas, not to mention the hostility that has resulted after the war. However, nowadays everyone hears that Beirut is peaking again, but what few people have heard of is the new pilot project growing on the Ouzai shore that welcomes every tourist and every local when they land in Lebanon. A wave of change is transforming Lebanon’s entry gate into a colorful garden of hope and progress. What you will be seeing in Ouzai is a change we all want to see everywhere in the world.

Ouzai is becoming an Ouzville of colors and hope. Ouzville is an initiative carried out by Lebanese investor Ayad Nasser. The project is about transforming the façade of Ouzai area near the international airport and represent the real face of Lebanon, a face of unfathomable beauty and progress. Ayad’s individual efforts over one year and a half enabled him to launch this mission and clean the shores and neighborhoods of this area while at the same time bring Lebanese and international artists to craft creative murals on the walls of neglected neighborhoods and spread a new positive spirit across their streets. People are already coming from all over the country to see a change they so desperately need in an area marginalized for a very long time. They chose Ouzai because it is one of the most neglected areas in Lebanon. Initiating change in this particular place will have a far-reaching effect in Lebanon and beyond. This mission of beautifying the country and unifying the people is truly bringing people together as many Lebanese and foreigners are eagerly expressing interest to join this mission and be part of this wave of change with whatever they can offer.

You might have already liked what Ouzville is, but that is not all. The prime message of this mission is to bring back the real Lebanon, to revive this piece of heaven, to encourage Lebanese to start changing what they do not like in their country without waiting upon anyone to do it, to cultivate a sense of good citizenship among Lebanese, to break stereotypes and remove the fear and hostility, to lead by example. Ouzai is the place you first see when you arrive to Lebanon, so it is the right place to initiate this mission. If everyone starts giving to Lebanon, this mission will travel to different areas within and beyond Lebanon. Nasser believes that this is what change is all about, we must be the change. We cannot wait upon governments and leaders to achieve the change we dream of. This is what Ouzville stands for, every one of us is the change. We must all become givers.

While Lebanese spend lavishly on food, clothes, travel, events, and so on, they must learn to give to their country first. It is more important to spend on the country and improve it every day than to spend on appearances. For Ayad, this mission is not about humanitarian work but about taking care of the country. We all have a sense of pride in being Lebanese, but to earn this pride we must start giving back to the country. Beirut’s Ouzville is a message of unconditional giving addressed to Lebanese and the world. It is an invitation to give and be the change. Materialism has built massive walls between humans. They have grown to fear, hate and criticize each other based on false religious conditioning, illusive social hierarchies, insatiable desire for ownership. Through Ouzville, Ayad Nasser aims to lift the veil on the true meaning of happiness, which is nothing more than giving, sharing, caring, loving, and respecting each other. Everyone can dive into this wave of change and contribute to this mission. Visiting Lebanon will have a totally different dimension with Ouzville, so make sure you see the change when you are in Beirut and don’t miss the chance to be part of it.