Colin Sheridan: Outsiders cannot understand the beauty of Beirut and its communities 

The aftermath of Beirut Port explosion shows the extraordinary kindness and resilience of its people

A destroyed grain silo sits in rubble and debris after the explosion at Beirut port in 2020. The explosion damaged buildings across the capital and sent a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. File picture: Hussein Malla/AP

If Beirut had a living room, it was Aaliya’s Books. The food was often questionable, the Laphroaig, always plentiful. Nobody cared. Students sat beside journalists. Diplomats beside artists. Transient aid workers beside lifelong Beirutis. There was no dress code, no status, no distinction between local and visitor.

In a city forever described by the forces trying to pull it apart, Aaliya’s Books quietly reminded people what still held it together.