This photographic project documents a pivotal moment in Lebanon’s recent history: the 2019 uprising, a spontaneous and nationwide protest movement that erupted after three decades of systemic corruption, political stagnation, and social decay. Sparked by a proposed tax on WhatsApp calls, the protests quickly evolved into a larger, unified cry against decades of mismanagement by a sectarian ruling elite that had long manipulated power-sharing to maintain their grip on the country.

Through intimate street photography, this project captures the collective pulse of a nation reclaiming its voice—young and old, from all sects and regions, occupying public squares and chanting for dignity, justice, and real change. The uprising was not merely political; it was deeply personal—a rupture in the public’s tolerance for humiliation, economic disenfranchisement, and eroded social trust.

As the protests unfolded, the underlying fragility of the Lebanese state became increasingly evident. What followed was one of the worst economic collapses in modern history: the national currency lost over 90% of its value, banks froze citizens’ savings, and poverty rates soared. Yet in the face of despair, the people’s presence in the streets marked a rare and powerful assertion of agency.

Three Decades and a Climax is not only a visual archive—it is a meditation on resistance, hope, and the role of collective memory in shaping national identity. The images in this series serve as both testimony and mirror: documenting the fever of revolt while inviting the viewer to reflect on what remains after the chants fade and the streets empty.