This project is a photographic record of Lebanon’s collective traumas. It is not about resilience or hope, but about examining dissociation as a response to ongoing crises. The images are not intended to inspire, but to confront — presenting the reality of a place shaped by instability, loss, and disillusionment.
“After the war in Lebanon erupted, I shifted my focus to covering it. When Assad’s regime fell, I witnessed history unfold. People celebrated newfound freedom, while others mourned loved ones lost to the system. This experience led me to work on a project bridging Lebanon and Syria — two nations bound by culture, language, religion, and corruption. This isn’t about providing answers, only a mirror reflecting Lebanon and Syria’s shared collapse.” — Raghed Waked
Israeli airstrike on Dahieh, Beirut, Lebanon, on 27 October 2024.
Hours into the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a man clears debris from the aftermath of the previous night’s bombings, in Lebanon, on 27 November 2024.
A survivor of the Israeli airstrike on Beirut that claimed over 30 lives, on 13 October 2024. He raises his hands in prayer, grateful for the survival of over 20 displaced people who had sought refuge in his home.
Amid the rubble in Nasrallah's bombing site, a man holds a large portrait of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, laughing together in an image taken before the Syrian war. Beirut, Lebanon, 30 November 2024.
A man urinates on a statue of Hafez al-Assad in Deir Atieh, Syria, on 6 February 2025.
Yassine, in a destroyed school in Yarmouk Camp, Syria, on 3 February 2025.
Raghed Waked is a Lebanese photojournalist, filmmaker, photographer, and video editor who has worked for news agencies and publications such as Al Jazeera English, El País, and De Volkskrant.
Over the past eight months, he has gathered images that capture the intense contrasts of war—moments of joy overshadowed by destruction. He plans to publish these images in a book or present them in a small exhibition.
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World Press Photo has partnered with the Samir Kassir Foundation to offer a free masterclass program for photojournalists based in Lebanon.
The masterclass’s objective is to develop and guide photographers with 4-8 years of experience in their practice, placing special emphasis on building skills for long and sustainable careers in photojournalism, documentary photography, and beyond. Moreover, this course is designed to help photographers based in Lebanon reach the international community, providing guidance on diverse topics such as safety, research, photo ethics, writing, legal requirements, pitching, career development, and avenues for publishing.
Credit: Raghed Waked
See more work by Samir Kassir Foundation Masterclass participants here
