The video has been circulating following the explosion, which was believed to be caused by an ammonium-nitrate related accident. It’s unclear who originally filmed the video or who the pianist in the video is.
A post shared by ð What’s Up Lebanon ð (@whatsuplebanon) on Aug 5, 2020 at 5:13am PDT
The video shows the elderly woman performing the famous melody for the Robert Burns poem, commonly sung and performed on New Years Day. The person filming pans to various parts of the room where rubble is on the floor and windows are broken, as the woman plays the peaceful song.
The video seems to have been originally shared by May-Lee Melki, with the caption “Beauty from ashes.” It was later posted to the We Are Lebanon Instagram, with Melki credited for the original video. “See, the thing about Lebanese people is that they can always bring hope out of the darkest disasters,” We Are Lebanon wrote in the caption.
Many people commented on Melki’s post with heart emojis and the Lebanese flag. It has received over 37,000 views on the original post and over 7,000 likes. The video was also shared by the What’s Up Lebanon Instagram account. “I am simply out of words,” the post said. “May God bless all thoae [sic] people who lost their Iives, family’s [sic] that lost their homes and all the good people around the world that are standing with the people.”
Fundraiser and communications specialist Raefah Makki shared the video on Twitter. She responded to news organizations and reporters seeking to use the video that it has been “circulating anonymously on WhatsApp in Lebanon.”
Makki also shared links to help with rescue and relief, following the explosion.
Many people expressed heartache seeing the video capture the destruction’s aftermath. Makki and others shared the video on Twitter as a sign of hope and resilience.
Other people said that while the video was jarring to see the juxtaposition between the destruction and the calmness of the woman playing, it was also a sign of strength. “The utter terror of the whole situation and the calm severity of not only carrying on but finding the strength to create beauty amidst all this… I am at awe while my heart is breaking for the lebanese [sic] people,” one person responded to Makki’s tweet.
Newsweek reached out to the Melki for comment via direct message, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
