Almost a year ago, the port of Beirut was shattered with grief. The two massive explosions that took place at the port of Beirut killed over 200 people, injuring over 6,000 and leaving hundreds of thousands without a home. The incident took place on August 4, 2020, and had caused severe damage to several buildings in Lebanon’s capital.

Now that the wrenching blast will complete a year, a new sculpture—The Gesture has been created at the spot, to pay homage to the victims of the blast. Resembling like a steel giant emerging shell-shocked from the rubble of the exploded Beirut port, the towering sculpture is made of reclaimed construction steel and is a friendly figure, handing out what looks like a flower to the city.

Which were once a part of the port’s hangers, is now a sculpture made of dozens of damaged steel parts. Onlookers on Wednesday could see the 25-meter high sculpture being erected by a crane. In a couple of days, the finished project will also include light and water installation.

The sculpture was designed and conceived by Nadim Karam, who describes the project as a collective effort with many volunteers. “We’re all working together to say that life is important and that we are really concerned about what happened to Beirut,” Karam said in a video posted on Instagram.

The Gesture which will be complete on Lebanon’s national day of mourning, i.e. August 4, will serve as a memorial to the victims of the explosion that devastated the city almost a year ago today. The sculpture also indicates a sign of hope for its survivors.

To make the sculpture, 27 individuals and organisations, including designers, arts institutions, logistics companies, and public sector bodies, contributed to the project as volunteers. The project was also supported by the Lebanese Army, with permits supplied by Lebanon’s Home Security and the Port Authority.