Al-Ahed Keeps An Eye On How The Lebanese Community In Italy Is Doing

By Fatima Salameh

Beirut – The first thing that grabs a visitor’s attention is Italy’s liveliness. It is a country full of life. People come from all over the world to visit one of the globe’s most beautiful tourist destinations. Italy's cities are home to countless cultural attractions and archaeological sites dating back to the time of the Roman Empire. This makes the country a preferred destination for many.

But like in so many places around the world, everything in Italy has changed. Life has been turned upside down. Nothing is the same. Its once bustling plazas have been turned into ghost towns. Italy is under attack from the coronavirus. Its once magical landmarks have lost their glow.

For the first time in its history, Milan’s Piazza del Duomo is empty. Venice, where tourists once queued for boat rides and cruise ships, is empty and closed. A deafening silence grips Lake Como, one of Italy’s most beautiful lakes. The same scene prevailed over the other 50 UNESCO world heritage sites in Italy.

Italy’s COVID-19-stricken healthcare system has lost control of the situation, registering the highest daily mortality rate around the world.

‘Ghost town’ is a term frequently used by Lebanese people residing there when describing Italy. Lebanese expats living in northern Italy told Al-Ahed about the grave and disastrous situation there. They blame people’s carelessness, recklessness, and lack of commitment to self-isolation for the current catastrophe. They appeal to their families and loved ones in Lebanon to adhere to self-isolation and not to repeat the Italian mistake.