Hope for Peace Monument, monumental sculpture in Yarze, Lebanon

The Hope for Peace Monument is a massive concrete structure in Yarze that incorporates 78 decommissioned military vehicles within its form. The construction rises approximately 30 meters tall and weighs about 5,000 tons, with tanks and artillery pieces protruding from its surface.

French-American artist Arman created this monument in 1995 immediately after the Lebanese Civil War ended, following decades of conflict from 1975 to 1990. The work marks the transition from wartime destruction to a new era by transforming remnants of the conflict into a statement about recovery.

The embedded tanks and artillery pieces demonstrate how weapons can be reinterpreted as symbols of peace and healing. Walking around the structure, visitors witness the transformation of machines of conflict into a statement about resilience and moving forward.

The monument stands beside the Ministry of National Defence in Yarze, a short drive from central Beirut. It is visible from the road, and the surrounding open ground allows visitors to walk around and view the structure from different angles.

The monument was inaugurated in August 1995 for the fiftieth anniversary of the Lebanese Army, and it was built with the army's collaboration and the help of Arman's friend and former assistant Alain Bizos. The vehicles were donated by the Lebanese government and welded to a metal frame before sandbags and concrete were poured in.