This supplement is produced by the UNDP «Peace Building in Lebanon» project, funded by Germany. The Arabic version is distributed with An-Nahar while the English version is distributed with The Daily Star and the French version with L’Orient-Le Jour. The supplement contains articles by writers, journalists, media professionals, researchers and artists residing in Lebanon they cover issues related to civil peace in addition to the repercussions of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon and the relations between Lebanese and Syrians, employing objective approaches that are free of hatred and misconceptions.
As part of their partnership since 2011 UNDP and SENTEURS D’ORIENT in collaboration with the STARTLINE foundation launched a program to empower women across Lebanon. The program targets from each region, 20-25 women with no formal education and supports them in discovering other solutions to overcome poverty and startup their own business. The plan is carried out with the collaboration of municipalities, grassroots organizations, important local figures and UN agencies.
UNDP’s work in Lebanon aims to help the country move towards a number of interlinked goals. These include good governance, peacebuilding and crisis prevention; social and local development; and sustainable management of energy and the environment. The following report summarizes some of the highlights of UNDP’s work in each of these areas during 2015 and 2016.
Under the auspices of the Minister of Energy and Water, H.E Mr. Cesar Abi Khalil and the Minister of Industry, H.E. Dr. Hussein Al Hajj Hassan, in the presence of the Assistant Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Edgard Chehab, and the Chairman and President of Liban Cables, Mr. Bassem El-Hibri, the opening event of a large solar power plant serving Liban Cables’ Industry in Nahr Ibrahim took place on 14th of July. The 601 kilowatt-peak solar power plant was co-financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Liban Cables through the Central Bank’s NEEREA loan programme, implemented by the UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Water.
Under the high patronage of His Excellency the President of the Lebanese Republic General Michel Aoun, represented by H. E. the Minister of Economy & Trade and in collaboration with the Central Bank of Lebanon, the Ministry of Economy and Trade initiated an interactive full day forum that took place at the Pavillon Royal, Biel on July 11, 2017 under the slogan “Your Needs, Our Challenges”. This conference aimed at discussing and targeting Small and Medium Enterprise’s (SME) roles in Lebanon’s business environment at a national level and to enhance SME’s performances through live interventions and thought exchanges held by major representatives from private, public sectors, Civil Society and donors.
The General Secretariat of the Lebanese Parliament in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program, launched a full-day development workshop targeting the Governorate of Akkar, as one of many regional development workshops that were implemented since 2000 until 2013. This event took place at the Lebanese Parliament on July 13th, 2017 along with the two main participants His Excellency State Minister for Refugee Affairs, Mr. Moueen Al- Merhebi, and His Excellency Deputy United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon, UN Resident and Humanitarian coordinator and United Nations Development Program Resident Representative, Mr. Philippe Lazzarini. Moreover, the attendance of other important public figures such as relevant ministries, public administrations, official bodies, and international and civil society organizations were vital in presenting their master plans and discussing their current and future projects with the Members of Parliament, concerning Akkar region.
nder the patronage of His Excellency Prime Minister Saad Hariri, with the support of H.E. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Ghassan Hasbani, the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Lebanon Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, the President of the Lebanese American University (LAU) Mr. Joseph Jabbra, and the Lebanese Ministries of Information and Tourism, another event which will pave the way for a brighter Lebanon was witnessed. Haddad, a Lebanese citizen from the Beqaa, paralyzed from the chest down, launched his next journey under the slogan “The North Pole Expedition: A Journey for Humanity”, at the Grand Serail, Beirut, on July 11, 2017. The event was partnered by Touch, and Michael Haddad’s North Pole Expedition will be monitored by Deloitte. Important figures along with Haddad attended this event, such as international and local media, government officials, the European delegation in Lebanon, dignitaries from general diplomatic missions, climate change advocates, and non-governmental organizations.
The Lebanon climate Act was officially launched last year, 2016, with the aim of tracking private sector actions in meeting Lebanon’s’ Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC)officially submitted at COP21. This project was established to tackle climate change challenges while simultaneously increasing economic growth and generating a better value of life for future generations. In the first year ceremony of Lebanon’s participation in this climate action by the private sector, the first group of pilot member companies of “Lebanon’s Climate Act”, Governor of Banque Du Liban, Riad Salemeh, , UNDP Resident Representative, Philippe Lazzarini, CEO of Renault-Nissan Alliance, Carlos Ghosn President of the Federation of Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon (FCCIAL) Mouhammad Choucair, President of Green Mind NGO, Nada Zaarour, and EU Ambassador, Christina Lassen joined the stage to discuss the importance of having both individual and collaborative effort toward achieving Lebanon’s set goals in reducing global warming.
Discover the UNDP Peace Building in Lebanon project’ activities implemented during the past 3 months from North to South Lebanon. In this newsletter, you will read about the Mechanisms for Social Stability (MSS) around Lebanon and the Violence Free Schools initiative currently implemented in Tripoli. You will also be able to read about the news supplement and have additional information on the project’s work with media institutions, in addition to the latest conflict analysis report for Central and West Bekaa.
