Lebanon

Some of the Development Program's main projects:

On going projects:
- Agro-Forestry Development Project of Degraded Lands of Lebanon:
This project aims at encouraging reforestation and includes a main nursery in Akkar/ Northern Lebanon, which produces trees and plants that are offered to municipalities, local NGOs, and communities countrywide.
- Civic Engagement
This Project aims at developing the combination of skills, knowledge and values in order to promote a quality of life in our communities.
- Craft Workshops
This project includes holding craft workshops that often aim at conveying the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) message to minimize household wastes.
- Environmental Education for Children
This project aims at increasing students’ knowledge and awareness about the environment and associated challenges, and at developing necessary skills and expertise to address those challenges.
- Yalla Nofroz – Let’s Sort Initiative
Makhzoumi Foundation launched an environmental initiative entitled “Let’s Sort…Let’s Start the First Step Together”, in collaboration with CEDAR-Environmental, on March 11, 2016, aiming at stimulating the neighborhoods of its centers to begin sorting solid wastes (the non-organic).
Previous projects:
- ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT to foster Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth in the Municipality of Irkay:
The action proposed to foster sustainable development and inclusive growth through the environmental improvement with the following three specific objectives:
To provide innovative services of renewable energy for environmental protection, to develop a basic disposition of children of care towards nature and to provide them with a green space, and to strengthen the role of environmental awareness in achieving sustainable development and empowering people.
The Project included activities such as installation of solar energy poles in the main places of the Municipality, establishment of a green area for children, holding training workshop on environmental education including climate change and sustainable development addressing teachers of primary and intermediate school, organization of environmental craft workshops for women among others. Students were also introduced to the GHG calculations and reduction initiatives.
- Regreen Lebanon and Preserve the Climate- 2007:
Celebrating the Mediterranean Action Day 2007 dedicated to Climate Change and the Mediterranean and also on the occasion of the National Tree Day in Lebanon, Makhzoumi Foundation supported by the Mediterranean Information Office (MIO) organized a project entitled Re-green Lebanon and Preserve the Climate of Our Planet in Sarafand, South Lebanon. The event was carried out in cooperation with the Greek NGO, Society for the Environment and Sustainability on Earth (SENSE), the Ministry of Education in Lebanon and the Lebanese NGO in Sarafand, Shoaa al Beeaa.
70 volunteer students who came from several schools in Beirut and Sarafand attended a presentation dealing with the topic of climate change and the importance of trees in reversing the present day worldwide danger of climatic changes. The presentation was followed by a tree planting event whereby all the participants cooperated in planting 400 saplings (poplar, mimosa, oleander, leucena and others) offered by Makhzoumi Foundation from its nursery in Akkar. Brochures about the importance of trees and the methods of planting them were distributed to all participants to spread awareness.
- Awareness Training on Solar Energy Application- 2008-2009:
The project aimed at raising awareness on the importance of renewable energy by spreading the principle of solar energy and emphasizing its role as an efficient and renewable source that could easily replace traditional ones.
174 science teachers of the 6th grade from both public and private schools in all the regions of the country were trained on new technical skills of solar energy. A training manual was designed and simple educational kits were developed to be used as teaching material that would support the official science curriculum. Each teacher received an educational kit in addition to a transcript of attendance. During the workshops, a Best Poster contest was announced to all the students of the schools that participated in this project and a prize distribution ceremony was held on June 17th 2009 for the winners.
- Climate Change and Biodiversity in Qannoubine- 2010:
Celebrating the Mediterranean Action Day 2010, which was dedicated to Climate Change and Biodiversity in the Mediterranean, Makhzoumi Foundation supported by the Mediterranean Information Office (MIO) organized a project entitled Climate Change and Biodiversity in Qannoubine Valley in North Lebanon. The project included a field visit 2010 to Quanoubine valley in Northern Lebanon with 45 participants.
The day started by an informative power point presentation where the natural reserves of Lebanon, the native plant and animal species, the importance of biodiversity and the effects of climate change were explained. The presentation was followed by a discussion about the topic then the specialist accompanied the group on a walk in the valley whereby she demonstrated the existing native plants to the participants and explained to them how climate change could affect the ecosystem balance. A manual about Climate Change and Biodiversity was prepared, translated and printed in English and Arabic; it was distributed to all participants during the visit.
Photos and video-tapes of the site and several plants were taken by a photographer and were used along with other educational data for preparing a short documentary video by an expert that was uploaded on the websites of Makhzoumi Foundation and MIO-ECSDE as well as the manual.

- Youth Exchange in the Mediterranean- 2010:
The Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development (MIO-ECSDE) and 6 partners from the Mediterranean, took the initiative to address youth and introduce the YOUTH X CHANGE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN initiative and kit, as part of a global campaign on sustainable consumption. As a partner, Makhzoumi Foundation prepared and provided MIO-ECSDE with four case studies for the kit. The event was launched in Lebanon on November 2010, organized by Makhzoumi Foundation and MIO-ECSDE including a press conference and an experiential train-the-trainer seminar for youth associations and teachers.
Press Conference at the Press Syndicate on November 26th, 2010:
This event was the official launching of the YXC in Lebanon; it was addressed, primarily, to the relevant ministries of Education and Environment, local authorities, CSOs, NGOs and the media with 63 participants from those sectors.
Training event Saturday on November 27th, 2010:
This event was addressed to those involved with education and youth issues in the public and private schools such as teachers of primary and secondary level, youth leaders, university students, and NGOs carrying out educational projects with 72 participants.
- Youth in Sustainable Production and Consumption 2011:
The project “Youth…The Ultimate Player in Sustainable production and consumption” was implemented in cooperation with MIO-ECSDE within the framework of the Mediterranean Action Day 2011. The activity was a follow-up of the Youth X Change (YXC) in the Mediterranean initiative that addresses the youth community all over the world and that was launched in Lebanon in November 2010, jointly organized by MIO-ECSDE and Makhzoumi Foundation as the Lebanese partner.
The activity included the following: A survey targeting 406 young adults in different regions of the country reflecting their consumption behaviors; A documentary prepared including the results of the above survey as an introduction and portraying in photos and video films the conclusions and recommendations of each chapter of the YXC kit. A discussion session targeting several stakeholders from ministries, schools, universities, scouts and clubs was held on December 19th whereby the results of the survey and the documentary were presented. Brainstorming on the different uses of the video documentary was done and recommendations were provided.

- Youth Education on Sustainable Development- 2011:
This project included a workshop whereby the opening was attended by the Minister of  Education who gave a speech followed by a plenary session where Dr. Sulieman elaborated on the ESD package.
33 participants mostly school teachers and directors as well as NGO members attended the workshop. The participants were divided into 3 groups based on 3 dimensions: social, economic and environmental. On the second day, the sessions focused on the YXC kit and participants were divided into two rotating groups, From my habits to my values … and back and Breaking the Barriers.
The workshop aimed at introducing the UNESCO package Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future which includes training modules on the economical, social and environmental dimensions of education for sustainable development and applications in the educational systems, introducing the Package The Youth…Together towards Sustainable development which focuses on consumer behavioral patterns that limit the environmental degradation in the society, Involving students and youngsters in a number of activities associated with the development  goals  of  the  United  Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), such as tree planting. After the workshop, a tree planting activity was held in Deir Mkhalles where students planted 250 saplings offered by the nursery of Makhzoumi Foundation in Akkar.
-Marine Litter in the Mediterranean- 2012:
As part of the MIO-ECSDE’s annual activity entitled the Mediterranean Action Day (a joint, small/medium-scale action conducted in many Mediterranean countries during a three-month period each year), Makhzoumi Foundation submitted a project that included holding a shore cleansing event whereby a group of 15 young adult volunteers collected the marine debris on the shore of Antelias, then sorted and measured them. The event was preceded by an awareness lecture on the topic and its importance; the project was held in partnership with Mer Terre Liban, a Lebanese NGO concerned with environmental issues.
-Green Demonstration Room- 2013:
A memorandum of understanding was signed on September 23rd 2013 among the three partners: the Center of Research and Development (CERD), The Lebanon Green Building Council (LGBC) and Makhzoumi Foundation (MF) for the implementation of a project that includes the establishment of a “Green Demonstration Room” at the premises of the Center of Research and Development in Jounieh.
The main objectives of the Project are: to demonstrate the concept and principles of Green Buildings, to raise public awareness on the importance of energy efficiency, water conservation, pollution-reduction and other environmental issue to as many learners as possible of all ages and backgrounds, to encourage the use of renewable energy technologies, to train trainers of the Center and science teachers, to support the integration of Energy Efficiency in the official school curricula, to have an educational unit on green buildings for the young generations to come.

The artistic and cultural activities organised by Maqamat are divided into three categories. Firstly, artistic and creative dance performances, events and collaborative projects. Secondly, Project Zero, a development work project targeting young dancers/choreographers and supporting these artists through funding and organising artistic dance residences, workshops, lectures, and meeting. Thirdly, organising an annual contemporary dance festival, BIPOD (Beirut International Platform of Dance).

Masar has three programs: Youth for Community Development (YCD), Youth Policy & Governance (YPG), Rights for Palestinians in Lebanon (RPL). Any project/activity needs to fall under one of these programs. Some of our latest projects are: “The Provision of Economic, Social and Legal Protection & Security for Palestinian Nurses at the Workplace in Lebanon” project in partnership with the Swiss Embassy in Lebanon; “Youth Citizens of Today” project, in partnership with UNICEF; “Advocating a National Youth Policy” in partnership with The National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations (LSU).

Mashallah News has a regional and urban outlook and publishes stories, articles and visuals describing life, society and change. Fourteen cities are covered at the moment but Mashallah News aims to gather writers from all major urban centers between the Moroccan coast and the Iranian shores. Since the start, we have published more than 100 articles, video reports and photo essays from places like Cairo, Jeddah, Istanbul, Ramallah, Algiers and Beirut. This way, the platform contributes to both cross-cultural understanding and inter-regional connections, and to the creation of a new, independent and people-focused media outlook.

Masrah Ensemble pursues its mission by making and developing formal and informal performances (usually presented free of charge), by conceiving and implementing projects embedded in and emerging from activist networks and spaces, and by initiating radical education initiatives that aspire to artistic excellence. Furthermore, our strategies include prioritizing translation and literacy, creating new axes of exchange and unprecedented collaborations, and fostering research and criticism of theatre that is engaged with the public sphere, with the life of the street, with both contemporary and historical narratives.
Highlights of our work since inception include a three-month Amharic-Arabic-English theatre festival with audiences and artists of socio-economic diversity in performances of works-in-progress in Beirut and New York. Last year, we also produced a two-month playwright residency program to develop new Arabic drama (first initiative of its kind in the Middle East) in collaboration with theatre makers in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
In 2013, we presented an Arabic-English production of Mud (1982) by María Irene Fornés in a salvaged, derelict Ottoman mansion, presenting more than a dozen free performances to audiences of migrant workers and standard Beirut theatregoers. We have conducted workshops with preteen Syrian refugees in Lebanon and college students in the United States and performed staged readings of plays in Arabic, English, French, and Amharic. The organization launched in 2012 with an international educational and artistic theatre series around the book Doomed by Hope: Essays on Arab Theatre (Pluto Press) in Lebanon, United States, The Netherlands, and Australia.

Art Therapy workshops & TOT for trauma victims (2007-present) Organizing & curating International Art Exhibitions & Biennials in Venice-2018-20-22, Civitanova-Novara-Verbania, Louvre-2017-18 Paris, Miami-2017, Tijuana-Mexico 2019-21, Jakarta-Bali 2010-12-13-15-16-18, Beijing-Shanghai-Hubei-Dafen-Changzhou-2008-10-12-13-14-15-17-19 China, Palma de Majorca 1997, Dhaka-2015-17-19-22, Mamaia, Constanta- Cluj 2015-16-18, UAE 2016, Sarajevo-Banjaluka-2004-06-08-10, Beirut-Sidon 2003-07-10-14-18-19-20-21, Barcelona 2015, Jollabuk do 2012 S. Korea. Partners: UNESCO Beirut office, European Cultural Centre, Paint Pals-Art Reach-USA, SNBA-Paris, FAM ngo Greece, CETYS University Mexico, AmericanUniv-Beirut, DAK University- NABAD , AMEL ngo, St. George Hospital, CMC Hosptl affiliated with Johns Hopkins, One Design Lebanon, RestArt Beirut, Hamazkain ngo, Beirut & BH Municipalities

MEADOWS has been engaged in indirect communal therapy projects both applied indoors and outdoors, by creating a visual environment that has a positive impact on the viewers and indirectly contributing to lowering anxiety levels. Examples of indoors projects are the artwork furnishing of Hospitals in many countries e.g. The CMC - Clemenceau Medical Center affiliated with John Hopkins in Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh. The Bellevue Medical Center, many medical facilities and clinics. As for examples of outdoors projects, The Embellishment project of the Ain Mreisse, Avenue de Paris Corniche Waterfront ornamented with colorful ceramic benches stretching over 3 km. Similarly creation of visually appealing landmarks along public walkways, gardens, in the form of monuments, murals inside and outside tunnels all using colorful cut ceramics thus impacting the general public while walking, jogging or driving by with a visually pleasing elements that has an indirect effect of calming and relaxation. The direct method is through the application of Art Therapy program through workshops for people from all walks of life covering professionals, millennials, social workers, war traumatized children, teenagers and schools children. A program that has helped relieve the anxiety of thousands of people that followed the program. Having extensive presentations, talks about the relationship between city embellishment and Art Therapy and the different methodologies developed and implemented over the years through our team of experts in the field.
Organization and curating of Art exhibitions, as well as participation through MEADOWS in international Biennales, Salons and exhibitions through providing a platform for established and emerging artists to have the exposure internationally.

ACTIVITIES:
Main Streams:
1- Marketing
2- Academia
3- Projects
4- Data base
Aspirations:
- Creation of a Design-led arts and crafts production center.
- Promote Arts and Crafts exhibitions.
- Creation of an Arts and Crafts school of Apprenticeship
- Arts and Crafts incubators and entrepreneurship.
RESEARCH CENTRE
Research topics:
- Phoenician Arts and Crafts: Investigation of the path and
the network established by the Phoenicians in the Mediterranean Sea.
Search the Partnership intends to rediscover what lead the Phoenician to travel in the Mediterranean and research the aspect of their endeavor. Emphasis on the Phoenician alphabet, and arts and crafts.
- Revival of the Lebanese tradition and cultural heritage.
- Lebanon: a society’s sustainable life style.
- Arts and Crafts in Lebanon.
- Design society in Lebanon.
- Design Entrepreneurship: A new profession?
- Research and methodology in Design.
- Research and Methodology for designers in the Mediterranean.