Lebanon

"Live Lebanon": Click, Commit and Change!

The unconventional Cinema Le Dome in Downtown Beirut, witnessed on Thursday 12th of November 2009 the launching of the “Live Lebanon” project. The ceremony was organized by the United Nations Development Programme and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants/General Directorate of Emigrants. 

This project aims to mobilize a critical mass of Lebanese living abroad in support of local development in the most deprived and underprivileged areas of Lebanon.
For this purpose the website, www.livelebanon.net, has been created as a platform for the project. It will allow expatriates to donate online to development and community projects throughout Lebanon, to contribute to the elimination of poverty and regional disparities in Lebanon, follow up on the projects as they are being implemented, and get news about LIVE LEBANON.
LIVE LEBANON will also evolve an innovative partnership between civil society, local and foreign authorities, the private sector and Lebanese emigrants, creating a broad network in support of the development of Lebanon. 

The launching ceremony was attended by large number of ambassadors, Lebanese expatriates’ delegations, NGO representatives and media. It included a video and photo exhibition capturing different sites and portraits from all the Lebanese regions.
On this occasion, speeches were delivered by Ms. Marta Ruedas, the UNDP resident representative, Ms. Haytham Jomaa, the general director of the general directorate of emigrants, Mr. Amine Moukarzel, president of Golden Tulip Hotels, Mrs. Randa Bdeir, head of electronic banking and credit cards in Bank Audi. 

The speakers highlighted the importance of this project and the role of the Lebanese expatriates in the development of their country.
In addition, Mr. Raghed Assi, UNDP’s poverty and social development programme manager, briefed the audience on the website’s structure, goals and ways to donate online. 

“The project builds on the strong tradition of support to Lebanon from the vast numbers of Lebanese emigrants, said Ms. Marta Ruedas, adding that all projects presented on the website have been identified by local working groups consisting of public and private actors in collaboration with UNDP. For the first phase of LIVE LEBANON 33 projects have been identified in 27 villages in the North, Bekaa, Mount Lebanon & Beirut and South of Lebanon, falling under health, education, youth, environment, and income-generating activities.”
Ms. Ruedas ensured that all projects will be implemented through UNDP’s global project management system and in accordance with UNDP rules and regulations, which will ensure that donations are used efficiently and reported.
Finally, she thanked the current partners of the projects, who believed in LIVE LEBANON and became part of the project prior to its launching, namely the British Embassy in Beirut, Bank Audi, and Golden Tulip Hotels. 

In order to create a global network for LIVE LEBANON, Ms. Ruedas announced the nomination of the first regional Goodwill Ambassador for the LIVE LEBANON Project, Mr. Ghaleb Farha, a Lebanese expatriate and an important businessman residing in Dubai.
Mr. Farha explained that the UNDP is currently searching for Goodwill ambassadors worldwide, in order to ensure the success of the Live Lebanon project and to stress the role of the Lebanese expatiates in helping and promoting this project. 

In his speech, Mr. Jomaa explained that the General Directorate of Emigrants along with the UNDP organized workshops for prominent Lebanese expatriates from all over the world to shed the light on the Live Lebanon project and to encourage the Lebanese Diaspora to cooperate and help in the development of Lebanon. 

Lebanese embassies abroad and foreign embassies in Lebanon in addition to a broad network of associations will play a crucial role in promoting the project to the target audiences and rallying support for it. 

On the second day, Friday 13th of November, a live concert took place at the Dome, for the youth to discover and learn more about LIVE LEBANON project.