Under the patronage of the Minister of Culture Mr. Salim Wardé, the Lebanese National Commission held a press conference about the project, implemented with the support of Unesco and in collaboration with the Beirut Dance Studio, and which aimed at offering dance training to underprivileged children. The first stage of the project has been launched in November 2009 and involves 45 children undergoing intensive dance training offered by the Beirut Dance Studio during a two-month period (4 ballet classes per week and an educational workshop every week on the various subjects related to the worlds of dance and theater). The main objective is to offer these children the opportunity to access the artistic domain in specific, and the cultural domain in general. Dancing would provide a distraction from their daily routine and help them develop emotionally and socially. In addition, dancing would be democratized and would reach various social strata. By the end of this first stage, Beirut Dance Studio will be able to recruit young talents and select a small group that will have the chance to benefit from a professional dance training on the long run, and be equipped with the required skills to join high level dance companies, as well as be provided with professional opportunities in a field they did not have the means to access before.