The Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO organized a national workshop under the patronage of H.E. Mr. Wael Abou Faour, Minister of Social Affairs and in collaboration with the UNESCO Beirut Office, on “Assessment of the Level of Inclusiveness of Public Policies with regards to young men and women living with disabilities in Lebanon”.
   
The workshop was designed within the framework of the UNESCO objective to support Member States in their efforts to create more inclusive, just and equitable societies through the integration of the social inclusion objective as an overreaching theme in all main national policy areas. Participants  included representatives of ministries, UN agencies, governmental and non-governmental organizations, universities as well as private sector foundations, companies and industries.

UNESCO Beirut Office and the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO launched the project “Developing a Culture of Living Together among Youth in Tripoli” on Saturday, April 6 at Beit el Fann in Tripoli, with the participation of school principals, teachers and around 40 students from the following public high schools: Andre Nahas Girls Public High School, Kobbeh II Public Mixed High School – Tripoli, Kobbeh Public Mixed High School.

The opening ceremony included speeches presented by the Representative for the UNESCO Beirut Office, Eng. Joseph Kreidi, Programme Officer/ Culture Sector, and the Representative for the Lebanese National Commission, Ms. Christiane Jeitani, National Coordinator of UNESCO Associated Schools and Clubs. Students then participated in two workshops; one moderated by Ms. Rita Ayoub, Coordinator of the Training Programme on Islamic-Christian Dialogue, at the Institute for Islamic-Christian Studies at Saint-Joseph University on “Culture of dialogue and accepting the other”; and the other by Dr. Jean Yasmine, and engineer and professor at the Lebanese University on “Heritage and common values”.

The students will translate their understanding and awareness of these concepts through artistic workshops: theatre with actor Gabriel Yammine; and plastic arts with painting artist Joseph Honein. The workshop will result in a scenic play and painting exhibitions to be held in Tripoli.  

The workshop will last till May 2013, and aims at promoting the culture of dialogue and mutual respect, accepting the other, breaking the psychological barriers and fear towards the other, understanding the heritage and what it entails from common values and its role in promoting civil peace, as well as developing the students’ sense of creativity and cultural expression, and establishing a network of solidarity among youth belonging to a same city and nation.

The 17^th meeting of the Secretaries Generals of the Arab National Commissions for Education, Culture and Science, was opened under the patronage and presence of H.E. Minister of Culture Mr. Gaby Layoun and the Director-General of the Arab Organization for Education, Culture and Science (ALECSO) Dr. Abdallah Hamad Mouhareb, and Mr. Amer Maraachli Secretary General of ALECSO Executive Board and General Conference, the Representative of Lebanon at the Executive Board of the organization Dr. Hicham Nachabe, Advisor of the Egyptian embassy Khaled Anis, and the Director General of the UNESCO Beirut Office t Dr. Hamad Al-Hammami.

The meeting was attended by Secretaries Generals and representatives of various Arab commissions from Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Tunisia, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, Iraq, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania and Yemen.  
The session was chaired by the Republic of Lebanon, being the host country. Thus, Dr Zahida Darwiche Jabbour, Secretary General of the Lebanese National Commission has been appointed President, and Dr. Ali Mehad Al-Suwaidi, Acting Director General of the UAE Ministry of Education as vice president, Dr. Touria Majdouline Secretary General of the Moroccan National Commission as general rapporteur, with Dr. Ahmad Maamari, General Secretary of the Yemeni National Commission and Mr. Mohammed Bin Salim Al-Yaacoubi, Secretary General of the National Commission of the Sultanate of Oman in the drafting committee.

During the meeting that lasted two days, participants discussed the recommendations drafted at the 16^th meeting of the Secretaries Generals of National Commissions, the draft budget and program budget session of 2015-2016, and the reports submitted by the organization on projects implemented or being implemented.
This meeting was an opportunity to strengthen the ties between the Arab Commissions on one hand, and with ALECSO on the other.