Under the patronage and in the presence of the Minister of Energy and Water, Eng. Gebran Bassil, the Lebanese Center for Water Management and Conservation – UNDP (LCWMC), in collaboration with the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO, launched “The Water Education Package” on the occasion of World Water Day.

Among the attendees were, Dr. Leila Maliha Fayyad representing the Minister of Education Dr. Hassan Diab, the Ambassador of Austria Mrs. Ursula Fahringer, the UNDP Resident Representative Mr. Robert Watkins, the Resident Representative for the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development Eng. Nawaf Aldabbous, the Director of the Italian Cooperation Office in Beirut, FAO Representative in Lebanon Mr. Ali Momen, as well as a number of representatives of water institutions, educational bodies and international organizations.

Mr. Ziad Khayat, LCWMC Project Manager, started with a presentation on the activities and projects of the Center, which main objectives are to “increase public awareness on water-related issues through awareness campaigns such as “The Water Education Package”, and through pilot projects aiming at spreading the culture of water conservation and promoting demand-side management across the different sectors that consume water. In parallel, the Center initiated the collection and analysis of groundwater quantities in order to establish a specialized database, thanks to the funding provided by the Italian government”.

In her intervention, Dr. Zahida Darwiche Jabbour, Secretary General of the Lebanese National Commission, noted that “an overview of the slogans selected to celebrate the World Water Day over the last 10 years is enough to demonstrate the diversity of the problems and the need to address them. The 2006 slogan “Water and Culture”, selected by UNESCO highlights the need to raise awareness and to draw attention to the importance of the sustainable management of freshwater... Disseminating a culture that aims at reducing the random consumption of renewable resources requires an education for sustainable development and the translation of concepts and principles into behaviors and practices in everyday life. Responsibility is however shared between the state and the citizen, and the process of change starts with education, hence the importance of this Water Education Package, which we hope, will be distributed to schools for experimentation”.

Mr. Robert Watkins, UNDP Resident Representative in Lebanon, discussed “the importance of water in Lebanon, and the role of the Lebanese Center for Water Management and Conservation in raising awareness through educational activities and pilot projects”, and put emphasis on “the need to provide financial support from different donors in collaborations with the United Nations Development Programme and the Ministry of Energy and Water, in order to achieve the Center’s objectives and guarantee its continuity”.

As for the Minister of Energy and Water, Eng. Gebran Bassil, he stressed that “there is no alternative for water. While electricity can be produced and provided, and oil is a vibrant resource, water is a renewable irreplaceable resource, and it is our national duty and responsibility to manage and conserve it", adding that “water is a high-value natural resource, and we, the people, lack the knowledge and culture to deal with such wealth. We can only address this issue by raising the awareness of our children and future generations and teaching them the significance of water resource”.

In conclusion, the “Water Education Package” was distributed and included a number of brochures and information on how to manage water consumption.

On the occasion of World Philosophy Day, the Lebanese National Commission held an interactive encounter under the theme "Philosophy, a way of life" at the UNESCO Palace, that included readings from the book "Learning Life" by the French writer Luc Ferry, presented by the Lebanese actor and university professor Jihad Al-Andari to students and teachers from the following associated schools: Laure Moghaizel Public High School for girls, Dr. Hassan Saab Public High School, International College, Al-Kawthar Secondary School, Zahia Kaddoura Public High School for girls, Safra Public High School, Hussein Massoud Public High School – Bchamoun, Hammana Public High School, Sidon Public High School for girls.

On the occasion of the school visit by a Danish delegation from Endrupskolen School, the principal Father Andre Daher, the head of secondary education Mrs. Georgia Hachem and the coordinator of UNESCO activities Mrs. Hana Daccache, welcomed the Secretary General Prof. Zahida Darwiche Jabbour and the ASPnet National Coordinator Ms. Christiane Jeitani for a tour visit of the school, its departments, classes and administrative bureaus as well as a meeting with students, amidst the preparations for the celebration of Independence Day (posters and exhibition around the famous personalities that have marked the history of Lebanon). A cooperation agreement was also signed between the Danish and Antonine Schools, regarding a joint project entitled “Cultural Heritage” involving students ranging from age 6 to 16 years old.

The National Commission organized an annual meeting for the principals and coordinators of UNESCO associated schools at 2pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at the UNESCO Palace with the participation of 44 principals and coordinators representing 36 associated educational institutions.

The aim was to discuss the calendar of activities to be organized during the academic year 2012-2013, and deliberate on how to promote common activities between associated schools, as well as to examine different suggestions regarding the celebration of the 60th anniversary of UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network and the 65th anniversary of the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO.

During the final session of the meeting, participants were introduced to the youth policy in Lebanon by Ms. Rania Sabaayon – executive director of Massar Association and executive secretary of the Youth Forum on Youth Policy.