ورشة عمل حول “قانون الكوارث الاردن

مشاركتي اليوم في تنظيم ورشة عمل حول “قانون الكوارث الوطنية للسلطات الاردنية والمجتمعات الانسانية” مع جمعية الهلال الاحمر الاردني بالتعاون مع الاتحاد الدولي لجمعيات الصليب الاحمر والهلال الاحمر. التفاصيل:

http://jnrcs.org/?p=5021

مقالتي حول "أساس الأسرة السعيدة" في مجلة السنديانة لرابطة الأصدقاء

MEPI LAA - Municipal Law Training

MEPI LAA Launches "AIM Project"

To increase the knowhow in municipal work

 

 

On Saturday July 25, 2015, the Middle East Partnership Initiative Lebanon Alumni Association launched its “Alumni In Municipalities” (AIM)project at the Youth and Culture Center of ZoukMikhael Municipality, with the first workshop on “Municipal Law and Community Development”.

Thirty committed participants coming from accross Lebanon  participated in the workshop with the aims to increase their soft skills in municipal work,  get the best of the training knowledge and skills, with a hope to apply the acquired knowledge  within their communities. 

Mr. Youssef Sfeir, MEPI LAA President, thanked the participants for their enthusiasm and encouraged them by stating: “Through this project we aim to commit and strive to your home town and municipality so in the future your involvement will lead to a radical and positive change.” 

 

The project aims to increase the knowhow in municipal work at the university youth levelcovering the topic in a practical manner as opposed to theoretical by giving them the proper tools to implement and achieve positive change in their communities through municipalities. It also aims to promote cooperation between local NGOs in a hope to advocate for the good governance at municipal level.

 

MEPI LAA تطلق مشروع "الشباب في البلديات" لتمكينهم في العمل البلدي

 

يوم السبت الواقع في 25 تموز 2015، أطلقت رابطة خريجي مبادرة الشراكة الشرق أوسطية - لبنان (MEPI LAA)مشروعها الحالي " الشباب في البلديات" ، في أول ورشة عمل تحت عنوان "قانون البلديات وتنمية المجتمع"، وذلك في مركز الشباب والثقافة التابع لبلدية زوق مكايل في كسروان.

ثلاثون مشترك ومشتركة يمثلون جميع المناطق اللبنانية ومن مجالات مختلفة حضروا افتتاحية ورشة العمل وشاركوا فيها بهدف  بناء قدراتهم في العمل البلدي، ومن أجل  تطبيق ما تعلموه في مجال عملهم وخبرتهم، على أن يسعوا في المستقبل على تطبيق ما اكتسبوه من المشروع في مجتمعهم.

شكر المحامي يوسف صفير، رئيس الرابطة،  المشتركون علىحضورهم وحماسهم والتزامهم بالمشروع، وشجعهم قائلاً: "نهدف من خلال هذا المشروع الى تحفيذكم للمثابرة والالتزام تجاه بلداتكم وبلديتكم لتقودوا تغييراً جذرياً واجابياً."

يهدف المشروع الى  تعزيز المعرفة في العمل البلدي من الناحية العملية، وتعزيز الشباب بالآدوات اللازمة لاحداث تغيير ايجابي في مجتمعهم من خلال بلدياتهم. كما يهدف الى زيادة تأثير وفعالية المجتمع المدني على مراكز القرار وتشجيعأفراده على التغيير من خلال تنمية قدرات ومهارات طلابالجامعات وتعزيز التعاون ما بينهم وبين الجمعيات المحلية،بأمل تحفيزهم للعمل في البلديات مستقبلاً.

My opening remarks MEPI-LAA Forum

MEPI-LAA Open Space Forum 20-22 February 2015

"Lebanese Civil Society Challenges & Opportunities"

Opening Remarks 

Youssef Sfeir

MEPI-LAA President

 

Feb. 20, 2015

 

On behalf of MEPI-LAA's Alumni & Board allow me first to welcome H.E David Hale, US ambassador to Lebanon for his kind participation in today’s Open Space Forum on Lebanese Civil Society Challenges & Opportunities. His valuable attendance is a proof of the continuous commitment of the US State Department to promoting and engaging in civic change in Lebanon & the Middle East. 

I would also like to welcome Mr. Gebran Kattini, the representative of the Minister of Tourism for his kind presence. A big thank you to MEPI-LAA friends & colleagues participating in today’s forum. You all serve as the eyes and ears of the civil society community in Lebanon, giving us critical insight into the impact of our activism in driving positive change within the Lebanese society, and we are always eager to engage in discussions with you and benefit from your recommendations.

I also want to thank, respectively, Mr. Erik Ryan, the MEPI Coordinator at the US embassy in Lebanon for his great cooperation and assistance. Special thanks goes to our highly professional consultants Mr. Jo Topher & Dr. Barbara Kozok. A profound appreciation is also addressed to MEPI-LAA team & Bethania Association for their outstanding work in organizing today’s Forum.

Dear friends and esteemed (partners), we are all aware that Civil Society Organizations in Lebanon play a crucial role in the growth of our nation and the creation of high hopesfor Lebanese citizens. Today’s event aims to learn more about the needs of the activists in our civil society, being the first initiative of its kind, our aim is to also assess the impact that our activities are having or could better have on our efforts to endorse positive change within our society.  

We believe that the direct and open discussions will be a hallmark of this Forum and will surely result in numerous thoughtful and creative recommendations for the donors and for MEPI-LAA.  As a pledge, I assure you that MEPI-LAA will act upon the Forum recommendations in the upcoming future in order to fulfill the following objectives:

 

 

 

1. Building a strong civil society network.

2. Identify thematic groups.

3. Explore & address civil society needs, interests, weaknesses, strength, threats & opportunities.

4. Develop a common five years strategy along with a roadmap that tackles the themes generated from the forum.

5. Share the outcomes, the strategy & the road map with MEPI & other donors.

6. Develop a strong and solid Lebanese Civil Society Coalition.

 

In order to achieve all these objectives in a proper & transparent manner, we will be using the Open Space Technology that will enable our diversified groups to create inspired outcomes & extraordinary results with regularity. The key factors of our success are: planning & action, learning & doing, passion & responsibility, participation & performance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While assessing the groups’ recommendations, we will consider carefully the impact that the suggested themes would have on our community– both in terms of what risks they may face and whether the suggested change would serve to attract donors to small, medium & long term programs investing. Donor’s confidence –confidence in our mission & vision and in the fairness of the fundraising process – is an important guiding element that we should keep in mind while considering, testing and formulating your recommendations.

 

It is indeed the marriage of donors’ support and better ways to facilitate more funds formation that make our vision the envy of the world. I am therefore, very much, looking forward to the output from the coming three days.

 

Thank you again, esteemed guests and participants for your efforts to help us to improve the ability of the US Embassy in Lebanon & MEPI-LAA in understanding the capital of the civil society in Lebanon, to grow and drive positive change and community growth.