UNIDO supports innovation and design as tools to fight poverty in Lebanon
UNIDO supports innovation and design as tools to fight poverty in Lebanon
Source : UNIDO Website
12-Jul-2016
“Creative Lebanon”, a boutique and creative hub designed to help small producers showcase their new innovative products and develop links with local markets, was today officially presented in Beirut.
The event was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Ministry of Industry, and attended by Ambassador Christina Lassen, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon as well as Massimo Marotti, Italian Ambassador to Lebanon.
Challenging economic times in Lebanon have left the country’s smaller
manufacturers in a precarious situation, struggling to provide livelihood and employment opportunities for their communities. Seeing the extensive, yet undervalued, potential in the skills, artistry, creativity and cultural heritage of Lebanon, UNIDO, with the financial support of the European Union and Italy, and in partnership with international designers, devised two innovative projects to leverage Lebanese specialties while simultaneously incorporating innovation and design.
The "Creative Lebanon" initiative is based on two projects. The first one, “Development of clusters in cultural and creative industries in the Southern Mediterranean”, is funded by the European Union and Italy. The second project, “Supporting host communities in Lebanon affected by the high influx of Syrian refugees (CELEPIII)”, is funded by Italy.
“For UNIDO, the launching of ‘Creative Lebanon’ is another important step in promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization in Lebanon. This initiative proves that Lebanon is a melting pot of creativity and industrial design, and is a useful tool to stimulate job creation,” said Cristiano Pasini, UNIDO Representative to Lebanon.
Ambassador Marotti added that the initiative has an Italian design element, and “will better help Lebanese small and medium size companies expand their activities and market their products”.
Ambassador Lassen said: "When it comes to creative industries, Lebanon has definitely a comparative advantage in the region and has demonstrated in many ways that it has a strong 'creative spirit'. This is interesting for us because the sector creates job opportunities, in particular for young people and for women, so we wanted to give it an extra push."
The Minister of Industry, Hussein El Hajj Hassan, thanked the European Union and Italy for their contribution and expressed his support for the event, adding that the initiative comes at a time when Lebanon is experiencing complicated times. “The "Creative Lebanon" initiative should offer concrete help to small producers and help promote their products”, he said.