Around fifty staff members from the ministry met on 19 July 2016 in UNESCO Office in Beirut for a first discussion, as well as a first group training adopting the World Café method to explain the main objectives of this initiatives, explore the participants’ expectations, needs, and main concerns.

Participants also filled a survey about their previous experiences and trainings they had, before agreeing on a future work plan and steps to follow under this initiative.

As part of the strong partnership between UNESCO and the Lebanese government, a Letter of Intent (LoI) was signed by UNESCO Beirut Office and the Ministry of Social Affairs in April 2016. According to this new agreement, the international organization will introduce the Ministry’s staff and trainers to the most recent topics and practical uses related to Media and communications, and freedom of expression. Around 90 employees from the development service centres affiliated to the ministry will benefit from the training.

This initiative comes under the framework of "Enabling a freedom of expression environment in the Arab world", a project implemented by UNESCO and funded by the government of Sweden. It also complements UNESCO efforts to support the Lebanese government in dealing with the impact of the Syrian refugees’ crisis, through empowering the government’s institutional framework, and building the capacities of governmental staff working in different sectors.