The UNESCO Beirut Office in partnership with the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education offered the Lebanese and Syrian Youth the opportunity to interact through art and cultural exchanges, thanks to the support of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Program for a Culture of Peace and Dialogue “HAWER”.
The project aimed to promote a culture of dialogue among Syrian youth refugees and Lebanese youth to eliminate existing biases and prejudices, through fostering mutual understanding and contributing to the exchange of cultural knowledge between the diverse communities of both countries.
For four months, seventy young men and women from seven public and private schools, participated in workshops on heritage and cultural dialogue presented by experts and have been trained by renowned artists on dance, folkloric songs, short play and plastic arts.
The workshops served as a platform where students learnt about the heritage of Lebanon and Syria and the common cultural values of both countries. The participants learnt to work together as a team and to bridge their differences through cultural exchanges and dialogue. Students participating in the workshops were enthusiastic and demonstrated a strong sense of creativity and great artistic talents. They expressed their joy of discovering common heritage through art and entertainment.
The closing ceremony of this project was held under the patronage of H.E. the Minister of Education Mr Marwan Hamadeh at UNESCO Palace Beirut. It included an art exhibition, plays/sketches, folkloric dance performance and traditional songs, which mesmerized the audience. The UNESCO Beirut Office produced this short documentary to present the project.
