Against this backdrop, UNESCO Beirut and the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development (HFSHD) joined efforts to develop the project “Lebanon the state for knowledge“, which aims to foster an enhanced research-policy linkage as a privileged and effective approach to promote participatory decision-making and to enhance governance in addressing multiple issues of complexity of social transformations in Lebanon. The project involves social and human science communities, policy makers and civil societies to improve connections between knowledge and action, connections that are one key to positive social change. Given the demographic and social importance, young men and women are the core target and partners of the project.

In the framework of this project, UNESCO Beirut organized on 28-30 November 2018 a 3-day Management of Social Transformations School (MOST School) on “Urban Inclusion”. The activity, held in partnership with the HFSHD and the Lebanese University,  aimed at : supporting the capacity development of young researchers and young professionals in research on emerging development issues and policy approaches; supporting inter-university collaboration on policy-oriented research on social transformations; and developing “research for advocacy” and evidence-informed policy recommendation.

The MOST School topic was relevant and timely. On the one hand, cities are the front liners of social transformations. Urban governance does not only entail the management and provision of basic services, but also concerns the weaving of the sociocultural fabric that promotes the inclusion of diverse communities including the displaced populations. As indicted in SDG 11, cities require the capacity to formulate and implement adapted policies and programmes in order to meet the challenges and ensure the rights of all its residents, including those who are being received. On the other hand, a group of 7 Lebanese cities are members of the Coalition of Arab Cities against Racism, Discrimination, which advocates for urban inclusion since its establishment in 2008.

The opening session was attended by high-level participants, including: former minister Bahia al Hariri, Ms Rubina Abu Zeinab from the HFSHD, Professor Marleine Haidar, dean of the Institute of Social Sciences at the Lebanese University, Professor Maha Kayal and Professor Lubna Tarabey from the Lebanese University.

A group of 25 trainees took part in this activity, presenting their research works, and sharing knowledge and ideas with their peers. A variety of topics were addressed, including: Constraints of planning and modernization of the cities; organizational vision of the city of Beirut; urban fabric of the city of Tripoli; transportation, city planning and state policy; tools of the city planning and the sustainable development