Check out Developing Lebanon and see what Lebanese civil society is doing to make a better Lebanon!
Cathie Glover, program officer of Lebanese group for human development Safadi Foundation, says: “These children who have grown up post-Taif recognize the tragedy of war and each of them made statements about their desires for peace in the country. If that isn’t the definition of hope, I don’t know what is.”However, Glover recognizes a common response among the show’s children was to blame political leaders for the conflict. “While I find this recognition amazing and hopeful,” Glover says, “I can’t help but wonder if this view will prevent the children from future participation in the democratic process.“Children should be taught to understand that a true democratic system needs their participation and ignoring a country’s political system because it has failed will not make the problem go away.”
Safadi USA is back from a two week trip to Lebanon and ready to return to Developing Lebanon, our blog about civil society in Lebanon.
This week we have featured BASSMA, a civil society organization dedicated to Lebanon's human development. BASSMA's mission is to improve the daily lives of disadvantaged families regardless of political or religious persuasion. The organization aims to establish social projects for sustainable development in disadvantaged areas that will help them be financially independent.
Please take a look at our profile on BASSMA, and feel free to comment about the great work they are doing!
Civil society is an integral part of the reform process and critical to the stability of any democratic country. Lebanon has a vibrant civil society that is involved in all facets of life and development sectors, and these organizations have a critical role to play in building a sovereign and independent Lebanon.
Safadi Foundation USA would like to introduce you to a new blog that aims to be a portal for information about civil society in Lebanon. Developing Lebanon (http://blog.safadifoundationusa.org/) is designed with the grassroots in mind and will be a way for civil society organizers to connect with each other and to share best practices, success stories, and lessons learned. Coordinating reform efforts will enhance the success of programs and help civil society organizations benefit from other organizations’ strengths and expertise. This blog aims to be a civil society clearinghouse of news, events, and case studies.
Each week Developing Lebanon will spotlight civil society organizations, highlighting their programs and successes. We will conduct interviews with civil society leaders, government officials, and Lebanese citizens on their thoughts and ideas about how to move Lebanon forward in the reform process. The blog will also contain a weekly sector segment focusing on reform efforts in a particular sector, including business, environment, and education, among others. Information about US policy towards Lebanon and Washington-based think tanks that have Lebanon programs will also be routinely included.
In the blog’s sidebar, you will find a list of civil society organizations in Lebanon and across the globe linking to each organization’s website. This list aims to be inclusive and will grow as we discover more organizations working to help overcome Lebanon’s development challenges.
This week we have featured Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE), an organization which partook in election observation during the June 7, 2009 parliamentary elections. Come read our post about what they did and how they did it.
We look forward to your active participation in this effort. Please subscribe to our blog, sign up for our Twitter feeds @SafadiUSA, and visit our website at http://www.safadifoundationusa.org for more information on our efforts to build a sustainable future for all Lebanese.
