On Saturday January 12, 2013 Jean Goguikian Scholarship recipients visited to the Ministry of the Environment in the Azarieh Building – Downtown Beirut.

This visit which is part of the Goguikian Foundation leadership training was the first in a series of ministry visits with an aim to introduce the work of the different ministries to these future leaders.

Me. Samar Malek of the Ministry of the Environment, after welcoming the Goguikian team, explained about the aims of the ministry and then through a PowerPoint presentation introduced the Goguikian team to the environmental characteristics of Lebanon including its geological components to its biological diversity of fauna and flora as well as an outlook to the future of the environment in the country and the challenges facing the agency.

The Ministry of the Environment currently seeks to strengthen its human, financial and material capabilities, along with improved communication with the citizens.

Some of the reforms needed that the Goguikian team and the representative of the ministry discussed were:

•        Activating environmental compliance, monitoring, motivation and deterrence based on practical, clear and transparent scientific criteria.
•           Strengthening Institutional cooperation between the Ministry of Environment, the non-governmental, regional institutions and the International Commission for Environment and Development
•            Adoption of environmental education through communication, and to encourage research and development in the environmental sector
•            Militancy in preserving  the environment and the nature , Lebanon’s natural wealth
•        Activation of the national strategy for the management of forest fires
•      Promoting sites, nature reserves and biodiversity
•        The implementation of policies and plan assessments of household solid waste

After discussing the structure of the MoE and its programs and identifying the different stakeholders in protecting the environment and the challenges facing all, the students had the chance to introduce their environmental program that they are initiating in Bourj Hammoud. This project, which is a practical part of a Project Management training they receive, consists of a pilot recycling project in the area of Bourj Hammoud consisting of recycling paper and aluminum cans from local schools, banks and food outlets and devising an awareness campaign to introduce the idea of recycling household waste.

The Team then took guidance and advice from Mrs. Malek and received assurances of a close partnership with the MoE during the implementation of this project in Bourj Hammoud.