We are pleased to award the Youth-led approach to preserving Lebanese cultural heritage project £569,782
This 18-month youth-led project will focus on the preservation and promotion of historical sites, oral history, cultural festivals and traditional crafts and customs in six rural and urban areas.
Cultural heritage in Lebanon
The cultural heritage of Lebanon is valued internationally and the country is rich in a range of heritage including historical sites, oral history, cultural festivals, and traditional crafts and customs in rural and urban areas through the country.
There are many examples of heritage in the region that is little known and undocumented, including areas with ancient tombs, government palaces, Umayyad ruins and Roman forts, and intangible heritage such as local artists and writers, cultural festivals and traditional crafts. One example of this is Bikfaya, a town in the Matn District region of Mount Lebanon, which is known for its annual peach festival; a unique tradition that has never been documented.
Taking a youth-led approach
This project will address both heritage and social needs by engaging young people to build bridges across Lebanese society and promote a sense of shared cultural heritage.
Around 30 voluntary youth leaders will be recruited from across the target area and will receive training in research, mapping, heritage identification and recording. They will also gain skills in the management and marketing of cultural heritage. The young leaders will then spend six months conducting research and assessments in their communities to identify and gather information about the heritage they would like to promote through the project. The heritage will then be promoted through photography, essays, short videos, oral history recordings, blog posts and an interactive website, and be shared through celebratory events held for the local communities.