ALEF believes that in order to achieve a sustainable inter communal dialogue, youth are to be involved in the process. Even though challenges are to be expected, some youth might be intolerant and un-accepting to engage in a real dialogue especially that we are witnessing growing hatred, anger and resentment. Nevertheless, some youngsters are willing to run the path of sustainable peace and dialogue regardless of their Background if only they are offered an opportunity to do so.

ALEF implemented with the partnership of arcenciel a project that promotes dialogues, tolerance and mutual understanding among youth coming from different background.

The project consisted on conducting four days training on inter-communal dialogue, tolerance and peace-building followed by a community based action that promote these values. Thus the participants of the training would have the possibilities to implement their knowledge and transmit it to a specific community, hence the spillover effect.

The training took place in the “National Center for Peace” of arcenciel. It is situated in Damour, it is a strategic and symbolic place since Damour is the intersection between different part of Lebanon where resides inhabitants from different Backgrounds.

Project Duration: 8 months

Project Objectives:

• Enhance the dialogue between youth coming from different communities.
• Promote inter-communal dialogue by introducing the youth coming form different communities the concepts of Conflict Resolution, Peace Building and Reconciliation.
• Encourage joint problem solving by enabling critical thinking and analysis to address shared concerns.
• To endorse the “National Peace Center” to become a permanent structure of inter-communal dialogue for youth coming from different backgrounds.

The first step of this phase was the recruitment of a project officer who was to be living in the targeted community. The reason behind this choice is that in order for this project to succeed, the project officer needed to be familiar with the community and must have connections among key persons in the community.

The recruitment of the participants was done after a mapping phase of the villages in the area of Chouf, the chosen youth will be coming from different communities and are going to be committed and willing to be involved in all phases of the project.

A preparatory meeting followed immediately the selection of the participants in order to break the ice and present the project in details.

The third step was the four days training. ALEF gathered youth coming from different backgrounds where they were introduced to the concepts of conflict resolution and peace building.

The main output of the training was to conduct one joint community action that the youth are going to develop to respond to an urgent need which is dialogue.

Indeed, the joint youth initiatives will aim at promoting the concepts of tolerance, respect for diversity, and to foster dialogue among youth coming from different backgrounds.

For this reason, the participants took part in the final phase of the training a session on proposal writing and afterwards write the community based action under the form of a project proposal.

The second part of the training was the preparation and implementation of the community based action. The youth were in charge of all the aspects of the project (making contacts, logistical preparation…). A follow up meeting was held after the end of the first phase in order to prepare a feasible action plan. ALEF supported the youth in the preparation and implementation of the community based action.