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Traditional street food festival in Old Saida

11-4-2018

The Tourism and Heritage Committee of the Municipality of Saida and the South Commission at the Muslim Scouts organized on Sunday the first-ever traditional and street food festival at the Old City’s Bab al Serail square. The festival which saw the participation of several community organizations and tourism and heritage associations showcased a collection from popular dishes and traditional desserts, with a generous 10-metre-long table that served the famous confection, Raha Halkum. The festival also organized tours of the neighborhoods and old city landmarks to explore the origin of Saida’s cuisine. On the occasion, Kamel Kozbor, head of the tourism and heritage committee, representing mayor Mohamad Saoud, said the initiative honors the city as a beacon of tourism and heritage in the country, thanks to the efforts of the municipality and the Saida community. For his part, the media committee coordinator, Ghassan Hankeer, said the event brings together all the Sidonians, residents of the suburbs and festival goers to celebrate old food and revive the splendor the city. (Al Mustaqbal, April 11, 2018)

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BIFEX 2018 on retail in Lebanon

11-4-2018

The Lebanese Franchise Association (LFA) is organizing BIFEX 2018 on April 18 at BIEL Beirut under the patronage of prime minister Saad Hariri. According to Al Mustaqbal newspaper, this year’s forum held under the slogan ‘Retail in Lebanon: Sustainability and Growth’, will include specialized panel discussions with Lebanese and international experts from UK, Germany, Sweden and the US. The panels will reportedly focus on competitive chaos and its impact on the sustainability of companies, maintaining trademark and brand standards, the consumer and new consumption patterns, future growth patterns, cooperation to secure transition from ideas to strategies in companies and the importance of innovation in economic growth. The event also includes a round table on the ‘successful development strategies’ and a workshop on ‘sustainable innovation’. (Al Mustaqbal, April 11, 2018)

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Three new industrial cities to create 20,000 jobs

10-4-2018

The minister of industry, Hussein Haj Hassan, disclosed on Friday the Cabinet’s approval to establish three industrial cities in Baalbek, Torbol and Jalilieh-Deir Mkhalles that will reportedly create over 20 thousand jobs. Haj Hassan said the project, which accommodates 200 small and medium size plants, is one of the most important schemes to contribute to resolving the unemployment dilemma. It will prepare the grounds for a new phase in local industry geared toward reducing the costs of production and investment. In conclusion, Haj Hassan said the industrial cities present an opportunity to make investments in integrated administrative areas in industry, including infrastructure, roads and sewerage, while providing multiple and complementary services. (Al Diyar, April 6, 2018)

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Shopping and tourism festival back to Baalbaq this July

10-4-2018

The president of the Syndicate of Owners of Commercial Establishments in Beqaa, Mohamad Hassan Kanaan, launched yesterday the program of the 20th shopping and tourism festival due to begin early July after a three-year suspension due to the security situation. The launch took place at Kanaan Hotel, Baalbek under the patronage of industry minister Hussein Haj Hassan. This year’s event, Kanaan pointed out, will be marked by a new activity, which is an industrial exhibition that brings together industrialists and professionals, and will effectively publicize the works and localities of the participating artisans and owners of institutions in the area. Kanaan also drew attention to the annual agricultural fair which will have sophisticated grain sieving machines on display, and which is key in marketing farmers’ production and putting an end to foreign competition. Baalbaq mayor lauded the annual festival which he said contributes to stimulating the economic cycle in the region. For his part, Haj Hassan, warned of the severity of the economic crisis in the country caused by a lack of a national vision of economy by the State, which he accused of marginalizing and jeopardizing agriculture and industry, and which is further exacerbated by the Syrian conflict, leading to a decline in exports by USD 2 billion annually. (Al Akhbar, April 10, 2018)

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Good potato harvest in Akkar

10-4-2018

Potato growers in Akkar started their harvest of the season which they described as abundant and specially-rewarding in quantity and quality, notwithstanding the unusual weather conditions, Al Mustaqbal reported. Despite their concerns about the dumping of imported crop on the local markets, farmers told the newspaper that the conditions improved from last year. This, they maintained, was a direct result of Premier Saad Hariri’s intervention and contacts to reduce importation of the Egyptian potato and secure the Arab Gulf markets for the surplus export, as he confirmed two weeks ago to a delegation of the agricultural coop. The farmers also told Al Mustaqbal that this year’s prices are better compared to the past year yet still below expectations, especially for those who are full-time farmers. One kg is being sold at LL 600, varying slightly up or down according to the quality of the crops, against last year’s price of LL 200. (Al Mustaqbal, April 6, 2018)

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Similar to electricity and water citizens pay two schooling bills

5-4-2018

In its issue of today, AL Akhbar newspaper said that the Lebanese citizens are paying two school bills, referring to so-termed ‘reinforcement institutes’ that present themselves as an informal alternative to the public and private high schools and faculty members. While students and their parents seem to find refuge in such establishments for they spare them the official exams “mess”, school teachers describe them as “messer-uppers’ of the educational system and the educational objectives, Al Akhbar wrote. For more on the subject, the newspaper cited education ministry sources as confirming that the majority of these institutes are unlicensed, unsystematic and unmonitored. Besides, they don’t report the names of their enrolled students to the ministry of education neither they provide it with the yearly budget figures. Al Akhbar spoke to an officer at one of the reinforcement learning centers who maintained that the student comes willingly because he wants to receive information in a simplified style. She drew attention to the growing interest among students reflected in their increasing number by year (from 270 to 500 students in one year). On the fees, the officer explained that the student gets 15 hours of education per month for USD 100 (equivalent to LL5,000 per hour), while some private tutors are paid USD 50 per hour. (For the full article, kindly visit the link below: https://bit.ly/2uQ6PNe). (Al Akhbar, April 5, 2018)

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Campaign to promote the Lebanese industry

5-4-2018

The ministry of industry, jointly with the Lebanese Industrialists Association (LIA), launched yesterday a media-advertising campaign entitled, ‘Industry is a national issue and a winning bet’. The campaign aims to highlight and remind the public of the pivotal role of industry in the resurgence of national economy and in stimulating growth and production. On the occasion, LIA president, Fadi Gemayel, disclosed that over 24 industrial sectors have already requested that the ministry takes preventive and protective measures against market dumping. He further stressed the need to enforce protective fees on Lebanese goods similar to all other countries and to raise the competitiveness of the Lebanese industry, locally and abroad. Gemayel appealed to all concerned officials, parties and parliamentary candidates to direct attention to this key sector and translate this into actions, hoping the government will ratify, in its last session before the elections, the bills that promote industry, notably energy-intensive industries, addressing the costs of exports and market dumping files. (Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, Al Diyar, April 5, 2018)

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NGOs supporting agricultural production chain in Akkar

3-4-2018

The Rene Mouawad Foundation (RMF) participated on Tuesday in the launch of the agricultural value chain development project in Akkar (Agribusiness Ardi) funded by the EU and implemented by Expertise France in coordination with Fair Trade Lebanon and Mada Association. The event included the screening of a short documentary which included testimonies of farmers benefiting from RMF initiatives in the country, followed by a comprehensive presentation of the program and the Foundation’s projects. The three participating associations also exhibited their special ventures as part of the larger Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development (LIVCD) in Akkar. In this respect, RMF announced its project to increase the competitiveness of avocado value chains in Akkar region. The project’s technical director, Sandra Fahed, stressed that RMF seeks through the program to transfer the expertise of its specialists to Akkar due to the growing cultivation of the fruit in Lebanon by year. (Al Mustaqbal, March 30, 2018)

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Famous Labneh wrap of Shtura threatened because of drop in traffic with Syria

29-3-2018

Al Akhbar newspaper drew attention today to the famous Lebanese wraps with labneh, honey and qarisheh (cottage cheese) brands and the renowned dairy and cheese shops in Shtura, Beqaa. In its report, the newspaper spotlighted the mastermind behind the ‘arous’ concept, Jarjura Ghattas, who used to sell cheese and milk on a cart in Shtura square in 1931, but due to the town’s strategic location between the Syrian and Lebanese capitals, he throve after 9 years and opened a store which still exists to date. Ghattas was famed for the quince jam and butter sandwich which came first, followed by the labneh with olive oil and mint wraps and the honey and qarisheh wraps. In 1956, the famous Lebanese dancer who worked in Eygpt, Badi3a Masabneh, followed Jarjura’s example and opened a shop just a few meters away with her assistant, Nassar Rayyis. Masabneh’s prominence in Egypt turned the labneh shop into a forum for art, politics and culture. And finally, the scene was complete in 1961, Al Akhbar wrote, when Michel Masabki (owner of Masabki Hotel) decided to ride the wave and set up his own shop with his friend Albert Karam. However, the Syrian crisis drastically reduced to half the number of customers as a result of the drop in traffic between the two countries, Al Akhbar concluded. The first victim of this closure was Masabneh and Nassar shop which the heirs decided to shut down permanently in 2012. (Al Akhbar, March 29, 2018)

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Cold apple storage in Fneidik supports farmers

28-3-2018

In its Saturday’s issue, Al Mustaqbal newspaper shed light on the cold apple storage facility launched by Emkan association in Fneidik, Akkar, back in 2011. The warehouse boasts one of the most sophisticated and modern equipment needed to keep apples in good condition for a long period, according to Al Mustaqbal. The facility contributes to the reduction of production cost and preservation of the apple harvest, and allows farmers to sort and pack their produce until they finish marketing their production wholesale in all the regions across Lebanon. Apple growers said the Fneidik warehouse also helped in lowering the cost of transport, where in the past they had to transfer the apples to Tripoli, Jbeil, or as far as Beirut for storage. Besides, Al Mustaqbal concluded, the cold storage room is currently developing agricultural programs targeting local farmers aimed to provide agricultural extension and assistance on the one hand, and to help select first-rate varieties of apples and crops on the other. (Al Mustaqbal, March 24, 2018)

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