AUF support to women’s issues

The Francophone University Agency (AUF)-Middle East Office organized yesterday a meeting to review the projects implemented by French-speaking academic associations in Lebanon. Present at the event which took place in Beirut were university institutions, researchers, academics and experts in pre-college education. Participants stressed the Francophone values that as they all agreed are not confined to teaching the French language, but also to spread the principles of human rights, democracy and the respect for cultural and linguistic diversity.

 

On the occasion, the programs officer at the ‘creative and scientific section’, Mireille Rassy, outlined the initiative supported by the Agency, which addresses social and humanitarian issues in the region, women in particular. Similarly, the structural projects’ officer Nathalie Bitar, gave an overview of the series of seminars that were organised as part of the project and which aimed at linking higher education with the needs of the private sector for specialized and skilled workforce. She also pointed out to another implemented project that linked tourism and cultural heritage. Towards the end, the AUF, in coordination with Berytech represented by Sammy Abu Jaoudeh, handed the ‘Francophone Women Award in the Investment World 2015’ to Stephanie Hanna. Hanna won the first prize for her project ‘your name’ and Aline Gemayel came second for her furniture related project. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, January 28 2016)