Shuf Biosphere Reserve closes the Mediterranean Tourism-Heritage Development project

The Shuf Biosphere Reserve concluded yesterday the implementation of the EU-funded framework project aiming to promote socio-economic sustainable development through innovative technological actions so as to preserve Mediterranean tourism-heritage, HELAND, with a ceremony held at the National Library of Baaqline. Participants in the celebration highlighted the results of the project which was co-financed under the ENPI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme, and in partnership with Malta, Spain, Cyprus, Palestine and Jordan. The project in Lebanon is implemented by the Shuf Reserve, in collaboration with the Lebanese University-Faculty of Tourism. The latter’s pilot work covered the following heritage locations: The Shuf Cedar Reserve, Beaufort Castle and the Forest of Bkassine in the Jezzine. During the closing ceremony, the Shuf Reserve’s administrative coordinator, Samer Zubian, stressed the general aim of the project which was to protect natural and cultural heritage of participant countries through the application of modern and 3D technologies in geographic information systems. (Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, December 28, 2015)