August 8, 2021:
E-learning for better job preparedness
For the third consecutive year, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Lebanon and Syria (FNF) has partnered with Riyada for Social Innovation SAL (Riyada) to deliver a one-of-a-kind summer program. Being the socially conscious organizations they are, Riyada and FNF presented the youth with a unique opportunity to be part of a 4-day program at the Beirut Digital District entitled “Revolutionizing politics: Through the Lens of Technology” in which participants engaged in hands-on training to create innovative solutions to the political scene in the country. A potential shift in politics will not only break the traditional approach to politics but will also raise the interest of young adults to be more engaged and more interested in the political scene.
The program kicked off one day after the first memorial of the Beirut explosion, an event that shocked the entire country and which left wounds on various fronts. The opening words of Dr. Mona Itani, founder of Riyada and Mr. Kristof Kleemann, project director at FNF acknowledged the tough and emotional state that Lebanese youth are going through. Both speakers assured that the summer school was designed in a way not only to empower the young participants but to also allow them to express themselves and to unleash their inner potential to be change-makers in their own country. “One of our biggest hopes that remains in this country is you, the youth! We are faithful that you will create the change that the country needs and we’re here to support you to unlock this ability” said Dr. Itani.
As the name suggests, the main objective of the program was to instill the confidence to create change in the Lebanese youth. Despite some feelings of alienation and helplessness, the young leader participants exhibited positive attitudes and were successful in influencing and empowering their peers. More than 20 participants, who are all university students, were trained on advanced technology, namely augmented and virtual reality to use as powerful tools in amplifying the impact of their solutions. In addition, during the 4-day program, the young leaders were exposed to various skills that are crucial for their success in a highly competitive 21st-century such as team building, design thinking, social innovation and entrepreneurship.
To prepare the participants in becoming the next wave of impactful entrepreneurs, the participants were asked to pitch their ideas as a complete business model in front of expert jury. The jury consisted of professional individuals directly involved in the fields of entrepreneurship, technology, and game design industry; namely, Ralph Khairallah, Chief Growth Officer at Beirut Digital District, Reine Abbas, Co-founder at Wixel Studio and Spicatech, and Samer Sharafeddeen, Head of Digital Services at Ericsson Communications. The winner team tARbeyaTec presented a solution to modify the Tarbeya (civics) book using AR and 3D animations to explain the Lebanese laws easily, especially those tackling the electoral processes which may help in increasing political awareness and participation.
The winning team tARbeyaTec alongside the judges
Two teams received honorable mentions: HistoryGo, a team of diverse Lebanese youngsters who dove into the root causes of the political problems in Lebanon and realized it was due to the alteration, forgery, and sometimes deletion of history. Based on that, team HistoryGo decided to provide an interactive platform where all historical points of view are presented in an unbiased form.Team Biro, on the other hand, was frustrated with the complex process of conducting personal transactions in ministries and public authorities in Lebanon, and decided to use technology to help simplify and resolve this issue.
To end their journey in the program, participants were encouraged to run and to elect a winner for the Young Leader Award, an award given to the participant who shares the most convincing agenda to make change in Lebanon. The election was very competitive with a very strong presence of female candidates. However, the results came in favor of Jad Haddad winning by only 1 vote over the closest candidate, Nour Akoum.
After his win, Jad had a lot to say about the program. The following is his testimonial “Being part of the revolutionizing politics through the lenses of technology has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Whilst I was very wary about the whole technology part of the event, I quickly realized that with the right tools and in such a positive environment, everyone can learn anything. Throughout this journey, I had the chance to meet so many driven individuals that are pushing for change and a better Lebanon, and I had the honor to connect with so many of them which naturally pushed me to position myself as a candidate for the young leader award that I had the honor to win. This experience has taught me so much, from entrepreneurship, actual teamwork, using modern-day technologies, and all in all, being a better member of my community and I will always be grateful for this.”
The participants of the program alongside the mentors and organizers.