Beirut, 21 July 2017 (United Nations Information Center)– To commemorate the second anniversary of the World Youth Skills Day, an official UN designated day since 2015, Lebanon’s youth assembled at a Festival organized by the Modern University for Business & Science (MUBS), in collaboration with United Nations Information Centre in Beirut (UNIC Beirut).
The MUBS Youth Festival was held at the university’s campus in the village of Semqanieh in Lebanon’s Shouf region. The event gathered youth for a full day of activities and workshops, ranging from career assessment testing, to live painting and craft making. Further, to develop recycling and upcycling skills local youth showcased household objects made out of disused crates, tires and plastic bottles. The Souk el Tayeb farmers market provided local food specialties. While the event highlighted youth skills, the emphasis was on the need for skills training as the number of young people out-of-school and not in education increases.
The Festival also honoured several members of Lebanon’s youth in the field of technology, sports, education, nutrition and sustainable development, with the Outstanding Youth Awards held under the patronage of UNIC Beirut. The Mayor of Semqanieh Helmi Harmoush congratulated the award initiation and welcomed the efforts of MUBS in organizing the Youth Festival.
Lebanon’s Minister of Education and Higher Education Marwan Hemadeh, invited to present the awards, was high in praise for the efforts of Lebanon’s youth. “The active attention to the issues of youth is a patriotic task that calls for appreciation and thanks, especially as our country is rich in educated and learned young men and women. Therefore, ensuring their participation in sports and in adopting personal healthy behavior, in addition to organizing cultural and social activities is a greatly appreciated feat.”
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Modern University for Business and Science, Dr. Hatem Alami, spoke of the partnership with the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI). “The UNAI, one of the UN bodies we are proud to be members in, has a indication and an additional qualitative dimension that defines the role of the University in consolidating the United Nations goals of development and international peace. UNIC Beirut has always been a constant supporter of such activities and I am confident that this project will give special impetus to the tasks and activities that we will share.”
The MUBS Youth Festival also featured the opening of the Semqanieh Public Garden and the launch of the UWN (University Wellness Network). The facility will house an Educational and Awareness Center which will give local youth access to a wide range of innovative programs to create a supportive learning environment for the local community, such as reading and writing skills, as well as access to an e-library. With four campuses offering educational programs as well as undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Beirut, Aley, Damour and Semqanieh, MUBS is committed to improving youth skills.