U.N., Italy Embassy Launch Project for 'Promoting National, Local Urban Systems Approaches'
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربيةThe United Nations Program for Human Settlements (U.N.-Habitat) and the Italian Government represented by the Embassy of Italy in Beirut have hosted a launching event of the Project entitled “Promoting national and local urban systems approaches”, U.N.-Habitat Lebanon said on Wednesday.
The event included discussion on the continued urban crisis in Lebanon and the project which promotes multi-sectoral response to the vulnerabilities in Lebanon’s cities. Speakers stressed the need to collaborate and work together with similar agencies, programs and initiatives.
The event began with introductory speeches by Tarek Osserian (U.N.-Habitat Program Manager), Massimo Marotti (Italian Ambassador to Lebanon), and Mireille Girard (UNHCR Representative to Beirut). Speakers touched on issues ranging from the Syrian Refugee Crisis to the lack of data in Lebanon to the issues facing Lebanese urban dwellers. As Marotti pointed out in his opening remarks, “the impact of this [urban] crisis has affected the daily life of the Lebanese people – the network of infrastructure, economy, trade, life in urban areas…How [do we] better help ease the pain and burden of the crisis?”
The opening remarks were followed by a presentation on neighborhood and city initiatives undertaken by U.N.-Habitat by Suzanne Maguire, U.N.-Habitat Senior Urban Planner. As Maguire stressed, the work in creating City and Neighborhood Profiles is essential in Lebanon because “we need data. To be understood and managed urban systems need data.”
The event ended with remarks by the Mayors of Zahle, Baalbak, Bourj Hammoud and Saida.