27/06/2022
Dozens of people come together in a Lebanese village to protect the environment in an action led by the FIIAPP-led project Promoting Community Policing in Lebanon.
The protection of the environment is a fundamental and transversal aspect in all FIIAPP’s actions. As part of this commitment, the project funded by the European Union ‘Promoting Community Policing in Lebanon‘ and implemented by FIIAPP and Civipol, has developed a first cleaning action during the month of June. A joint exercise of civil society and Lebanese security forces aimed at promoting social cohesion in the country by joining efforts towards a common good: achieving a greener community.
In addition, the activity was fully supported by the Lebanese Police Academy (ISF), the Municipality of Aramoun, the Lebanese Ministry of Environment, representatives of the Spanish Embassy in Lebanon, the students of the Elite Bchamoun High School, who actively participated by cleaning and collecting rubbish. More than 75 people participated by collecting waste in different green areas of Aramoun, in a joint exercise that accumulated more than 50 sacks full of rubbish.
The clean-up action started with a short ceremony organised at the ISF Academy in the presence of Mr. Rein Nieland, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation, and General Wajdi Chamseddine, advisor to the Lebanese Minister of Environment.
Mr. Rein Nieland explained that “EU support to the Community Police aims at transforming the ISF from a “police force to a police service” by getting closer to the citizens and gaining their trust”. He also expressed that “the Aramoun clean-up action with the young students of the Lycée Français International Elite Bchamoun is a clear example of cooperation between citizens and the Lebanese police, and a great effort to raise awareness on environmental issues”.
On behalf of the ISF Academy, Colonel Hajj Chehade, expressed the need to ensure that environmental protection is passed on from generation to generation.
For his part, the advisor to the Minister of Environment, General Wajdi Chamseddine, explained that “sustainable thinking is essential, and this spirit of inter-agency and inter-generational cooperation is much needed”.
On behalf of the Community Policing Project, Ms Consuelo Navarro, explained that the project has a strong environmental commitment. Therefore, it has also delivered several actions to protect the environment: a first training for the municipal police, a workshop on recycling and a Compendium of Best Environmental Practices for the ISF Academy in its commitment to transform the Academy into a more environmentally friendly institution. Navarro also expressed that “it is time to take action and work together to fight climate change and promote care for the environment“.
