Raising awareness among Lebanese youth to promote safety

The European project to support community policing in Lebanon has fostered collaboration between the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) and the Lebanese National Police (ISF). After two months of meetings aimed at designing an awareness and prevention campaign in public schools, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the two institutions.

With this National Agreement, the ISF is committed to formalize regular visits to educational facilities, to carry a message of prevention, aimed at creating spaces of safety and protection of the integrity of the entire student population and address relevant issues such as road safety education and the risk of social networks.

Following the signing of this agreement, the project will facilitate its implementation by supporting the first pilot phase, which will be implemented in public high schools in eight Lebanese municipalities during the next school year 2023-2024. It will be the ISF Academy itself that will develop curricula to train police officers who will teach the awareness classes aimed at Lebanese youth, as well as the refugee population aged between 12 and 17.

The project will directly support the organization of these workshops, the acquisition of equipment and the improvement of safety in educational centers.  The awareness-raising sessions will cover topics such as road safety, risk prevention on social networks, and drug use. Once the 14 awareness sessions have been carried out, the project will collaborate with the Police Academy to organize three open days for all students to visit and learn first-hand about the ISF Academy, its work and mandate.

For the project, raising awareness among young people is a priority and an effective strategy to cultivate responsible citizens. This rapprochement between police and youth builds trust and positive relationships. When young people see law enforcement officers as allies and mentors, they are more likely to cooperate and seek their help. It also contributes to the reduction of crime and violence and provides an opportunity to address its root causes and understand the concerns, frustrations and challenges of young people.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding is crucial to ensure the cooperation and sustainability of this initiative for any future action. This agreement will serve as the basis for building long-term partnerships, establishing a framework for ongoing collaboration, ensuring continuity and stability in the relationship between ISF and MEHE.