On May 10, 2022 at the UNESCO, Paris.
Her Excellency, Ambassador of the Lebanese Republic to UNESCO, Mrs. Sahar Baassiri received Dr. Rachid Chamoun, Honorary President of the Phoenicians’ Route, Adviser to the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism and representative to the EPA Governing Board – Enlarged Partial Agreement on the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, and Director of the LAU-Louis Cardahi Foundation.
Dr. Chamoun briefed Her Excellency on the current and future cultural tourism activities within the discourse of the cultural tourism roadmap of the Lebanese ministry of tourism.
In collaboration with our partners at the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe, and with the support of His Excellency, Minister of Tourism Eng. Walid Nassar, we have launched three major international forums celebrating Lebanon’s membership into the EPA:
- EPA Governing Board Meeting of the Enlarged Partial Agreement ,The Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe , Luxembourg on May 5-6, 2022
- The Intercultural Dialogue Forum at the Lebanese American University, Lebanon on April 20 -23, 2022
- Jbeil District Sustainable Tourism Vision, Lebanese American University, Byblos April 7-9, 2022
- The Cultural Tourism Roadmap for Lebanon at the Lebanese Pavilion- Expo 2020 Dubai- March 4-11, 2022
Dr. Chamoun informed Ambassador Baasirri about the preparations for the launch of the Disasters Risk Reduction activities dedicated to the protection of the Lebanese World Heritage Sites (Cultural, Natural or Mixed), in line with the celebrations for “the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention”.
The World Association Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage (WATCH) and the Lebanese American University(LAU) in collaboration with the Ministries of Tourism and Culture propose to implement a number of factual activities to support the creation of independent heritage protection missions:
- Organise and implement of six series of Webinars, starting June 2022, on Disasters Risk Reduction dedicated to the protection of the Lebanese World Heritage Sites (Cultural, Natural or Mixed).
- Following the webinars we shall have an international workshop and onsite training in Byblos and other heritage sites in Lebanon, entitled: Disasters Risk Reduction dedicated to the protection of the Lebanese World Heritage Sites.
Furthermore, we have discussed the possibility to organize an international exhibition and a symposium in collaboration with the Ministries of Tourism and Culture and the Phoenicians’ Route – Cultural Route of the Council of Europe, the UNESCO and the European institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe and to take place in Paris.
In conclusion, Dr. Chamoun thanked Her Excellency for receiving him and for her support towards raising the name of Lebanon high at home and abroad.
