LYDS "The founder NGO of "Lebanese Interfaith Initiative CC. URI MENA"

7 July 2017

LYDS thrives to promote intercultural and human rights education through seminars, workshops, training and other informal training tools to the public in general including youth, both on a local and national level. Active citizenship, healthy debating and intercultural and voluntary initiatives for youth are the core elements that motivate this section to participate in various projects. The team is made up of motivated members who are staff and volunteers in the organization but with professional background in different areas like youth work, social policy, marketing, PR, campaigning and management. We are members of Anna Lindh Foundation and United Religious Initiative. Our Fields of work:

- Human Rights Education & capacity-building with youths between 18 & 30 years in both, private and public, schools and universities as well as in southern/northern rural villages in Lebanon.

- Intercultural & Interfaith dialogue among youths (18-30) in Lebanon, Arab states, and Middle East.

- Youth Empowerment, confict resolution & peace-building trainings, and media advocacy campaigns related to moderation in diversified societies, reforms in civil laws, and social inclusion among youths in Lebanon and MENA region.

First Project: “Religions & International Human Rights Conventions: Inconsistency or Integration?  Funded by AIC. Our Aim was: To discuss with religious leaders and social activists the controversial relationship between human rights conventions and religions, and to call for reforms in religious laws to go in accordance with human rights universal declaration.

Second Project: “Towards an Interfaith Media Culture & Coverage” funded by URI. Our Aim was: To train young Arab journalists on how to tackle and cover issues related to human rights and intercultural dialogue in their communities and how to report on cases of human rights violations and socio-ethno& cultural conflicts.

Third Project: “Toward a Model City of Co-existence”, One-day workshop funded by LYDS. Our Aim was: Training on peacebuilding and conflict resolution skills.

Fourth Project: “The concept of Moderation”, Seminar funded by LYDS. Our Aim was: To make  Public awareness seminar about the real values of Moderation in Lebanon as a solution for sectarianism and role of NGOs and religious leaders in promoting dialogue among citizens as a protection from civil clashes in conflict zones.