Photo courtesy GATE Lebanon, © RET Germany

Article by Carine Harouny, Operations and Communications Officer for GATE Lebanon, RET Germany’s local implementing partner

AKKAR, LEBANON – Under a BMZ-funded project implemented by RET Germany in partnership with GATE Lebanon, a group of talented young women marked International Youth Skills Day with two days dedicated to preserving and showcasing their art.

As part of the project “Improving Food Security, Livelihoods, and the Inclusion of Women and Vulnerable Groups, and Promoting Gender Equality in Northern Lebanon,” funded by BMZ and implemented by RET Germany in partnership with GATE Lebanon, a two-day event was held on 17–18 July in Zouk El Hosniyeh, Akkar, in celebration of International Youth Skills Day.

Photos courtesy GATE Lebanon, © RET Germany

The activity brought together a select group of young women who graduated from the project’s Accelerated Vocational Training in Fine Arts, including the top-performing trainees who distinguished themselves through their creativity and commitment throughout the training period. The activity was organized in line with the objectives of International Youth Skills Day, which highlights the importance of developing young people’s skills and empowering them to apply these skills in their professional and creative careers.

As part of the activity, participants received hands-on training in the restoration and maintenance of artworks, as well as guidance on how to prepare and present artwork professionally for exhibition. The training aimed to preserve the quality of the artworks and prepare them for display in future exhibitions — helping to showcase the participants’ talents, promote their artistic achievements, expand their visibility to wider audiences, and create new opportunities to transform their artistic skills into sustainable professional opportunities.

The project “Improving Food Security, Livelihoods, and the Inclusion of Women and Vulnerable Groups, and Promoting Gender Equality in North Lebanon,” funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMZ) and implemented by RET Germany in partnership with GATE Lebanon.

---