The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) brought Lebanon’s ancestral conservation wisdom to the global stage at the IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC) 2025, presenting the Hima for Peace model as a transformative approach to biodiversity protection, climate resilience, and community-led governance across West Asia and beyond.
A Global Gathering for Nature and People
Held every four years, the IUCN World Conservation Congress is one of the world’s most influential environmental gatherings — uniting governments, scientists, youth, and civil society to chart the path for conservation action in the years ahead.
At this year’s Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the SPNL organized and participated in several events highlighting how the SPNL family of funds is driving transformative change for nature.
All people depend on nature for their lives and livelihoods, and the Congress underscored that everyone — from policymakers to local communities — has a role to play in ensuring its conservation, restoration, and sustainable use. This inclusive spirit aligns closely with SPNL’s Hima philosophy, which for centuries has placed stewardship of the commons in the hands of communities themselves.
Session I: “Linking Culture to Nature Using the Hima Approach”
A day earlier, on 9 October 2025, SPNL also co-organized a special event titled “Linking Culture to Nature Using the Hima Approach”, held at the Central Stage under the theme Transition to Nature-Positive Futures.
The session featured a distinguished Lebanese panel:
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H.E. Dr. Hany El Shaer, Regional Director, IUCN ROWA
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Fadi Ghanem, Chairman, IUCN National Committee – Lebanon
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Dr. Ibrahim Khader, Regional Director, BirdLife Middle East
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Dr. Assad Serhal, Director General, SPNL
The discussion was moderated by Raghida Haddad, Editor-in-Chief of Al Hima magazine, who guided the panel through a dynamic exchange on how cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and biodiversity can converge to shape a sustainable, nature-positive future.
Panelists shared insights on how Lebanon’s Hima model is now serving as a regional and global example of linking culture to conservation, and how nature-based solutions rooted in tradition can restore ecosystems while strengthening social ties.
This hybrid session explors how reviving traditional governance systems empowers municipalities and local communities to steward natural resources, enhance social cohesion, and build climate resilience. Case studies from Lebanon illustrated how the Hima model operates as a conflict-sensitive, locally anchored mechanism for sustainable development.
Serhal emphasized that, “Hima is more than a conservation tool — it is a social contract rooted in justice and cooperation. It restores the balance between people and nature, and strengthens peace through shared responsibility.”
Session II: “Hima for Peace – Scaling Community Stewardship for Biodiversity and Resilience”
The first session, to be held on 10 October 2025, was a high-level dialogue exploring how traditional governance systems can guide modern conservation and conflict-sensitive resource management.
SPNL Director General Dr. Assad Serhal will join regional and international leaders including Dr. Ayman Suleiman (Lebanon’s Minister of Environment), Dr. Mahmoud Fathallah (League of Arab States), Dr. Tamara El Zein (CNRS-L), Adriana Moreira (GEF), and Hui Ren (IUCN/GEF-GCF). The discussion was moderated by Dr. Hany El Shaer, IUCN Regional Director for West Asia.
Dr. Serhal emphasized that, “The Hima is not only a conservation tool but a social covenant — it reconnects people with the land and transforms conservation into a pathway for peace and shared prosperity.”
The session aligned closely with the GEF’s Whole-of-Society approach, promoting inclusive collaboration between governments, civil society, women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples to achieve sustainable environmental outcomes that are equitable and lasting.
A Whole-of-Society Approach to Conservation
The “Hima for Peace” dialogue reflected the broader whole-of-society approach championed by the SPNL at this year’s Congress. By integrating diverse perspectives into environmental policy and practice — and by pooling resources from governments, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, and the private sector — the SPNL model aims to make conservation more effective, equitable, and sustainable.
This approach mirrors SPNL’s own philosophy: that lasting environmental change must come from the ground up, through inclusive partnerships and community empowerment. IUCN initiatives are increasingly working hand in hand with civil society and local organizations like SPNL to ensure that global environmental benefits translate into tangible improvements for communities as well as ecosystems.
From Lebanon to the World: The Hima Legacy
For more than four decades, SPNL has revitalized 39 Hima sites across Lebanon — landscapes where local governance, biodiversity conservation, and cultural heritage coexist harmoniously. Through its work with municipalities, youth groups, and women’s cooperatives, SPNL has shown that community stewardship can protect nature, restore livelihoods, and foster peace in fragile contexts.
As the IUCN Congress calls for “Nature for All,” SPNL’s message resonates globally: reviving traditional models like the Hima can inspire a new generation of conservation action — one that is inclusive, rooted in heritage, and guided by science.
About SPNL
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), established in 1983, is the national partner of BirdLife International. Through its Hima revival program, SPNL promotes community-based conservation as a bridge between people and nature, heritage and innovation, and peace and sustainability.
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