A coordination and working meeting was held as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen sustainable eco-tourism and community-based conservation, in the presence of Dr. Zeina Haddad, Acting Head of the Youth and Local Authorities Department at the Ministry of Tourism.
The meeting brought together the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon, represented by its Director General Mr. Assad Serhal, along with members of SPNL’s team, Ms. Bassima El-Khatib, Mr. André Beshara, Mr. Rami Kadrou, Ms. Fatima El-Hajj, and Mr. Hammadeh Malaaeb.
Participants also included Mr. Ali El-Hajj, Vice President of Kayfoun Municipality, Ms. Ghada Ghazal, President of the Upper Metn Association for Environment and Sustainable Development, and its Vice President Ms. Nahida Saleh, Mr. Rifaat Noueihid, Vice President of Ras El Metn Municipality, Mr. Rafiq Makarim, Director of the Ras El Metn Hima, Mr. Jawad Noueihid, Head of Administrative Development at Ras El Metn Municipality, and Mr. Nabil Makarim, Trails Officer at Ras El Metn Hima.
During the meeting, the proposed five-year action plan for Ras El Metn Hima was presented, with a strong focus on eco-tourism development and sustainability. This was followed by an in-depth discussion addressing several key themes, including:
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The development and promotion of the Bee Hima concept.
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The legal regulation of guesthouses in line with environmental and tourism standards.
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Strengthening coordination with the Ministry of Tourism to showcase the Hima model as a global best practice.
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Agreement on joint efforts to launch the International Hima Day.
This meeting forms part of broader efforts to reinforce the Hima approach as a living model for nature conservation, community empowerment, and responsible tourism in Lebanon.
