The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) commends the publication of the groundbreaking article titled “Satoyama and Hima: Harmony Between People and Nature” on the National Geographic Al Arabiya platform, authored by Moza J. Al Hammadi. The article is praised for its intellectual depth and humanistic vision, highlighting authentic traditional models for managing natural resources, including the Arab Hima system.
This article is a valuable contribution to reviving awareness of Hima as a sustainable environmental model deeply rooted in Arab culture—one that promotes harmony between people and nature. It successfully draws a connection between the Hima system in the Arab world and the Japanese Satoyama model, presenting an inspiring narrative of how local traditions in geographically distant communities have converged toward the same core environmental principles: resource protection, community participation, and biodiversity conservation.
At SPNL, we view this article as an important call to rediscover the region’s environmental heritage and to recognize the vital role that local communities play in safeguarding their natural resources. It also reflects a perfect alignment with our mission, which is centered on reviving and developing the Hima model as a practical mechanism for sustainable environmental protection in Lebanon and the wider region.
We extend our sincere thanks to the editorial team at National Geographic Al Arabiya for shedding light on these crucial topics. We hope that such media initiatives will help bridge traditional knowledge with modern environmental awareness, for the benefit of both humanity and nature.
