Nahnoo presentation on Horsh Beirut Case

nonsectarian self-development

nonpartisan

PLATFORM youth-lead organization organization

LEBANESE

Activities

SELF-EXPRESSION skills

contribute

communities

MEANING

PEACE

VISION AND MISSION

WHY PUBLIC SPACES?

CITIES DEVELOPING EXPONENTIALLY, WE ARE LIVING IN AN INCREASINGLY BUILT UP ENVIRONMENT. IT PRESENTS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF COMMUNITIES AND SERVES AS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO MEET AND INTERACT AND FOR KIDS TO PLAY

IMAGINE another

BEIRUT

a greener

BEIRUT

… a triangular park of 255,000 m2

….the only urban park in Beirut

… the largest green space in Lebanon’s capital city

HORSH BEIRUT is…

Horsh El Snoubar aka Bois des Pins aka the Pine Forest

• Panorama:

http://www.discoverlebanon.com/en/panoramic_views/beirut/view_horsh_beirut.php

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

• 17th cent: Emir Fakhreddine II created the forest

• Timber abuse: Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans & Allies of World War II

• 1917: Ottoman Casino

• 1921: Horse racecourse (Beirut Hippodrome)

• 1950’s: Roads development

• 1958: Al Shahada Cemetery

• 1970: Rawdat al Shahideen

• 1982: Bombed & burnt by Israeli jet fighters

• 1995: Reconstruction by Beirut municipality with Conseil Regional d’Ile-de-

France assistance

DRAMATIC EVOLUTION

1696: over 1,250,000 m2

1967: over 800,000 m2

Today: only 255,000 m2

1960’s 2000’s

A LITTLE BIT OF GEOGRAPHY

What’s in Horsh Beirut?

And yet… The park has been closed to the public since 1992.

You currently need permission to enter the park

FORBIDDEN

The Horsh is there but unused & lifeless…

…SO WE SHOOK THINGS

UP!

Why is reopening Horsh Beirut so important? • It is the largest green space in Beirut

• It is PUBLIC property designed for public use = belongs

to us ALL = our RIGHT to access & enjoy it • The Municipality of Beirut has never provided a

legitimate/acceptable reason for closing decision. This.is.illegal.

• Access to public green spaces is essential: - Basic social and public health need - Provides space for interaction among citizens

THE CAMPAIGN

PHASE 1: RESEARCH WORK

Identify problem: STUDY (on citizens’ perception of public space/ needs and rights in the suburbs of Beirut), COMPARATIVE RESEARCH, FOCUS GROUPS, FILE DEVELOPMENT

POLICY PAPER (ROADMAP)RGUMENTS

12 TO 20 M2 PER

CAPITA GREEN SPACE IN THE CITY(WORLD HEALTH

ORGANIZATION)

ONLY 0.8 M2 IN BEIRUT

NAHNOO RECRUITED YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE TRAINED TO LEAD THE CAMPAIGN TO RE-OPEN HORSH BEIRUT

PHASE 2: ADVOCACY FILE

Objectives & strategy

3

Raise awareness about Horsh Beirut for the

public, university students and schools residing inside Beirut

1

Long term advocating for the opening of Horsh

Beirut

2

Form a coalition with 10 NGOs which in order to

support NAHNOO in raising awareness about Horsh

Beirut

4

Conduct a visit to the municipality & ensure

12 members out of 22 in Beirut municipality

support opening Horsh Beirut

Plan public gatherings/ events with

committee to raise awareness on public spaces

• The Existence of Horsh Beirut

• The NEED for public green spaces

• The RIGHT for green space

• What Horsh Beirut offers to them

PROBLEM IS LACK OF AWARNESS ON:

PHASE 3: Raising awareness

PHASE 3: Raising

awareness

Activities for public awareness

Short movie about Horsh

Beirut Exhibitions (science days is

the first)

Art interventions/

public/street art

FLYERS: create a

“brand” for the campaign

to use.

Media and social media

PHASE 3: Raising awareness Activities for universities

Distribute flyers to all universities inside Beirut (USJ, AUST, SAGESSE, LU, AUB, and

LAU, etc…)

Carry out an awareness

exhibition using photography, poster

design and film making

Implement 5 lectures

pertaining to Horsh Beirut

Plan a visit to the park with cooperation of NGO (Terre Liban) or

the municipality of Ile de France and put into

practice activities inside Horsh Beirut

PHASE 3: Raising awareness Activities for schools

Select 10 schools residing

around Horsh Beirut

Long days for students inside Horsh Beirut:

Cultural and

entertainment activities

To learn about Horsh Beirut

To understand their needs to public spaces

ACTIVITIES AND PLATFORM FOR THE CAMPAIGN PUBLIC AWARNESS

SCIENCES DAYS VISITS TO SCHOOLS

VISITS TO PARK

LECTURES IN UNIVERSITIES

PICNIC IN THE PARK

PETITION

PHOTO CONTEST

• NAHNOO + other civil society activists had a meeting the mayor Dr. Bilal Hamad.

Results of the meeting:

He wants to open Horsh Beirut He is afraid of fire incendies He will form a small committee of civil society members with municipality members to work on re-opening and re-habilitating Horsh Beirut

• In parallel, be on Media and spread awareness about the issue targeting a large Lebanese audience

PHASE 4: Cooperation with Municipality + Media awareness

ACTIVITIES AND PLATFORM FOR THE CAMPAIGN

SOCIAL/MEDIA AWARENESS & PROMOTION

WEBSITE FACEBOOK PAGE

BROCHURES

VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

STREET ACTION

ACTIVITIES AND PLATFORM FOR THE CAMPAIGN

ADVOCACY

MEDIA ATTENTION

MEETING WITH THE MUNICIPALITY

PUBLIC FORUM

ROADMAP & STUDY

Horsh Beirut team brainstorm

MAKING PROGRESS BUT THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER

PICNIC TO REOPEN HORSH BEIRUT SATURDAY AUGUST 30, 2014!!

WE ARE NOT ONLY DOING THIS

FOR A GREENER BEIRUT

WE ARE DOING THIS FOR THE PEOPLE