The need to put youth to the test of being active citizens and bearers of a civic sense, leads to the emergence of new generations seriously involved in the process. I leave it to the hands of “Fondation Diane”, an NGO that is leading the “Civic Awareness & Eco-Citizenship” movement in Lebanon.
Educating about Citizenship is not an invitation to passivity or resignation, but rather an encouragement to indignation, action or even revolt. I strongly believe that “Fondation Diane” and the “Chair of Fondation Diane in Education for Eco-Citizenship & Sustainable Development” (CEEDD) are leading the way!
Their vision, their focus, their philosophy of birthing a new type of citizen in Lebanon used in the words of Diane earlier in this 2022 “EcoSwitch Festival” were compelling. We are proud of our partnership with “Fondation Diane” and believe that their efforts and those of Cewas and all the EcoSwitch Coalition partners is something to celebrate and promote everyday.
Amongst 5 million citizens residing in Lebanon, and taking into consideration the 0 to 18 years as the child age range; the “Clinique Sociale de l’Enfant” would take care of 40% of the population. The development of this clinic, in light of the challenging circumstances, is a solid proof that the people should never give up on facing difficulties and challenging the impossible. I would like to thank Mrs. Diana Fadel and “Fondation Diane’s” team who made this dream become a reality.
We are proud of our partnership with ‘Fondation Diane” to create the “Clinique Sociale de l’Enfant” at the heart of Hotel-Dieu de France (HDF) to help poor families overcome the ever-increasing costs of high quality medical care. I would like to thank Mrs. Diana Fadel and “Fondation Diane’s” team for their generosity & devotion to the children’s well-being.
Green Businesses are an opportunity to be able to address some of the public service gaps not effectively filled by the government, and to do so using innovative ways. “Fondation Diane” was one of the few organizations willing to invest in the environmental and social impact we can have. We are one of the earliest pioneers in organic waste.
We chose to partner with “Fondation Diane” because of its integrity and drive to work for a better Lebanon, its nature and society. “Fondation Diane” worked upstream, to establish a green investment fund, while everyone in Lebanon was after the quick gains of a failed economy.
I wanted to build trust with Lebanese consumers that our industry is not only capable but can also produce the quality that can compete internationally. “Fondation Diane” gave a small artisanal bakery the opportunity to become the leading healthy snack pioneer in Lebanon.
“Fondation Diane” was the drive behind transforming my academic ideas into actual business opportunities that directly serve nature and promote harmony with the environment.
“Fondation Diane” is one of the leading associations in Lebanon with a central vision of creating green eco-citizens, a well-equipped green industrial hub, and builds a platform to inform citizens about eco-friendly initiatives and markets today.
Fondation Diane gave us not only financial contribution but also strategic and logistical support. This unconditional backing makes us one of the top and most trusted in this business.
“As part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, looking after our environment is one of the pillars of Librairie Antoine. We approached the CEEDD to guide and help us on how to engage employees at all levels in our waste management program. Employees participated in the Environmental Sustainability Awareness sessions, and it made an impressive impact on them. We appreciate CEEDD’s attention to detail and professional approach in helping us seek practical solutions to put into effect our waste management program at the corporate level."
“The training provided by the CEEDD about Environmental Sustainability was an eye-opener on many subjects. Seeing the impact of the wrong use of natural resources translated into numbers and facts was really striking. For me, as someone already aware of the importance of waste management and recycling, it created a bigger motivation to be persistent about it and to try to communicate it to people around me. Dr. Rita Hajj, our trainer, mentioned that even if we don’t feel the impact right now, especially in Lebanon where the infrastructure is not yet fully set in place to treat sorted waste, it is important to create the habit and set the example to the coming generations, as they will be the ones making the change and witnessing the outcomes. This was the most important take-away from the training for me. So, let’s join forces and give our children the chance to live on a better planet!"