Culture, Photography, and a Wax Museum

As part of the Center for Excellence’s (CFE) initiative to create lasting bonds between Lebanese and Palestinians, the Arab ICT Organization (IJMA3) and the Palestinian Women’s Humanitarian Organization (PWHO) organized a field trip to different cultural and historical sites in Lebanon.

This highly anticipated outing to Jbeil, Jounieh, Jeita Grotto and the Lebanese wax museum offered to CFE trainees a creative chance to produce media material for their work under the multimedia project “My Roots”.  A project that encourages the presentation of personal stories embellished with cultural characteristics and heritage elements.  

Twenty-nine trainees of both Lebanese and Palestinian backgrounds received history lessons as well as practiced in photography, video film making, and interview techniques from Jeff Barry a Canadian filmmaker and media trainer, who is a member of the Nations United mission and volunteer to teach CFE trainees.
This event created positive dynamics and strengthened bonds between the participants. As Mona, a CFE trainee, quoted to say “On the one side, this trip has brought the relationship with my sister into a new dimension as we hardly have the chance to interact out of the house”, while she added, “… on the other side, we have spent a great day here by enjoying delicious food and time with our Lebanese friends, and practiced photography.”