For years, Tripoli has faced persistent challenges related to conflict, both locally and geopolitical spillovers which contributed to social unrest and insecurity, particularly within the neighborhoods of Jabal Mohsen and Beb El Tebbeneh. During a period of heightened sectarian tensions driven by the war in Lebanon, displacement of families to the North and specifically Tripoli coupled with the ongoing shift of events in Syria, there was a huge need for dialogue, connection, and reconciliation.
To foster unity and social cohesion amidst these sensitive times and to form positive relationships between the communities of Jabal Mohsen and Beb El Tebbeneh, the youth of MARCH organized continuous interactive lunch events where they invited their families, friends, and community members—many of whom had never met anyone from the opposing community or harbored deep fears and prejudices.
During the events, around 200 community members from both communities joined of which fathers, mothers, siblings, kids and friends and through interactive teambuilding activities, the people from the community shared their experiences, breaking bread and barriers simultaneously. Conversations that were once unimaginable began to take shape and families and friends who initially hesitated to attend spoke highly of the events.
At the end, the community members were invited for a lunch prepared by March’s Community Kitchen and sat at the same table to share stories of laughter and pleasure. In the absence of community shared spaces and MARCH being the only cross-communal and gender-mixed center in the region, it was a bold and unique step to join these communities together in times of heightened tensions. The events contributed to invitations from both sides to the others homes and neighborhoods developing a sense of trust and compassion. As the stories of these cross-community gatherings and events and lunches continue to circulate within Jabal Mohsen and Beb El Tebbeneh, they serve as model for other communities to trust one another
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