Youth from Tripoli’s Jabal Mohsen, Beb El Tebbeneh and surrounding areas, alongside youth from South Lebanon’s diverse villages, came together for a one-year project “United Under One Anthem” to build relationships, overcome post-war polarization and resentment, humanize the other, build trust with public institutions and work together to support their communities. A year earlier, most had never met. At the closing ceremony of the project, they stood on the same stage, celebrating its achievements and successes in front of the French Ambassador, Lebanese ministers, the Lebanese Armed Forces and other state institutions. They did not talk about what divides them. They showed what had brought them together.
United Under One Anthem – A Glimpse of the Project
United Under One Anthem is a one-year project implemented by MARCH in Tripoli, in partnership with DPNA in South Lebanon, with the support of France’s Crisis and Support Centre (CDCS). In the wake of the war, it brought together young men and women from Tripoli’s historically divided neighborhoods and from villages across South Lebanon to build relationships, overcome post-war polarization and resentment, humanize the other, and work side by side to support their communities.
In Tripoli, young people from Jabal Mohsen and Bab El Tebbeneh, two communities long divided by conflict, came together, changed their perception of each other, and worked side by side for their city. They rehabilitated public gardens and a school’s cultural wall, organized a street festival on the former demarcation line, supported families with aid, and brought free dental services to students. They also built bridges with the Lebanese Armed Forces, installing solar panels and street lights, renovating soldiers’ quarters, and playing in a football tournament in mixed teams with soldiers.
In South Lebanon, young men and women from diverse villages came together to give back to their communities through aid distributions, town halls, youth councils and community initiatives.
Throughout the year, youth from both regions mapped the needs of their communities, identified local challenges, and designed initiatives to address them. They did not receive solutions. They built them. The project first worked with each region on its own, then brought the two together.
Bridging North and South Lebanon
The project’s most distinctive element was what happened beyond each region. Youth from the North and the South met repeatedly, exchanged perspectives, and challenged the assumptions they held about one another. Giving them the chance to meet face to face, share their experiences, and work on activities side by side especially that these young people who had only known each other through the divisions of the war built real friendships and discovered that, whether in the North or the South, their communities face the same challenges and share the same hopes. Then they delivered their achievements on stage in the final ceremony.
The Closing Ceremony
The United Under One Anthem project ended with a closing ceremony in which youth from Tripoli and South Lebanon shared personal testimonies about their journey in the project and performed a joint theatrical play that portrayed the struggles their communities share, from the impact of the war to displacement and daily hardship. Standing together in front of the French Ambassador, Lebanese ministers, the Lebanese Armed Forces and other state institutions, they showed how they had built trust not only with each other, but also with the public institutions that serve their communities.
Key Figures included:
- H.E. Patrick Durel, Ambassador of France to Lebanon
- H.E. Laura Lahoud, Minister of Tourism
- Representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces
- Ambassadors, municipal authorities, and local and international organizations that accompanied the youth throughout the project
- Almost 110 youth from Tripoli and South Lebanon and 250 attendees from all regions in Lebanon
One participant from Tripoli describes how it started:
“I was initially scared to go to South Lebanon simply because I was from Tripoli. But once we met, I realized that despite coming from different regions, we shared the same fears, needs, and hopes for the future.”
On Stage : A Video and a Joint Performance
In front of 250 attendees, youth from the North and South reflected on their journey and the friendships they formed. A video documented the initiatives carried out throughout the year. A joint performance then placed participants from both regions on one stage, a visible sign of the solidarity they built.
Why This Matters for Social Cohesion in Lebanon
Social cohesion in Lebanon is often discussed at the level of policy and conferences. United Under One Anthem worked at a different level: 110 young people meeting face to face, repeatedly, over a full year, and finding common ground by doing things together.
Ambassador Durel addressed attendees and highlighted France’s support for initiatives that promote dialogue and social cohesion. His participation, alongside the Minister of Tourism and the Lebanese Armed Forces, reaffirmed the importance of investing in youth-led efforts to strengthen relationships between communities.
Looking Ahead
The United Under One Anthem has ended, but the relationships it built have not. The friendships between youth from Tripoli and South Lebanon, and the mutual understanding behind them, continue beyond the project.
MARCH remains committed to youth-led peacebuilding and community engagement across Lebanon. If your organization is interested in supporting or partnering on similar work, we welcome the conversation.
