The need to adopt a legal framework to tackle harassment in the workplace in Lebanon has been garnering more space in the public debate during the last couple of months, especially after the success of the almost global #MeToo campaign. In fact, many in the labor sector—especially women and transgender persons, who are verbally or…
Fighting harassment at work in Lebanon
The nightclub business in Lebanon
When The Axis of Evil comedy tour performed in early 2008, Lebanon—for the first time in its history—did not have a president, and was in the midst of a politically unstable and tense period that culminated with the Doha Accord later that year. Despite the situation, Maz Jobrani, one of the group’s stand-up comedians, humorously…
Young Lions Print Competition
The time is here for the fifth edition of the Young Lions Print Competition, which aims to search for the most talented and creative team to represent Lebanon in the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2019 that takes place in Cannes. Executive Magazine, the country representative for the Lions festival challenges Lebanon’s young creative…
Lebanese DJs on the music scene in Lebanon
Beirut’s local DJs have been creating a buzz among the country’s music-loving community. Some are co-owners or resident DJs at some of the biggest clubs in the country, others, such as those profiled below, circulate the scene playing different sets at Beirut’s electronic music clubs. From playing sets and producing music, to sound engineering and…
Crisis-struck Venezuelans turning to Lebanon
Venezuela teeters on the brink of further deterioration from years of political and economic instability. With self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guiado on one side standing in opposition to current president Nicolas Maduro, the county’s future is uncertain. As with most modern conflicts, what happens in Venezuela has global implications, and this Latin American crisis may…
Rethinking social entrepreneurship
January’s Mashreq Conference on Women’s Economic Empowerment was a welcome initiative at a time where socio-economic conditions for women in Lebanon are dire. In addition to a discriminatory legal, political, and social environment, women continue to make up less than 25 percent of the labor force, according to 2018 World Bank estimates. Donor pledges to…
Preserving Lebanon’s water resources requires multisectoral collaboration
In winter, Lebanon seems to have an abundance of rainfall. When the rainy season is over, however, the country’s traffic woes are often compounded by large tankers blocking roads as they supply buildings with water. Lebanon is rich in water resources, but these are replenished seasonally, through rain and snow that generally falls between October…
Is design the winning ingredient in tackling Lebanon’s public sector restructuring?
At any meeting these days, from academic circles to business and banking conferences, one is likely to hear more than one allusion to Lebanon’s reform challenges. Much more. Whether it is the pesky theme of electricity or the issue of fiscal and structural reforms in the public sector, the big questions that matter today are…
Traditional handicrafts in Lebanon
Carpets, cutlery, glass, soap, furniture—these traditional Lebanese crafts have a valued place in the country’s—and the region’s—history. Industrial development in the last half of the 20th century has, inevitably, affected Lebanon’s traditional artisans. One the one hand, it has driven demand down for artisanal crafts that are usually more expensive than mass-produced imports. On the…
Design and gender identity in Lebanon
Design is an essential part of our lives and how we interact with our environments, and it changes with society, catering to shifting needs. Design can also be the agent for change, shaping the way we think about the concept of identity, in particular gender identity. Many people still use the terms sex and gender…
Nurturing Lebanon’s design ecosystem
On March 28, Fashion Trust Arabia awarded Lebanese designers Krikor Jabotian, Roni Helou, Selim Azzam, and the Mukhi Sisters at a fashion event in Qatar—and the Lebanese rejoiced posting congratulations on social media. The Lebanese take pride in such success stories of local designers, and boast about a rich national history of creative enterprises. They…
Lebanese design deserves attention
Design, as the fruit of creativity that enables its user to co-define and express their identity, while optimally matching form and function of a product or process, has been around for as long humans have had the capacity to imagine. Lebanon is a great example for the presence of design throughout the history of people…
A trap of their own making
It has been a year since Lebanon agreed on a path out of its crises, promising to undertake serious reform efforts in exchange for the $11 billion pledged by the international community at CEDRE. The nine months after CEDRE were primarily spent on political bargaining and government formation, all built on the hope that these…
E-banking lands in Mar Mikhael
A walk in Mar Mikhael reveals that it has become the hub of hospitality for millennials in Lebanon; during the day, its appealing restaurants and quick snacks attract those who work in the area, while in the evening, it’s a destination for gatherings with friends over drinks or bistro dinners. As such, Banque Libano-Française (BLF)…
Factors keeping Lebanese youth unemployed
On the one side are Lebanese youths eager to work, on the other are local employers looking for staff. So why are businesses—especially those based outside of Beirut—not recruiting more local youth? This question was the driving force behind Mercy Corps’ Youth-led Market Assessment (YLMA) in 2018. The YLMA explored the reasons why youth were…