MCM | Model Council of Ministers

In 2017, the Hariri Foundation partnered with the Lebanese Prime Minister Office to organize the Model Council of Ministers (MCM) in Saida, Arkoub, Akkar, and Bekaa to educate, empower and engage youth in the national policy making process. Entitled “Yes… We Trust,” the simulation project aimed at restoring young people’s trust in the state through establishing a culture of civic engagement, social awareness, and leadership. 

MCM featured a capacity building on national policy, government procedures, ministerial regulatory decrees, as well as soft skills such as communications and proposal writing. The project also featured a simulation component, designating a ministry to every participant and engaging each participant in developing innovative solutions and proposals to local challenges from a ministerial lens. Deriving and employing national and global protocols and procedures, the foundation involved participants in a Council of Ministers simulation, by which participants had the opportunity to pitch and vote for ministerial proposals. 

The simulation was followed by several meetings with the Lebanese Prime Minister, ministers, governors, mayors, and policy makers to pitch their ideas and converse on ways to contribute to national and local development, investing in the knowledge attained through the academy. Following the discussions, participants were empowered by Hariri Foundation to design and lead on projects under its 6 developmental programs and its state-building portfolio.