YRLF2024 | Youth & The Blue Economy

In 2024, the Hariri Foundation organized the second “Youth of the Rise of Lebanon Forum,” focusing on the theme “Youth and the Future of the Blue Economy.” Held under the patronage the Lebanese Ministry of Environment, the forum aimed to highlight the state and potentials of the global and Lebanese coastal and marine sectors as well as the pivotal role of Lebanese youth in shaping national and global dialogues surrounding the blue economy. The forum drew over 150 participants from across Lebanon, comprising youth and representatives from ministries, unions, and key sectoral bodies. 

The forum’s participatory session provided a platform for youth to present on topics such as the evolution of the blue economy concept, global and national frameworks regulating it, and its implications for modernization projects in the Eastern Mediterranean. Live polling mechanisms were utilized to engage attendees on key questions shaping Lebanon’s national blue economy agenda, while top projects from the Lebanon Blue Economy Ideathon were showcased, with participants voting on the winners. 

In the networking session, participants explored opportunities to engage in upcoming forum activities and national dialogues on the blue economy. Dedicated sections facilitated collaboration in fields such as innovation, research, and policy-making. Partner organizations, including Berytech and the National Council for Scientific Research, presented pathways for youth to contribute through projects like the Lebanon Blue Economy Ideathon and marine sciences research initiatives.