Almost ten years after the start of the Syrian crisis, Lebanon still hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world. The general instability in the country creates difficult conditions for the growth and development of individuals and communities. The furniture industry is the sixth largest industry in Lebanon and has traditionally been a major industry and source of livelihood in the north. Since 2016, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization / UNIDO has been supporting small and medium-sized furniture manufacturers and carpenters through technology transfer and training with the financial support of Japan and Austria as donors. A holistic approach was followed, which considers the entire value chain, the workshops and their products as well as the people. Among other things, new impulses were given via an ideas competition in order to make known places in public space usable for the community. The resulting street furniture was built and installed with the authors.

OFFICIAL TITLE: Building resilience and improving livelihoods in the North of Lebanon through skills training and improved manufacturing capacities in the wood sector

TIME FRAME: 2016-2022
COUNTRY: Libanon

PROJECT MANAGER: Stavros Papastravrou
PROJECT COORDINATOR: Paul Jatalian, Nivine Chahni
DESIGN AND WOOD TECHNOLOGY EXPERT: Philipp Reinsberg

FUNDING: People of JAPAN 2016-2019, Auswärtiges Amt ÖSTERREICH 2020-2022
In partnership with Felder Group - Wood working machines, Julius Blum GmbH - Furniture fittings