MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON Menjez is located in the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Menjez is located

in the Governorate of Akkar in north Lebanon at 130 km from Beirut.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• The village lies on a hill at

an altitude ranging between 300 and 450 m above sea level.

• It overlooks the river

basin of Al Naher Al Kabir (Eletherus) and the green valley forming the borderline with Syria.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• The location of the village

between two rivers has formed a natural protection and attracted different civilization to settle in the area since the Bronze Age, the Romans, and the crusaders.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• The origin of

Menjez name is Syriac and is derived from Ngaz

• r Agnez which

means to garner

• r to hide a

treasure.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• The village of Menjez

is the home to a number of interesting historical, archeological and religious sites.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• With 250 housing units and

around 300 families, Menjez has a population of around 1,600 persons, among which 700 live permanently in the village.

• The remaining 900 live in

the coastal urban areas stretching from Batroun to the capital Beirut.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

The landscape of Menjez can be divided into four major areas:

• Forested (distinctive laurel black

forest )

• Agricultural (olives, almonds,

grapes, carobs, fruit trees, beehives, and seasonal vegetables)

• River basin (Important endemic

species, biodiversity and natural water ponds)

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Urban (traditional black

stone houses, St Daniel Church, 2 monasteries, 180 pre-historic megalith tombs dating back to 5,000 years BC , roman temple dedicated to the Goddess Nemesis and dating from the first century AD, Felicium crusaders castle)

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• This archeological

diversity and richness gives Menjez the possibility to become an archeological park for research, education, and tourism.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• It is until 2012 that Menjez

had no elected municipal council.

• The main concern of the

newly formed municipality is to ensure the basic needs of the community in terms of necessary infrastructure such as roads, electricity, water, and agricultural development.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• In addition to the municipality,

there are two active agricultural cooperatives in Menjez, one specialized in farming in general, and another one specialized in beekeeping and honey production.

• The cooperatives have been

certified FLOCERT.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• The main objective
• f menjez

municipality is to achieve sustainable economic development which includes appropriate use of the village’s natural and cultural resources.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

The municipality considers that: (1) the well preserved rural aspect

• f Menjez,

(2) its rich cultural and natural resources, (3) its unique tangible and intangible heritage, and (4) the importance of fair trade and tourism in rural development.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• The municipality is deploying

important efforts to implement different sustainable development projects in the village pertaining to different sectors, including : energy, agriculture, environmental management, and tourism, for which a local committee was formed.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• All Menjez involved in

Fair trade movement

• Participation in world

fair trade day every year

• May 9 2013
• EU- AFKAR III Fair trade

towns in Lebanon

• Visit to Bristol and

Garstang

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Menjez became also

the first Fair Trade village in Lebanon working under the charter of the Fair Trade town’s network developed by the association Fair Trade Lebanon

Charter of Lebanese Fair Trade Towns

• The municipality signs a declaration of agreement to support

Fair Trade and achieve Fair Trade Town status;

• Increase the awareness and knowledge about fair trade in

the community with the eventual aim of increasing the sales

• f fair trade and local produce in the community;
• Encourage local businesses, institutions and producers to

work in compliance with ethical fair trade criteria;

• Organize an annual event with the theme of fair trade in the

town to which media will be invited

• Form a Fair Trade committee in the town;
• Support local producers and help them to integrate into the

fair trade network in Lebanon and elsewhere;

• Work on the respect and protection of the environment and

the tangible and intangible heritage.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• In this context Fair Trade

Lebanon and the Municipality and agricultural cooperatives

• f Menjez signed a

“Development Agreement” to develop fair trade and contribute to the socio-economic development of Menjez.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• New organic agricultural

types are prospering all

• ver the village,

particularly tomato, chili pepper, sweet pepper, pumpkins, ...

• Now Fair trade Lebanon

constituting one of the main sources of local income and local employment.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

Agricultural development on different value chain including:

• Olives (table olives and olive oil),
• Almonds,
• Table grapes (production of Arak),
• Carobs (production of molasses),
• Honey
• Seasonal vegetables,
• Avocado plantation is being

introduced to the village.

• It worth mentioning that Menjez

has one of the biggest organic farms in Akkar

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• In sepember 19 2014 the

municipality of Menjez signed the international covenant of mayors and committed to reduce its CO2 emission by 25% by the end of 2020.

• SEAP : Sustainable Energy Action

Plan.

• Visit to Napoli in Italy with EU

mission for sustainable information exchange.

• Only city in Lebanon signed and

submitted SEAP.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

Installation of 37 solar lamps in the main roads of the village

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Installation
• f a Solar

energy plant

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Reforestation

and sustainable laurel black forest management project and action plan.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• EU - Forestry

Action in Lebanon

• Agro-forestry

development

• 9000 trees are

planted in Menjez in 2015

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Rural tourism

strategy and action plan with USAID

• Archeological

research and mapping

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• The community

tourism map developed by the municipality in 2014 with the support of the American University Nature Conservation Center

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Modernization of the

drinking water system with consumption monitoring financed by the embassy of Japan.

MENJEZ FIRST FAIR TRADE TOWN IN LEBANON

• Agricultural roads
• Water pond (Rain

water 50,000 m³ )

• Agricultural

irrigation modernization

Menjez irrigation modernisation

Integration of our rural Menjez fair trade in the local, regional, national, and international levels :

• Municipality of Menjez
• Local community of Menjez

(individuals)

• Cooperatives
• Small businesses
• St Francis Monastery & School
• Saydet El Qalaa Monastery
• Middle and upper Akkar region
• Surrounding municipalities

(union of municipalities)

• Local communities of the

region

• Regional organizations
• Regional businesses
• Relevant lebanese ministries

and other public institutions

• National organizations (i.e.

Fair trade Lebanon)

• Fair trade dialogue platform
• Fair trade and tourism

businesses

• Donors and financing

agencies

• Sponsors and private sector
• Universities
• Clubs and e-fair trade
• Exchange and twining

programs

• International NGOs and Fair

Trade Movement