NAHNOO, UNIC Beirut launch “Our Crafts, Our Identity” campaign to advocate for regulating the Lebanese crafts sector

NAHNOO, UNIC Beirut launch “Our Crafts, Our Identity” campaign to advocate for regulating the Lebanese crafts sector

NNA - NAHNOO, a Lebanese non-governmental organization, launched today in collaboration with the UN Information Centre in Beirut (UNIC Beirut), a campaign titled “Our Crafts, Our Identity,” to advocate for the ratification of a law that organizes and develops the crafts sector in Lebanon in line with the market needs.

The campaign will be promoted on social media and local TV stations. It aims at advocating for a legal framework for the Lebanese crafts sector to ensure much-needed economic, social, and cultural protection for craftsmen and craftswomen. It also falls within the framework of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that Lebanon is working on achieving, particularly SDGs 8 and 9 on promoting decent work, sustainable industrialization and innovation.

This sector is a key pillar of Lebanon’s identity in view of its connection to the country’s intangible cultural heritage inherited from past generations. However, it is currently confronting multifaceted challenges, including imports competition and increase in raw material prices, in addition to the fact that crafts are not provided with “Made in Lebanon” original certificates, and are not documented as cultural assets, leading to the loss of many. This is in addition to the reliance of craftspeople on the tourism sector that