Tripoli, Lebanon 08 November 2016—In collaboration with its partners and area residents, UN-Habitat recently conducted a day-long cleaning campaign event in the neighborhood of Haddadine, Tripoli in Lebanon. In partnership with the Municipality of Tripoli, the Ahal El Ataa Scouts, LaVajet Cleaning Company, the Development for People and Nature Association (DPNA) and Utopia, the cleaning event aimed to spread awareness about the importance of managing solid waste through community action.

The Cleaning Campaign Day event was part of the larger Solid Waste Management program that stemmed from the Neighbourhood Profile on Haddadine developed by UN-Habitat in Lebanon. This event kicked off the larger cleaning and awareness campaign directed at empowering local communities to take charge of their environments. Over 70 volunteers helped to clean a public garden, plant trees, paint a fence and install new waste bins in Haddaddine.

The day also focused on gathering feedback from Haddadine’s local population on how to best promote waste management, where to place waste bins, how to best organize efforts and better understand the general point of view of the community. Volunteers helped to distribute educational flyers and pamphlets, as well as CDs with interactive games about waste management. The Cleaning Campaign event was made possible with the support of the Swiss Development Cooperation and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.