First Advisory Board Meeting - HorizonCraft Project

The Chamber of Beirut and Mount Lebanon(CCIA-BML) and MIDAL Organization, the two Lebanese partners in the HorizonCraft project, organized today the first Advisory Board meeting at the Chamber headquarter. 

Funded by Interreg NEXT MED Programme and led by Associazione TDM 2000 , HorizonCraft project brings together partners youth NGOs and Business Associations from Italy, Lebanon, and Egypt within the objective to strengthen youth employability through capacity-building programs, a skills-matching platform, matched internships exchange of young people between partner countries. 

A welcome note by Rabih Sabra Director general CCIA-BML followed by presentation about the project objective and activities by Hana Nehme Haidar from CCIA-BML and Imane Traboulsi from MIDAL . 

The meeting gathered Advisory Board members from academia, TVET, business industries and public authorities represented by Marcel Hinain, Vice President American University of Technology (AUT); Issam Abi Nader, Higher Industrial Technical Institute, Talal Hijazi, General Manager, Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI); Elie Berbari, Director General , National Employment Office; Zeina BOU MAROUN , Senior TVET Consultant; and Dr. Hussein Traboulsi, Head of the Department of Economics and Finance , Lebanese University and the HorizonCraft project teams from both partners Dory Abou Saab from CCIA-BML, Patrick saliba, Anissa bitar from MIDAL Association.

The meeting presented the project objectives, launched strategic discussions on:

o Identification of key skills gaps in technical, digital, and soft skills required by MSMEs, particularly in sectors with high employability potential.
o Discussion on priority sectors based on market demand and internship opportunities, ensuring alignment with national economic and employment strategies.
o Agreement to refine training programs according to identified sectoral needs and competency gaps.
o Confirmation that the Advisory Board will meet regularly to provide strategic guidance, technical validation, and oversight throughout project implementation.
o Definition of next steps, including finalization of selection criteria, validation of training content, and launch of the MSME needs assessment process.

HorizonCraft is a 24-month project, funded under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme

Learn More about the Project : https://www.interregnextmed.eu/project-page/horizoncraft/about/