Beiruting News

Alfa,managed by Orascom Telecom, participated in the Garden Show and Spring Festival at the Beirut Hippodrome, witha wicker chair exhibition by thestudents of the Lebanese School for the Blind and Deaf (LSBD), and a mosaic furniture exhibitionby the students of the Father Andeweg Institute for the Deaf (FAID), under the auspices of His Excellency the Minister of Telecommunications Boutros Harb.

Hayek

Alfa CEO and Chairman Marwan Hayek expressed his pride in this initiative, which is part of the Alfa 4-Life CSR program, andsaid,"We are contributing to revive the wicker chair and mosaic industries,two of the crafts that used to form an essential part of the countryside and the city's economies". He noted that craftsare one of the victims of technology and the globalization of the industry, stressing the need to create awareness in the younger generation and urge it to revive such crafts.In addition to their importance from the art and heritage point of view, they constitute a respectable source of income and increase young people's attachment to their land, especially in the countryside.

He pointed out that although technology is necessary, craftsmanship and its preservation is also a necessity, especially since it is part of our heritage and collective memory.

He said: "Our generation remembers thestraw chair and mosaic industries, but the coming generations will be deprived from themif we continue to ignore the importance of their revival, just like many other crafts that have practically ceased to exist, such as silk making and pottery".

He added: "Through their wonderful work on wicker chairs and their exceptional work on mosaic furniture,the students of the LSBD and the students of theFAID represent a role model for the revival of the Lebanese heritage.They have also managed through this initiative to secure an income that will helpthese two institutions pursue their mission".

He explained that since the launch of the Alfa 4-Life program, Alfa has offered around two million dollars in aid to associations,adding that Alfa subscribers have in turn contributed nearly 650 thousand dollars to the NGOs supported as part of this programby SMS donationsto the number 1004. He indicated,"Through these initiatives, we were able with subscribers and civil society to form a nucleus that firmly believes in the role of individuals, especially those with special needs, and that is working to raise awareness about their rights and enhance their role in society".

The wickerchairs handcrafted by the students of the LSBDwere redesigned and renovated under the supervision of the artist Karim Chaayaand the President of the Graphic Designers Union in Lebanon Mrs. Rita Moukarzel, who also oversaw the training of the students of theFAID.