Under the patronage of his Excellency the Minister of Education and Higher Education in Lebanon, Mr. Marwan Hamadeh, L'Oréal Levant organized a graduation ceremony for the technical institute students of its"Beauty for a Better Life" training program in partnership with Lebanon on Wednesday 17th of January 2018.
The ceremony took place at Saint Joseph University in Beirut in the presence of Ms. SalamYounes, Director General of the Technical and Vocational Education in Lebanon, representing his Excellency Mr. Marwan Hamadeh. Amongst the audience were also Lebanese social and political figures, local media representatives and partners of the association.During the event, 38 graduates received diplomas after having successfully completed a professional training program in hairdressing.
The eventhighlights the program's humanitarian and educational aspects and its contribution to the strengthening of social ties in more than thirtycountries.The latter aims to empower individuals in vulnerable situationsby offering them high quality tuition-free training in the beauty sector, helping them regain self-esteem andreintegrate themselves into society.
The "Beauty for a Better Life" program deploys customized teaching methods characterized by reinforced instructor supervision in relation to a limited number of students. Developed by L'Oréal's haircare, make-up and beauty experts, the training is both theoretical and practical and takes place in an authentic, specially equipped salon.
"Beauty for a Better Life" is an international program deployed in many countries by local L'Oréal teams in collaboration with a local partner. In Lebanon, the program was launched in 2014 in an alliancewith SOS Children's Villages.It targetsyouth from SOS Children's Villages Lebanon or from the association's Family Strengthening Program and other adolescents who have experienced different kinds of social problems and difficult family circumstances.Through intensive courses in haircare, the program officiates more than 20 young graduates per year helping them find a job in L'Oréal beauty salons.
In order to increase the number of beneficiaries of this tuition-free program, intensive summer training courses are offered to women from the Family Strengthening Programof SOS Children's Villages Lebanon, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to more than 30 per year.
The managing directorof L'Oréal Levant, Mr. Philippe Patsalidescommenced the ceremony with a welcoming speech, insisting on the importance of the collaboration between L'Oréal and Lebanon. He highlighted the humanitarian aim of this partnership as it helps adolescents and young adults living in vulnerable economic situations to develop their abilities, realize their aspirations and increase their job opportunities to guarantee a decent life for them and their families.
He added: "Beauty in all its dimensions and at its coreis one of the foundations of life. At L'Oréal, this belief feedsinto our mottos, actions and practices. In our vision, beauty is not only a product or a service but also a humanitarian and social commitment embodiedin our activities and projects across Lebanon,Levant and the entire world.
Ms. Salam Younes, Director General of the Technical and Vocational Education in Lebanon,also delivered a speech, in which she conveyed MinisterHamadeh's appreciation to the officials of "Beauty for a Better Life", for the program's humanitarian and social initiative, and the ministry's keennessto continuallysupport it. Younes also acclaimed SOS Children's Villages Lebanonfor its dedicationfor nearly fifty years in securing alternative care for children deprived of family care. Before leaving the floor, she congratulated the graduates and praised L'Oréal's achievements,and its role on both the educational and social fronts, contributing to the development of Lebanon's social and economic environments.
As for Mrs. Afifa Dirani Arsanios, President of the Board of SOS Children's VillagesLebanon, she also extended her gratitude to L'Oréal officials for their support of the young studentsand all the families who benefit from SOS supportthrough the Association's social centers. She underlined the strong relationship between L'Oréal and SOS and theirintentionto widen the career horizons of thebeneficiaries and create more job opportunitiesthrough L'Oréal's wide network.
She also emphasized the importance of the cooperation between the private and public sectorsthrough similar initiatives, to ensure that all individuals with potentialkeep orbiting the economic cycle, and therefore, contribute to the growth of a viable society.
At the end, she congratulated the graduates and wished them a brilliant and fruitful future in the career they have chosen to embark on.
