JEZZINE, Lebanon: More than 500 people Sunday participated in a march in south Lebanon’s Jezzine to push for expanded environmental protections in the country.
The march took place in the forests of Rihan and was called by the Union of Mount Rihan, a federation of towns in the Jezzine district.
“The goal of establishing this first environmental path is to activate ecotourism and connect youth to nature,” President of the Federation of Rihan Municipalities Bassem Charaf Eddine said.
The march took place in two segments. The first was a distance of 5 kilometers, with family groups from the region participating. The second segment was 9 kilometers long. Those marching along this second route included people from other areas of Lebanon.
Medics from the Islamic Health Authority also joined in.
Once the march was complete, the participants visited a cave in Rihan that was discovered 90 years ago and neglected for decades before being reopened recently. The cave, which is 300 meters long, bears similarities to the famous Jeita Grotto in Kesrouan, north of Beirut.
“It is a day dedicated to the environment and we thank all those who contributed to its success,” said Jezzine MP Amal Abou Zeid, who participated in the march.
“On this day, the beauty of nature was recognized in the south, and people were allowed to meet with each other, which enabled citizens of other regions to participate – because the environment brings our people together,” he added.
Abou Zeid also announced that a new environmental association planned to establish a reserve, named after President Michel Aoun, in the nearby Jezzine town of Aramta.
Tying environmentalism to national security, he added that trees could be considered a symbol of resistance against Israeli aggression.
In a recent speech, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah urged Lebanese nationals to plant trees on the country’s southern border. Nasrallah asserted that planting such greenery on contested land “scared” Israel and could contribute to the resistance.
Source: http://bit.ly/2yZFh6H
