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On 19 April, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) hosted a ceremony at the Siblin Training Centre to open a gymnasium that was rehabilitated through funds from the European Union (EU).

The ceremony was attended by the Head of the Cooperation Section at the Delegation of the European Union to Lebanon, Dr. Alexis Loeber, and the UNRWA Deputy Director of Programmes in Lebanon, Gwyn Lewis, in addition to senior UNRWA staff and Siblin Training Centre students.

The rehabilitated gymnasium will give Palestine refugee students at the Siblin Training Centre access to a safe environment where they can play sports and enjoy recreational and extra-curricular activities to better facilitate their self-development. It will also provide students from Ein El Hilweh refugee camp and the Saida area with an opportunity to recover from the recent conflict through sports activities.

The rehabilitation was achieved through the Spring Fund project, which was financed by the European Union with a grant of nearly EUR 6 million. The Siblin Training Centre library and other facilities were also rehabilitated through this project, which demonstrates the commitment of UNRWA and the European Union to support the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Sustained, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth).

Representing UNRWA, Ms. Lewis said: “Today celebrates a true partnership between organizations with a common interest in supporting the Palestine refugee youth in Lebanon, symbolized by opening a gymnasium together. I would like to thank all involved and I hope this partnership continues in the future.”

Dr. Loeber said: “The EU is spearheading the list of donors to UNRWA’s education activities, not only in Lebanon, but also at regional level. This is the reason why we have supported not only the rehabilitation of this gymnasium, but also the library and other supporting facilities of this Centre.”

The American University of Beirut’s Survey on the Socioeconomic Status of Palestine Refugees in Lebanon in 2015 found that more than half of the Palestine refugee population living in Lebanon are youth and that most employment opportunities for Palestine refugees in Lebanon are in vocational and technical training.

More than 1,000 young Palestine refugee men and women come each year to the Siblin Training Centre to receive training opportunities to give them access to jobs. UNRWA also provides education to more than 36,000 children each year in Lebanon.

EU AND UNRWA: TOGETHER FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES

Since 1971, the European Union and UNRWA have maintained a strategic partnership governed by the shared objective to support the human development, humanitarian and protection needs of Palestine refugees and promote stability in the Middle East. Today, the European Union is the largest multilateral provider of international assistance to Palestine refugees. This reliable and predictable support from the European Union enables UNRWA to provide core services to more than 5 million Palestine refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza, including quality education for roughly half a million children and primary health care for more than 3.5 million patients. Collectively, the EU and its Member States are also among the largest contributors to the Agency’s humanitarian emergency appeals and projects in response to various crises and specific needs across the region. The partnership between the European Union and UNRWA has allowed millions of Palestine refugees to be better educated, live healthier lives, access employment opportunities and improve their living conditions, thus contributing to the development of the entire region.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s Programme Budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.

UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher Gunness Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications
Mobile: +972 (0)54 240 2659
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0267
c.gunness@unrwa.org

Sami Mshasha Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson
Mobile: +972 (0)54 216 8295
Office: +972 (0)2 589 0724
s.mshasha@unrwa.org