The Faculty of Business Administration at Beirut Arab University has opened the Entrepreneurship Center “Al Mashghal – The Hub” funded by the Italian organization COSV. It aims to increase the job opportunities in the region among the youth through building their capabilities in the field of entrepreneurship with focusing on social entrepreneurship and innovation. The center shall enhance the presence of an environment favorable for an alternative comprehensive socioeconomic development in the region by embracing the ideas of university students and the students of vocational training institutions and the local community. In addition, Al Mashghal shall work on developing, adopting and help in financing the projects so that they will develop as sustainable social projects that contribute in enhancing the business sector in the region.
The technically equipped “Al Mashghal – The Hub” launched a competition for the youth in the region to present applicable innovative ideas within the field of social entrepreneurship. Every team of the first 22 ideas shall receive 3000 euros in cash and shall be provided a two-month mentoring and training support by specialists to help them achieve their ideas so they will be real, sustainable and successful projects.
The event was attended by the President of the BAU Professor Amr Galal El- Adawi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Hani Shmeitelli, Director of Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bilal Kabalan, Ambassador of Lebanon in Algeria, Dr. Mohammad Al Hassan, President of Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Mr. Toufic Dabboussi. In addition, the Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration Prof. Nehale Mostapha, Director of Branches at Banque Du Liban George Sayegh, Acting Chairman of Tripoli Special Economic Zone Dr. Hassan Dennaoui, Director of Social Entrepreneurship at COSV Analisa Contini, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Intelligile Company Dr. Osama Ziyadeh, and a crowd of students and interested people were present.
Prof. Amr Galal El -Adawi, President of Beirut Arab, stressed in his speech the importance of entrepreneurship, which falls at the main university’s interests. It comes within the university’s commitment with the United Nations sustainable development through the Center of Entrepreneurship, which presents many services, activities and projects for all classes of civil society. Thus, “Al Mashghal – The Hub” is an addition to activate the work of entrepreneurship in north Lebanon especially that the job is no longer a priority for the community but a focus on success through launching successful entrepreneurial projects that contribute in building a promising future for youth and the economy of the region.
Then, Director of Social Entrepreneurship at COSV Analisa Contini explained the aims of supporting “Al Mashghal – The Hub” project and emphasized the continued cooperation in making distinctive projects successful, through constructive cooperation and partnership with both the civil society institutions and the university.
In his speech, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Toufic Dabboussi stressed that success requires seriousness, positivity and perseverance in work noting that it is of the same importance that young people to believe in their dreams and aspirations to reach success and that entrepreneurship has become a style at this time.
Dr. Khaled Baghdady, Vice President for Tripoli Campus, called students to pay attention to building their capacities and striving to secure their opportunities by themselves through creating new ideas and developing them into real projects. These projects shall contribute to meet their aspirations and dreams from one side and stimulate the economic development in the region that is passing through major transformation from the other hand.
At the end, “Al Mashghal – The Hub” was opened where attendees toured all the departments wishing that the university succeed in all its activities
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