The world-renowned Phoenician ships that sailed from the shores of Jbeil launched the Middle Eastern trade thousands of years ago. The sturdy wooden giants fought angry waves on their long journeys.
The Phoenicians were successful traders thanks to their big and tough ships that were built in the shape of a horse, with a dolphin’s tale.
You would be astounded when you lay your eyes on such a ship with white sails, measuring up to nine meters in length and four in height, parked at the Jbeil Marina, from which it would take its first journey towards Downtown Beirut’s Yacht Club.
It is quite similar in shape to an old Phoenician ship, but is made of completely different material and has totally different purposes to fulfill as it was built to reduce pollution in Lebanon.
“Chreek”, a Lebanese project aimed at pushing companies, institutions and even individuals in both the public and private sector to help in protecting the environment. The project revolves around collecting unrecyclable waste and using it in creating, unique and vanguard ways.
Jbeil and Beirut will be the cities involved in and supporting the “Chreek” initiative, which will focus on using plastic waste to build the said Phoenician ship.
The plastic will be collected by youth that are either unemployed or have had problems in adapting due to former drug addiction or incarceration. This means that the project would have also helped young men and women in finding jobs.
Deputy Head of the Jbeil Municipal Council Ayyoub Bark stated that the municipality has an already-established waste management program starting from homes, adding that this ship came as a perfect way to use this waste and will help in raising awareness towards preserving the environment in Jbeil.
Ayyoub told MTV Website that the youth building the ship are trying to make it as big as they can so as to secure a potential spot the Guinness book of World Records, adding that the municipality was able to give them the necessary tools and a proper location next to Jbeil’s public garden, where a tent was set-up for them.
He also noted that works are in progress in hopes of completing the project by the end of October, assuring that the council is giving it extra attention and called on all citizens to assist them in gathering more plastic pipes.
It seems clear that pollution will decrease in Jbeil because this city has always known how to preserve its heritage and cleanliness away from the waste bazaar amid the Naameh landfill crisis.
May this experience extend hope to other areas, and may it be an example that will be followed by other municipal councils in Lebanon.
Article Originally Written in Arabic by Elise Merhej
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