Announcing “MAD For The Ocean” contest winners

Makhzoumi Foundation implemented the project

in cooperation with the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO

 funded by MIO- ESCDE

10/12/2021

 

Makhzoumi Foundation organized within MIO-ECSDE’s ‘Mediterranean Action Day 2021’ the contest entitled “MAD for the Ocean”, in cooperation with the Lebanese National commission for UNESCO and funded by MIO-ESCDE (Mediterranean Information Office for the Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development) and the project is a nationwide contest aiming to raise awareness on the Seven Principles of Ocean Literacy and its importance to maintain life on earth. In addition, it highlighted the impact of human activity on marine health, and to develop solutions to reverse the problem and maintain a sustainable balance on our use of marine resources.

 

This contest targets Youth (Age 15- 24), to learn more about marine life, as it is expected that the new generation is the key to attain the ocean we need for the future we want. Henceforth, the participants are expected to become ocean-literate. Thus, enhancing their ability to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources.

 

One-hundred and six youth participated in the contest, either registered via their schools or independently.

 

The submissions were categorized as such: Performance media (Poetry/Lyrics composition, Creative writing, Sketch performance) and Visual Media (Photography, Film making, Drawing/painting/Poster design).

The submissions were evaluated by professional and scientific jury members. The jury members are listed below:

 

1. Ghazi Bitar, Expert on Coastal and Marine ecology, Biological Oceanography and Marine Life
2. Mouna Reslan, Member of educational and cultural committee at the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO, Professor of Arabic Literature and Literature Critics at the Lebanese University – Faculty of humanities
3. Christiane Jeitani National Coordinator of UNESCO & ALECSO Associated schools and Clubs networks at the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO
4. Sallama Naamani, Agricultural Engineer, Environment/Development Program Manager and President’s Consultant at Makhzoumi Foundation
5. Arlette Saadeh, Environment/Development Program Administrator
6. Anjo Ismail, Makhzoumi Foundation President’s Assistant
7. Riham Saad, Agriculture Engineer and Sustainable Environment Coordinator

 

 

 

The winners are listed below according to the category they applied for:

Performance Media category:

• 1^st place, Fatima Ahmad Hijazi, a student at Al Imam Al Hassan high school
• 2^nd place, Malak Fadi Hammoud, a student at Al Imam Al Hassan high school
• 3^rd place, Fatima Hussein Youness, a student at Al Hadi institute, for deaf, blind and learning disabilities – Al Mabarrat

Visual Media Category:

• 1^st place, Daniel Abou Ghanem, a 1^st year Law Student at the Lebanese University.
• 2^nd place, Mariam Nizar Ahdab, a student at Rawdat al Fayhaa – Tripoli
• 3^rd place, Sara Wissam Khalife, a student at Wellspring Learning Community

 

Each of the four winners who got the 1^st and 2^nd place from both categories, won a family stay for four people at an eco-friendly resort, La Maison de La Forêt. However, the winners who ranked 3^rd, won a gift voucher worth forty-five American dollars from Doculand.

In addition, the winning schools were awarded a symbolic token recognizing their participation in the contest.

 

The winners were announced via a virtual ceremony held on Microsoft Teams. The attendees were representatives from Makhzoumi Foundation, the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO and the Mediterranean Information Office for the Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development.

 

In addition, all participating schools and independent individuals were invited. The submissions totaled 106, from schools, institutes and independent registrations.

 

The schools and institutes who participated are listed as the following: Al Hadi institute for deaf, blind and learning disabilities(Al Mabarrat), Al Imam Al Hassan High School, Al Imam Al Jawad High School, Al Kawthar Secondary School, Al Rahma High school (Al Mabarrat), Ali Al Akbar Institute, Bahaa El Din Al Hariri school, Issa Bin Mariam (Al Mabarrat), Jaafar Al Sadeck (Al Mabarrat), Lycee National Schools, Makassed Omar Ben El Khattab College, Rawdat El Fayhaa High School Tripoli , Sayeda Soukayna Institute,  Collège des Sœurs des Saints Cœurs Bauchrieh , and Wellspring Learning community.