“For Adloun” Meeting with the Minister of Culture

On Monday, 25/01/2016, a delegation from the coalition of civil society associations and bodies “For Adloun”—including Green Southerners, representatives of the Lebanese Environmental Movement, Nahnoo organisation, and The Big Blue Campaign met with the Minister of Culture, Mr. Rony Araiji, in the presence of the Director General of Antiquities Mr. Sarkis Khoury and the Head of Antiquities in the South Mr. Ali Badawi.

During the meeting, the Minister was briefed on the historical significance of Adloun, spanning from prehistoric times through the Phoenician and Roman eras, as well as the unique and exceptional characteristics of the archaeological remains found there. Maps of the site and the proposed project were used to explain the situation and to clarify the damage that any construction project could cause to this vital site.

The delegation requested that His Excellency halt the works at the site until the Directorate carries out comprehensive and precise excavation, survey, and coastal and marine studies of the entire area, followed by the issuance of a documented scientific report on the condition of the site.

The participants received a promise from the Minister that he would personally visit and meet with the Minister of Public Works within the next day or two at most, and attempt to stop the works until the required reports are completed. When the Minister asked the attendees about acceptable alternatives, they proposed improving the nearby ports in a way that would serve fishing and recreational purposes. They also called for designating the site as an archaeological site; however, the Minister pointed out the current difficulty of such a step due to the need for hundreds of millions of dollars for expropriation and excavation, which is not feasible at this time.

His Excellency promised to follow up on the matter and give it his personal attention in order to reach the most appropriate solutions.