PH Embassy, Filipino Community Joins Lebanon Coastal Clean-up    

Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community volunteers during the briefing of SWIM’s founders.  

BEIRUT 27 September 2023– The Philippine Embassy in Lebanon and members of the Filipino community participated in the coastal clean-up drive organized by the Sustainable Waste Intercity Marathon (SWIM) for the second consecutive weekend. The clean-up activity was held on 24 September 2023 at Chekka, a coastal community in North Lebanon, and is in line with the celebration of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nations Awareness Month (MANA Mo). 

Philippine Embassy personnel, along with volunteers from the Filipino community, and other volunteers from other local non-governmental organizations, participated in a collective effort to combat solid waste pollution along the Lebanese coastline and to promote awareness on marine conservation. 

Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon, H.E. Raymond R. Balatbat, expressed his deep appreciation for the participation of members of the Filipino community in promoting 

awareness of marine environment conservation, as well as the Embassy’s shared advocacies with SWIM, particularly in preserving the maritime heritage of both the 

Filipino and Lebanese peoples. 

SWIM founders, Lisa Sofian and Nabil Aouad, lauded the Embassy and Filipino community’s involvement in the event. “We are honored to have the Embassy of the Philippines and the Filipino community join us for the second time in this coastal clean-up. Your dedication is a testament to the strength of our shared commitment to the health of our oceans.” 

The coastal clean-up is a year-round activity of SWIM. Members of the Filipino community may still join SWIM’s clean-up drive activities and associated events, which will take place in several coastal villages across Lebanon. Details of the events can  be found on the SWIM’s website at www.swiminiative.org. END.

Philippine Embassy and the Filipino community volunteers during the clean-up.

Philippine Embassy and Filipino community volunteers together with SWIM founder Lisa Sofian and Nabil Aouad after the clean-up. 

SWIM Founder expressed her appreciation to his Excellency on the participation of the Filipino community to the coastal clean-up activities.

For more information, visit https://www.beirutpe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinLebanon/.