"Ghadi News"
In a move reflecting the spirit of regional partnership and integration in addressing climate challenges, Fadi Ghanem, Chair of the IUCN National Committee and President of Ghadi Association, along with Assaad Serhal, Director General of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL), visited the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. There, they met with Jordanian Minister of Environment Dr. Muawieh Radaideh, in the presence of former Minister Dr. Taher Shakhshir.
Climate, Biodiversity, and Hima
The meeting addressed the environmental challenges facing the region—from climate change to biodiversity conservation—while emphasizing the importance of reviving the traditional "Hima" concept as a sustainable and community-based tool for natural resource management.
Fadi Ghanem: "HimaEcoMedia" as a Leading Environmental Media Model in the Arab World
Ghanem gave a comprehensive presentation on the environmental activities carried out by the Ghadi Association in cooperation with Jordan’s Ministry of Environment, highlighting the success of a pine tree planting project that combines environmental, economic, and social dimensions.
He also underscored the role of environmental media in driving change, particularly through “Ghadi News,” the first Arab environmental media platform operating under the “HimaEcoMedia” concept—an innovative model that integrates the heritage-based "Hima" approach of community resource protection with environmental media focused on awareness and advocacy.
Hima: A Lebanese Model with Regional Potential
Assaad Serhal shared the experience of implementing the "Hima" model in Lebanon as a successful community-based conservation approach, affirming its potential to be replicated in Jordan through future joint projects.
Commendation of the Jordanian-Lebanese Partnership
Former Minister Dr. Taher Shakhshir praised the fruitful collaboration between Jordan’s Ministry of Environment and the Lebanese Ghadi Association during his tenure, calling it a model for Arab environmental cooperation.
Meeting with the Jordanian Minister of Agriculture and Invitation to the Agricultural Conference in Beirut
As part of the visit, the environmental delegation also met with Jordanian Minister of Agriculture Dr. Khaled Hneifat. During the meeting, Ghanem presented the role of the Ghadi Association in supporting sustainable agriculture through environmental media, stressing the importance of integrating environmental and agricultural efforts to address climate change and ensure food security.
Ghanem handed Minister Hneifat an official invitation from Lebanese Minister of Agriculture Dr. Nizar Hani to participate in the National Agricultural Conference, scheduled to be held in Beirut on May 21, which is expected to serve as a regional platform for dialogue and planning for sustainable agriculture, with participation from ministers and experts from across the region.
Toward a Comprehensive Arab Environmental Partnership
This visit comes within the framework of strengthening regional environmental and agricultural cooperation under the umbrella of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and reaffirms the importance of partnerships between civil society and government institutions in addressing complex environmental challenges.
Participants expressed hope that this initiative would be a key step toward launching joint environmental projects in the fields of environmental media, the "Hima" approach, reforestation, and sustainable agriculture—thereby boosting environmental and climate resilience in the region and advancing sustainable development goals for future generations.