Health & Wellness Magazine Issue 2

Issue #2

M a g a z i n e

Issued by: National Wellness Network

July 2018

WELLNESS TOURISM:

A new Window for a Better Quality of Life

NWN Centers

INTERVIEW

MR. PIERRE ACHKAR

Tourism in Lebanon Today

INTELLECT

HEALTH

Events & Seminars

LIVING

The Wellness Impact of Good Nutrition & Physical Activity on Academic Achievement

ACTIVE LIFE

PHYSICAL

‫لبنان‬ ‫قبلة السياحة‬ ‫العالجية‬ SOCIO TECH

LIVING

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Editor’s Letter

Dr. Hatem Alami

The themes of the journal go in line with the current situations as the topics adopted reflect the main aspects of each period and their relation with the surrounding region.

A good section in the journal is devoted to the “Tourism subject” as it takes new manifestations accordingly with each stage; a look at its dimensions shows: 1- The unprecedented global boom, by which “The World Tourism Organization” reports that the number of tourists reached 538 million tourists around the world in the first half of 2015, yet the number is increasing by 4-5% annually, and is expected to reach 1.6 billion tourists in 2020, distributed between closedistance and long-distance tourism.

2- Second, the increased diversity in tourism where tourism now focuses on

popular touristic concerns, depending on tourists’ interests such as: Leisure Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Religious Tourism, Therapeutic tourism, Business tourism, Educational Tourism, in addition to the tourism that aims at seeking adventures or visiting meditation places, beaches and others.

3- Third, the rise of the economic importance of the tourism sector. As a main factor behind the enhancement in the Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and the national income levels, Tourism has pushed countries to develop a national strategy for tourism to promote tourism revenues, each based on its distinctive characteristics and opportunities. This strategy would include developing advanced programs for attracting foreign tourism and enhancing the local one through investment, as in the case of endorsing archaeological sites, entertainment venues, and museums.

The Lebanese location has been a unique touristic destination for its natural diversity, history and culture.

This has made Lebanon an attracting platform for Arabs and foreign tourists.

Additionally, the distinguished development in the Trade and Services sector as in the spread of hotels and

restaurant especially in Beirut has contributed to the further development of tourism.

The environmental and health challenges in the modern life today necessitate being selective in choosing the best development strategies when dealing with the wellness concept from a touristic perspective.

For all the reasons stated above, this issue of the magazine was directed toward reflecting the true state of tourism with a focus on the possible contribution of Wellness Tourism and the best ways to integrate it within the Touristic Calendar in spite of all the challenges.

The tourism sector has the opportunity to promote wellbeing and happiness through increasing awareness and stressing on the need to gather and activate common potentials. This couldn’t be achieved without the valuable contributions of the Minister of Tourism, Chairman of Syndicates of Hotel Owners, and concerned influentials.

By shedding light on this crucial topic, we are looking forward to expanding the areas of cooperation under a new vision in this specialized magazine that reflects the tremendous efforts of the editorial team.

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Table of

Content M a g a z i n e

P. 4

Wellness Tourism: A New Window for a Better Quality of Life

P. 6

Living The Wellness Impact of Good Nutrition and Physical Activity on Academic Achievement

P. 8

Physical Physical Fitness is a Key to Slower Brain Aging

P. 10

Walking & the Creative Brain

P. 14

Intellect - Importance of Educational Tourism in High Education Curriculum - The Role of Higher Education in the Tourism & Hospitality Industry | P16

P. 24

Health Summer Sun Safety Tips to protect your eyes from UV radiation

P. 26

Tech Smart Bands for a Healthier Lifestyle

P. 28

Book Reviews

P. 30

VISIT LEBANON The new strategy of the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism

P. 36

Interview Mr. Joseph Coubat, General Manager of Le Bristol-Beirut

P. 38

Active Life - MUBS Students Win in IBDAA 2018 - MUBS Participates in International Yoga Day 2018 | P40

‫‪Page 32‬‬

‫‪Interview‬‬ ‫‪TOURISM IN LEBANON TODAY‬‬ ‫‪An interview with Mr. Pierre Achcar‬‬

‫‪Page 20‬‬ ‫‪Health‬‬ ‫‪Corporate Wellness Programs:‬‬ ‫‪A Global Trend yet to catch on in‬‬ ‫‪Lebanon‬‬

‫ا‬ ‫ل‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ه‬

‫ص‪١‬‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ص‪٢‬‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ص‪٦‬‬ ‫ص‪٨‬‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ص ‪١٠‬‬ ‫ص ‪١٤‬‬ ‫ ‬ ‫ ‬

‫|‬

‫ ‬

‫|‬ ‫| ‬

‫ ‬

‫س‬

‫كلمة رئيس التحرير‬ ‫الدكتور حاتم عالمي‬

‫| ‬ ‫|‬ ‫| ‬

‫ر‬

‫واقع الســياحة في لبنان‬ ‫مقابلة مع الســـيد بيار األشـقر‬ ‫رئيس نقابــة أصحاب الفنادق في لبنان‬ ‫ ‬

‫‪Page 42‬‬ ‫‪National Wellness Network‬‬ ‫‪Events & Seminars‬‬

‫لبنان قبلة الســياحة العالجية‬ ‫كتاب السعادة‬ ‫‪ andbook of Happiness‬‬ ‫‪H‬‬ ‫هل انت من اليوغا؟‬ ‫الشــوف ومحميتــه‪ :‬نموذج‬ ‫عـــالمي للتنمية المســتدامة‬ ‫بأبعادها الثـالثة‬

‫‪Page 12‬‬ ‫‪Socio Tech‬‬ ‫‪Mental Wellness in the‬‬ ‫‪Digital Age‬‬

Wellness Tourism:

A New Window for a Better Quality of Life Diana Maddah

Wellness tourism had become an essential phenomenon in the 21st century. It is well adopted by many groups to counter the negative consequences of our lifestyle and enhance overall wellbeing (Kelly, 2010). Despite the fact that wellness tourism trips represent only 6% of alltrips, according to the Global

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Wellness Institute (2016), they accounted for 14% of all tourism expenditures globally in 2015. The definition of wellness tourism is often misunderstood and many people consider it a form of travel activity without paying attention to its benefit sand the bridges between wellness tourism experience and quality

of life.To better understand the link between wellness tourism and quality of life, more research is needed to highlight the experience of the people who practice wellness tourism.

Pine and Gilmore (1999) have proposed a framework to be adopted by academia and industry to assess wellness tourism customer experience

Living

This framework assesses four realms: Entertainment, Educational, Esthetic, & Escapist.

Experience economy means marketing and managing the touristic trip not as a “product” but as an experience. This experience relies on the four pillars mentioned above.

Educational experience is described by the intellectual or physical self-growth of the person. Medical tourism is a good example of educational experience:fitness classes, meditation workshops, nutrition classes where experts educate guests on how to nourish body and soul through a balanced diet. Entertainment experience is achieved by passively engaging the people in some fun activities such as watching movies or listening to music. Esthetic

experience entails customers’ enjoyment of certain physical plan which influences tourists’ emotional value (Song, Lee, Park, Hwang, & Reisinger, 2015). Escapist experience requires that the customers are actively engaged in the activities that are extraordinary to escape from their daily lives (Chen, Gau, & Wu, 2014). The escapist experience has been recognized as one of a tourists’ primary motives in engaging in diverse tourism activities and destinations (QuadriFelitti& Fiore, 2012).

To achieve the purpose of wellness tourism, it is essential to understand how visitors achieve the goal of quality of life through the

wellness tourism experience.

A study conducted by Luo et al., in 2018 showed that the wellness tourism experience is the antecedent of visitors’ leisure satisfaction (fun and entertainment), which in turn impacts their non-leisure satisfaction (social activities, love, culture, spiritual life, family, and work).

Therefore, wellness tourism should be adopted by the Lebanese community to ensure physical, mental and psychological well-being.

However, it should be well designed and organized in a way to make it a unique and memorable experience and not just a passing event.

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The Wellness Impact of Good Nutrition and Physical Activity on Academic Achievement Dr. Racha Khansa

Children spend a great amount of their time in the classroom, making the place not only for learning but also for teaching life skills that will aid them beyond the schoolyard.

Children advance their academic skills first in order to be able to succeed in our modern world that is filled with technological developments.

After learning to read, write, and solve mathematics, they need to stress more on motor development. A study in 2008 showed that taking time away from traditional educational tasks during the school day to spend an hour in physical activity will favorably affect performance of traditional educational skills (Carlson, Fulton, Lee, Maynard, Brown, & Kohl, 2008). Schools are the pivotal point in the movement to improve children’s health and wellness who need the support of health specialists, parents, and community organizers. Schools can improve the environment by

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using smarter lunchroom techniques to promote healthier food and they can offer full nutrition and physical education. Studies in 2005 have shown the strong connection between quality nutrition, physical activity, and academic achievement (Strong, Malina, Blimkie, Daniels, Dishman, Gutin, 2005).

Childhood obesity is on the rise Childhood obesity has doubled in the past 20 years. It affects lives in several ways with major results to an individual’s health. Some problems of childhood obesity include heart disease, such as high cholesterol or blood pressure; pre-diabetes, which shows off-balanced blood glucose levels and can cause diabetes; and bone and joint problems,

Living

asthma, gallstones, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (Ebbeling, Pawlak, & Ludwig, 2002). In addition to physical results, obesity leads to mental and academic problems.

Children with obesity struggle with low self-esteem, sadness, loneliness, and low academic achievement according to a study by Davison & Birch in 2001.

Tips for schools to support student’s health Stimulate healthy eating and physical activity Offer a value school meal program Implement comprehensive physical and health education programs Provide students with chronic disease prevention support services Partner with families and community members in the expansion and application of healthy eating and physical activity rules, practices, and curriculums Offer health and wellness professional development chances – including recess, cafeteria, and out-of-schooltime staff members

Physical Activity in Schools Being physically active is one of the most significant steps to being healthy. Schools are an ideal setting for teaching youth how to adopt and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle and they can help youth to learn how to be physically active for a lifetime. Children and adolescents should do sixty minutes or more of physical activity daily including the below activities.

Aerobic activities: Most of the 60 or more minutes per day should be either moderateor vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Vigorousintensity physical activity should be included at least three days per week. Examples of aerobic activities include bike riding, walking, running, dancing, and playing active games like tag, soccer, and basketball.

Muscle-strengthening activities: Include musclestrengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week as part of the 60 or more minutes. Examples of muscle-strengthening activities for younger children include gymnastics, playing on a jungle gym, and climbing a tree. Examples of musclestrengthening activities for adolescents include push-ups, pull-ups, and weightlifting exercises.

Bone-strengthening activities: Include bone-

strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week as part of the 60 or more minutes. Examples of bone-strengthening activities include hopping, skipping, jumping, running, and sports like gymnastics, basketball, and tennis. Some activities may address more than one category at a time.

Physical Activity and Academic Achievement A meta-analysis conducted on 16 experimentals by Sibley & Etnier in 2003 showed the positive relationship between physical activity and cognitive function in school aged children.This study revealed that physical activity was positively related to numerous components of cognitive function such as: perceptual skills, academic achievement, verbal skills, mathematic skills, memory, and academic readiness. This study proves that physical activity increases general mental abilities which implies that physical activity improves the decision making process that may improve overall quality of life.

Elementary school girls who participated in more physical education had better math and reading test scores than girls who had less time in physical education according to a study conducted in 2008.

In conclusion, physical activity can help youth improve their concentration, memory, and classroom behavior.

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PHYSICAL FITNESS IS A KEY Scientific evidence has proven that exercise can slow down brain aging by as much as 10 years Nidal Makarem, MD, MBA, CSSGB

Studies have shown that memory and cognition slowly decline from early adulthood, and the risk of dementia rises with age. Being physically fit could be the key to slower brain aging due according to a study conducted by Australia›s Swinburne›s Center for Human Psychopharmacology.

“Exercise and physical fitness are protective,” says lead author Greg Kennedy. A

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healthier, more elastic aorta reduces the negative effects of high blood pressure on the brain, which as a result protects cognitive functions.

The study investigated the association between fitness (as simple as walking) and achieving better cognition through a healthier aorta.

It included 102 participants between the ages of 60 and 90 years old, who lived

independently in aged-care communities in Melbourne.

According to Kennedy “people generally are less fit and have stiffer arteries as they age, which seems to explain the difference in memory ability that is usually attributed to getting older.” The results of the study indicated that as we age, the most important and cost-effective way to maintain/preserve our memory

Physical

and other brain functions, is through monitoring our central arterial health, and through remaining physically fit as much as possible.

cognitive skills a person should exercise for a length of time over a 6 month period, not just weekly exercise minutes.

According to Joyce GomesOsman, PT, PhD, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, exercising for an average of 52 hours over a span of 6 months—averaging about 1 hour, 3 times a week— should be achieved in order to improve cognitive skills in adults. Executive functions and processing speed were the two cognition functions that mostly benefited from regular exercising. Usually, both are among the first features that start to decline with the aging process. “This is evidence that you can actually turn back the clock of aging in your brain by adopting a regular exercise regimen,” says GomesOsman.

The effects of aerobic exercise on the brain

Other clinical studies assessed different types of exercise such as walking, biking, aerobic exercise, strength training, tai chi, and yoga, and results showed that all kinds of exercise can lead to improved cognitive skills in both mildly cognitive impaired (MCI) individuals and healthy individuals. The most common exercise is walking and it is very encouraging for people to know that they can get benefit from such simple physical exercise. However, to improve

The practice of sport and daily physical fitness are essential elements of our well-being.

Fitness improves memory, maintains brain health, and is beneficial against dementia and cognitive disorders. It also, reduces stress and mortality, eliminates obesity, and improves cardiovascular health. The effects of aerobic exercise on a region of the brain called hippocampus has been examined by researchers from NICM and the Division of Psychology & Mental Health at the University of Sydney, Australia, and the Division of Psychology and Mental Health at the University of Manchester, UK. Hippocampus is located in the medial temporal lobe below the surface of the cortex, and plays a central role in memory, spatial navigation, and other brain functions. The effects induced by exercise, prevent volumetric decreases that occur over time with aging.

The researchers examined the effects of aerobic exercise, including stationary cycling (exercise bike), walking and treadmill running (treadmill jogging). The duration of

interventions ranged from 3 to 24 months with a range of 2 to 5 sessions per week.

Overall, the results showed that exercise increased the size of the left hippocampal region in humans, rather than increasing the actual size of the hippocampus compared to lab rats.

Also, there is evidence that when we exercise, chemical reactions in the brain, such as those that produce Serotonin or Endorphins, also produce other molecule called Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) that prevent age-related decline by reducing brain damage, promote the development of neurons, and allow them to work better, especially when accompanied with better blood supply of the brain caused by physical fitness.

Finally, data shows that the main benefits of physical fitness are to slow the deterioration of brain size, rather than increasing the size of the hippocampus.

Along with the improvement of regular «healthy» aging, the results have implications for the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders related to aging (Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, etc.). In other words, regular physical fitness should be considered as a maintenance program to keep our brain healthy and functioning.

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WALKING

& the Creative Brain Dr. Nael Alami

“Walking is man’s best medicine.”

These words, uttered by Hippocrates, are certainly true physically, as regular brisk walking helps in maintaining a healthy weight, prevents or helps manage heart disease, high blood pressure, and type II diabetes, strengthens bones and muscles, alleviates stress, and improves balance and coordination. Even more interestingly, new research continues to show that walking is especially important to boost creativity.

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Physical their creativity and problemsolving abilities, while boosting their morale and positive emotions.

Walking, Creativity, and the Cognitive Pause

From Hippocrates to Tesla and Steve Jobs

In a study published in 2014, researchers from Stanford University found that walking boosts creative output by %60, allowing college students participating in the study to enhance their “divergent thinking”, a key element in truly creative cognition.

Indeed, walking has been associated with many a great creative genius: Steve Jobs was known for his “walking meetings” with business associates at Apple, especially when creative problem solving was required. Nikola Tesla, the genius mind behind alternating current (AC) electric system and the Tesla coil used in radio systems, took long daily walks and claimed to have formed his ideas during these strolls before committing anything to paper. Other creative minds in the fields of literature, philosophy, biology, physics, mathematics, and music to name a few, made walking a daily activity that enhances

The reason behind this link between walking and creativity is not completely clear at the moment. Yet, a growing body of evidence from behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and medicine has resulted in some interesting theories.

Scientists know that walking requires the simultaneous use and activation of multiple regions in the brain that are needed to coordinate our movements and maintain balance while we walk. A study from 2016 speculates that complex human cognition, and our ability to innovate, developed right along with the ability to walk. In other words, the complex brain structures needed for walking allowed humans to develop increasingly sophisticated ways of thinking. This connection could therefore be the reason that when we go for a walk, we indirectly activate regions necessary for sophisticated cognitive processing, thus leading to innovative, creative ideas!

Walking may also induce creativity through its ability to induce what we refer to as the “cognitive pause”. To understand what the “cognitive pause”, imagine yourself stuck on finding the right answer in an exam or for a complex problem at work. Your best

chance of getting over your incapacity to find a solution after deep and prolonged thinking is to step out and take a break. That is when we experience the Eureka moments. This “pause” is necessary for creative thinking since it allows the brain to free itself from preconceptions and specific patterns of thinking.

The cognitive pause requires relaxation of the mind, letting go of the problem at hand, something that walking is perfectly capable of doing.

Walking, Meditation, and Creative Thinking

Walking is similar to another activity that is also known to enhance creativity: meditation. In fact, walking is naturally meditative because it is relaxing, boosting our endorphins and antiinflammatory cytokines, releasing tension from the muscles, and distracting the mind from other cognitive tasks. Walking is also a rhythmic activity, which is known to lower brainwave frequency in a manner that is identical to meditation.

Walking and meditation both keep our brains in an alpha-brainwave state, which appears to be the best state for creative thought.

And so, the next time you need a creative solution to a problem you feel stuck in, don’t sit there obsessing about it, let it go, relax, take a hike and reminisce on Friedrich Nietzsche’s words that “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking”.

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MENTAL WELLNESS IN THE Mira Barakat

According to researchers in the U.K., one third of teenage women reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. The reason behind the rising rates of these symptoms is still vague but it coincides with the escalating growth of social media. U.S. researchers also noticed that at the beginning of 2012, suicide and depression rates for teenagers increased as smart phones became more popular.

Studies have found that teenagers who spend more than five hours a day online are 71% more likely to have at least one suicidal risk factor. And, they are five times more likely to suffer from depression than non-heavy Internet users. Also, as mobile phone use increases so does anxiety.

As we turn to our mobile devices and social media for comfort and positiv-

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Socio Tech

ity this is impacting negatively on our wellbeing.

Several studies have been done to determine the impact of TV viewing on the early childhood cognitive development; the results of these studies have assured the positive impact of reading on cognitive growth and the negative impact screen time viewing on the mental development of the kids.

More research has been done to examine the negative association of TV viewing time with cognitive development, for instance, hyperactivity/inattentiveness has been considered as internal problems that would not only affect someone’s individual performance, but also their quality of life. Lower self esteem is also linked to higher viewing times and that can eventually lead to more isolation and lack of social interaction. In addition, poor measures of mid-life cognitive functions (e.g. executive function and the processing speed) were directly linked to low physical activity and high TV viewing. Also, headaches, mood swings and nervousness, were evident in adolescent girls who were more engaged in screen time than their peers. On the other hand, irritability was highly obvious in boys.

It should be noted that not all technology use is bad; a signif-

icant study was conducted by Oxford University in 2017 on teenagers to study the effect of screen time viewing on a teenager’s well being and results varied between the type of device being used and the time of its usage (weekdays or weekends). Several suggestions were shared that limited the viewing time to 1 hour and 40 minutes for weekday video game play and under 2 hours for weekday smart phone use. Watching videos and using computers for amusement purposes were not considered that disruptive and were limited to 3 to 4 hours on weekdays. On weekends, the limit for playing video games was 3 hours and 35 min, and 4 hours and 50 min for watching videos. The study confirmed that “moderate” levels of digital screen use are lower on weekdays because they are in rich in socializing and learning opportunities than weekends. If we exceed the recommended TV viewing time, a major effect will be associated with our wellbeing.

Nowadays, we are encountering a new type of addiction known as the “Internet addiction”.

This addiction is defined by the excessive use on technological devices that have directly affected relationships, daily work activities, physical and mental

health. Heavy Internet users have been characterized by the loss of control over Internet use that can lead to mental and psychological problems such as (insomnia, anxiety, depression, and stress, etc.) and lower quality of life. Media multitasking or switching rapidly from screen to screen and task to task may lead to brain dysfunctions.

Our brains will learn to adapt to the changing technological landscape and may get better at managing the streams of information that they are acquiring from all angles; the biggest challenge, comes from the added pressures and pace of life in the digital age. Natural mindfulness is needed to reduce the pressures. These can be attained by balancing between our personal and professional lives by being less accessible and responsive when needed.

People should keep in mind never to compare themselves to others, because sometimes what we see is a total illusion and might lead us to full deterioration of self image, so social comparison on social media is a cause of psychological dysfunction that we need to be aware of.

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Educational Tourism:

Why it is important to integrate tours into the Higher Education Curriculum Hanin Brahim

Nowadays, the education paradigm is shifting towards experiential learning where the learner is engaged in active learning, observing, analyzing, criticizing, and evaluating processes. The student constructs their own knowledge based on what they observe and experience.

As a result, the information gained has a wider scope than what the person aimed to know. According to research, a learner develops scientific skills, leadership skills, researcher skills, and personal skills to help carry that experience into future experiences and transmit the gained skills into another experience or process.

To help children develop such skills, nowadays, schools and universities are finding new ways to educate students in

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a practical and interesting manner in order to broaden the educational experience and to make a subject more relevant.

Educational tours are being integrated into the instructional curriculum for students to gain knowledge and upgrade their skills by using new strategies and concepts they learn from the educational tourism experience.

Educational Tourism is any “program in which participants travel to a location as a group with the primary purpose of engaging in a learning experience related to the location,� according to D. Bodger. Therefore, ecotourism, rural tourism, heritage tourism, nature based tourism, study abroad programs, and student exchanges between two educational institutions is considered educational tourism.

Researchers reported that educational tourism (mainly fieldtrips) have enhanced students’ learning and increased their practical knowledge. These programs are considered an opportunity for professional development and personal growth and such programs include staff mobility for teaching or administration as well. Students and staff who travel abroad get the chance to develop their professional skills, social skills, and know more about a host country through such educational tourism programs where an individual gets the chance to experience the culture of and history of the host country.

In order to implement the experiential theory in Higher Education students must be actively engaged with the curriculum in a context related

Intellect

to their future profession. The Higher Education curriculum must be revitalized to stimulate effective learning and include hands-on activities, problemsolving methods, and finally engage students in direct experience and team work.

Educational Tourism is one of the major activities that enfold all of the above and universities should plan accordingly for students and staff. Empirical research documented several benefits for educational tourism integrated in the higher education. In Goh’s (2011) study, first year students considered it a positive experience by enriching their

knowledge to help them pass the course. As for the second year students it helped them associate the experience to their future working experience.

A research conducted by Atyeo (1939) has shown that educational tourism helps the learner in longer retention of knowledge and encourages student’s interest more than in the classroom settings. Other research found that learners enriched: 1) life skills (Byrnes, 2001) such as map reading and appreciating values of other cultures; 2) soft skills (Minnareat, 2012) such as independence, confidence and self-esteem; 3) interpersonal/ social skills, problem solving,

decision making, openmindedness (Pearce and Foster, 4 ;)2007) management and communication skills (Scarinci and Pearce, ;)2012 5) personal growth, ability to tolerate new situations, and lifelong learning (Jarrett, 2009).

In conclusion, students and staff at Higher Education institutions should experience educational tourism. It reflects the vision and the mission of the University and helps enrich students with practical skills and staff with the ability to transmit and transfer the values of the University among the community.

. 15

The Role of Higher Education

in the Tourism & Hospitality Industry Dr. Ahmad Zein

The affiliation between hospitality and tourism education and the industry is traditionally complicated and shaped by a lack of dependence. Gradually, however, the Higher Education sector and the industry are discovering the communal benefits of enhancing an additional co-operative association and the significance of reducing the gap, which has habitually occurred between them. The necessity to please both academic and business

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stakeholders does have exceptional consequences for the transfer of tourism education, as opposed to more traditional subject areas such as geography or history.

All decision makers in the tourism and hospitality industry agree that specialized education for employees is of tremendous importance in the tourism, hotel management and hospitality industry. Moreover, quality within the hospitality

and tourism industry is highly dependent on the learning and skilled development provided by Higher Education institutes, i.e. on the overall level of education of the employee. The quality and sustainable growth of the hospitality and tourism sector requires an effectual national strategy of education and this strategy should be planned in collaboration between the tourism syndicates, company decision makers and Higher Education institutes.

In Lebanon, special

Intellect

consideration was provided to the education of employees within most sectors since educated employees have proven more profitable for the companies despite the fact that their salaries are 20 % higher that employees depending on experience only or fundamental level of education. Despite the fact that the tourism sector stands on the top of the hierarchy of employment opportunities in Lebanon and worldwide, surprisingly students don’t consider a degree in tourism as a top priority and generally prefer to study Business Administration . Also, it is highly recommended that the Tourism and Hospitality education system introduces modern trends in rather than only just focusing essential skills.

International Hospitality and Tourism Management Education in Lebanon Formal education and professional growth are significant for the management of tourism and hospitality, which is emphasized by international education institutions and organizations, and the World Tourism Organization’s remarks and evaluations are centered on employee education and professionalism.

To support the tourism field, which is the most profitable

industry in Lebanon, the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS) launched the Master of Science in International Hospitality and Tourism Management (IHTM) in partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University. All graduates will receive dual degrees from MUBS and Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales, UK. The launching ceremony took place in Lancaster plaza on December 15, 2016 at Lancaster Plaza Hotel, Beirut and the event was attended by a number of representatives of academic, social, and political parties.

Speakers at the event included the MUBS Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Hatem Alamy; Representative of the Lebanese PM Mr. Saad Hariri; Minister Dr. Jamal Jarrah; Representative of the Director General of Higher Education, Dr. Pierre Jadoun; Representative of the Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Amin Zebian; Programme Director at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Dr. Mike Flynn; and Programme Director, Master in International Hospitality & Tourism Management, Dr. Ahmad Al Zein.

on November 16, 2017, at the MUBS Jal El Dib campus under the patronage and in the presence of Lebanese Minister of Tourism, Mr. Avedis Guidanian. The Symposium successfully brought together leaders and influencers in the Lebanese tourism industry to explore the factors that will drive and shape the future of the sector.

And finally, the first IHTM cohort has successfully completed their degrees and are now is ready to face the challenges of the market armed with one of the most prestigious degrees in hospitality and tourism in Lebanon.

Over the past year, several events have been organized by the department including the “International Tourism and Hospitality Management Symposium” that took place

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• Managing People & markets across cultures (20 credits) • Tourism, Hospitality and Events Industries in Context (20 credits)

MSc. Master of Science in International Hospitality & Tourism Management Tourism and Hospitality is one of the fastest growing global sectors. This cohesive programme is designed to enable students to develop concepts and theories related to hospitality and tourism management. It also provides students with practical work experience and deepens their critical understanding of operational and management issues within the sector. Using live case studies, this programme provides students with the opportunity to experience and assess the physical and cultural resources of the tourism and hospitality industry.

The MSc programme is delivered over 2 semesters of taught modules, followed by the 60 credit final project. The programme can also be studied part-time, with the minimum period of study being two years and the maximum five years.

To meet the educational and professional needs of each student, the programme is designed to promote active engagement of the student with the subject area and reflect the strong vocational emphasis of the award.

Course Content The core modules are designed to expose participants to real industry related operations and provide opportunity throughout to apply theory to real life management situations.

Core Modules for the MSc. in International hospitality and Tourism Management:

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• Industry Project Management (20 credits) • Exploring Hospitality & Tourism Landscapes (20 credits) • Research Methods (20 credits) Optional modules • Internship (20 credits) OR • Crisis, Risk and Strategic Change Management (20 credits) Final project Dissertation OR Enterprise Project OR Consultancy Project (60 credits).

The final, 60 credit project is a triple module, completed by students after they have completed all taught modules. Whether an academic piece of research or an investigation into the launching of a business; it is designed to be an intellectually challenging piece of individual management research. It will equip successful students with the knowledge, capabilities and competences required of today›s managers, in a world in which the ability to research new information is increasingly important.

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CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS:

A Global Trend Yet to Catch on in Lebanon Reem BouZeinEddine Corporate Wellness Programs are programs undergone by management to ensure the wellness of the workers, regardless of the industry, number of employees, culture or style of management.

These programs ensure that their employees are exposed to a process of health and happiness.

Corporate wellness can occur on different levels. Employees could be offering basic services and permitting internet use for

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consultation and information.

Another could be seminars or workshops on best health practices. Or, assigning a wellness one-on-one coach to offer consultation and advice for employees, with extreme confidentiality on diseases, family matters and financial planning guaranteed.

focused on the satisfaction of employees and its effect on corporate productivity, however, little has been said on the role of the corporate in providing wellness programs for its employees. In the case of Lebanon, this global trend has yet to be implemented in company policies.

Healing from the inside out is the ultimate goal of individuals and now the trend is reaching corporates as whole entities.

Research has always

In 2015, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that productivity losses linked to employee absenteeism

Health

due to illness cost employers USD225.8 billion annually in the United States, or USD1,685 per employee.

This doesn’t include the losses due to employees who come to work ill or suffer from poor sleep, nutritional habits or work-induced stress.

No statistics are available for Lebanon but it can be assumed that the numbers would be proportionally much greater due to many factors.

Companies, while tending to their employees’ wellness, can attain increase in the overall company morale by ensuring that the workplace is a happy place, not only in logos and slogans, but truly happy. A company can provide many healthy options for its employees, from healthy snacks, no smoking signs, fitness centers, infirmaries and others, but they cannot induce their employees to use them nor follow their advice and lifestyle.

An available wellness and health coach in a company, a “Wellpreneur Health Coach”, can be considered part of an attractive employee compensation that contributes to better retention, and recruitment especially for newly acquired talent. It can also prevent employee burnout that directly impacts performance and rivalry within.

Consequently, results would be a better workplace and a more positive culture.

Also, managers in a company can model a healthier lifestyle by taking wellness breaks during the day and asking the employees to share or follow suit. Employees would be less self-conscious if they are caring for themselves. Sharing with a leader in the workplace a wellness attitude is a positive contributor to a healthy strong organization.

And, employees can benefit from a wellness program at work by balancing their meals, cease smoking and changing their lifestyles to decrease stress, work better under pressure, maintain a better mindset for work. Also, reducing obesity, increasing physical activity during the day, while addressing a range of physical, emotional and environmental factors influencing employees’ behavior is recommended.

Wellness coaches, whether one- on-one or corporate coaches, are the future of health education. There are numerous and often unknown services that a wellness coach can provide for a company.

Imagine being able to consult with one expert, at your workplace, on a continuous

basis, to help you with your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Every day mental health programs or discussions are extremely rare in Lebanese workplaces.

Corporate Wellness Benefits: Facts and figures Most of the workers, in today’s business workface are knowledge workers, not manual workers anymore, and the concern for their wellness is an increasing trend among the western organizations. Companies that include health, physical and mental welfare into their programs reap better results and higher performance and loyalty from their employees.

Recent research by Larry Chapman’s in his book entitled “Proof Positive: An Analysis of the Cost Effectiveness of Wellness”, shows that wellness programs can:

Reduce Sick Leave by 27.8%

Reduce Health Costs by 28.7%

Reduce Disability Costs by 33.5%

Reduce Workers Costs by 33.5%

Save USD5.50 in

cost for every dollar invested

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Physical activity and exercise programs are becoming a norm of life to the new generation, the old as well. The same is true of diet and nutrition.

There is a level of acceptance that individual health starts with what we eat, which affects our overall wellbeing and ability to perform at work.

CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAM •

Team relationships

• Resilience •

Achieving balance

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Tobacco cessation

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Lifestyle disease reversal

Corporate Wellness Programs: How holistic are they?

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Weight loss

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Chronic stress recovery

Corporate wellness programs are defined based on individual corporation’s needs. They include a vast range of activities and programs that can incorporate all the employees at the same time, or consult with them one on one. Activities could be health education, health monitoring, incentives to smoking cessation, physical fitness, emotional wellbeing, financial wellbeing and even family care.

Each company is a unique entity with personalized needs and different set of solutions for its employees. Creating a well rounded action plan to monitor the health of employees might seem, in the short run, an expense for the company that has better things to focus on. But, in the long run, it is building a unique competitive advantage to retain its employees, and achieve better performance and results from all the efforts exerted.

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Sleep quality

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Positive communication

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Cognitive function

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Life purpose

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Financial freedom

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Summer Sun Safety

Tips to protect your eyes from UV radiation Ahmed Sherry, MSc.

As summer approaches, we should take protection measures from the natural hazards that might face us daily. You might have heard about Ultraviolet (UV) radiations, but not all of us know what exactly this kind of radiation is or how it affects our health, especially our eyes. Whether you are an outdoors activities lover, a parent who takes their child for a walk outside, or a person who spends the weekend at the beach, this article will let you know what UV radiation is, how it might harm your eyes and how to protect them to prevent any vision problems.

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Health

What is Ultraviolet Radiation?

UV isan electromagnetic radiation is invisibly present everywhere in our life. Sun is the main source of UV where it constitutes about %10 of its total light output. Other sources of UV can be artificial light sources such as tanning lamps. Even though UV is present in low percentage in nature, it can still cause real hazards to your health.

How UV can harm eyes There are three categories of high-energy UV rays: UVC, UVB, and UVA rays. UVC is the highest energetic radiation and most harmful to the eyes and skin, but fortunately it is blocked by the atmosphere’s ozone layer. UVB rays are responsible for melanin production, a substance that gives the skin a darker colour after a suntan. Also, they

are thought to help cause pinguecula and pterygia that are growth of deposits on the conjunctiva which might advance to affect vision. UVB mostly affects the front part of the eyes. UVA rays can pass through the cornea and reach the retina where it can hurt your central vision. Many eye problems can be associated with the overexposure to UVA rays such as certain types of cataract and the development of macular degeneration.

How to protect eyes from UV There are several ways to protect your eyes from UV rays. Make sure to wear sunglasses that provide full protection from the harmful UV rays even when you are in the shade. Try to choose frames with a close fitting wraparound style to limit the

amount of sunlight reaching your eyes. Do not use cheap sunglasses that might end up harming your eyes as they might not be fabricated to block UV rays efficiently. You can also use optical frames with photochromic lenses that will correct any vision problems and protect your eyes from harmful radiation as it darkens whenever exposed to UV. Other summer recommendations are to avoid eye dryness by using artificial tear eye drops especially when directly exposed to sunlight.

If you swim in public pools, it is recommended to wear swimming goggles to avoid eye infections and redness as well as maintaining good vision under water. Finally, always ask for advice from the eye care professionals and have your eyes checked frequently to maintain good ocular health.

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SMART BANDS FOR A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE: From counting steps to guiding them Ahmad Bazzi, PhD

Activity trackers were created in the 80s and since then, with the spread and advanced manufacturing of integrated circuits (IC), wearable devices have become a reality. Wearable heart rate monitors are now available for athletes and they have gained popularity among health-savvy individuals. This is a huge advancement from the days when the only wearable device was a mechanical wristwatch.

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Tech

Wearable sensors that originally started for the sports enthusiasts have turned into wearable computers (embedded systems) not only gaining more features but also carrying a more affordable price tag. The features continued to boom, while steadily improving on usability, and are expected to continue at an even faster rate with the latest advancement in IC manufacturing technology.

The question is what features one can expect from a smart wristband within a USD100 budget.

A growing body of research shows that long periods of physical inactivity increase the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. Due to our sedentary lifestyle, it is usual for an office worker to remain seated for several hours without leaving their chair. A smart band can generate a gentle alert whenever the user remains inactive for longer than an hour to remind them to take a walk away from the desk. This is one way to promote a more active lifestyle.

the smart band user can benefit from. Setting a tangible goal can be the first step towards a healthy routine.

There are training programs that focus on keeping the heart rate within a certain range. For example, one has to maintain a heart rate between %75 to %85 to be within the so-called aerobic or cardio zone. Keeping track of the heart rate is a cumbersome task if it entails attaching wires to one’s chest.

This has becoming unnecessary, as modern technologies have made it feasible to measure and track the heart rate. Nowadays, a smart band can monitor heart rate with an acceptable accuracy.

Adequate sleep is necessary to work safely and effectively, support immune system and maintain a healthy brain. Sleep disorders and chronic short sleep have been associated with high blood pressure, obesity and even heart disease. Smart bands make it effortless to monitor and track one’s sleep time, even deep sleep duration, to offer insight into quality of

sleep without the need for expensive lab equipment.

Also, exploring new terrains just got simpler and more efficient.

Selective smart band models even feature GPS modules to guide tourists and athletes to a chosen destination without fear of getting lost in new territories.

This is of tremendous value, especially to hikers, who have nothing other than their gadgets and their instincts to find their path across mountains.

The advancement in technology has made it feasible and affordable for everyone to take tangible steps towards a healthier and even more adventurous lifestyle. A smart band, within a USD100, can measure heart rate, monitor sleep quality, track the number of steps walked and reach specified destinations via GPS, among other features. All these measurements are stored and viewed on a connected smartphones, so no more excuses for a sedentary lifestyle.

In fact, it is important to monitor our daily activity and exercise.

Many health experts recommend a daily walk of 10,000 steps.

Keeping track of the total steps and the distance walked per day is one of the many features

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BOOK REVIEWS

POWER PLATES ______

by Gena Hamshaw

CHANGE YOUR SCHEDULE, CHANGE YOUR LIFE ______

by Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar, Michelle Seaton, Deepak Chopra forewordand Lesa Lockford Chronobiology is an emerging area of study that combines Ayurvedic principles with cuttingedge science.

It turns out you can lose weight, sleep better, get stronger, reduce stress, and optimize your routine . . . all by aligning your schedule with your body’s natural cycles. Basically, how to harness the power of clock genes to lose weight.

Hardcover 2018

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THE WELLNESS PROJECT: HOW I LEARNED TO DO RIGHT BY MY BODY, WITHOUT GIVING UP MY LIFE ______

A great book for newbie vegans from blogger, nutritionist, and author Gena Hamshaw. Packed with a hundred recipes to help you make delicious vegan meals that deliver balanced and sustained energy. Every recipe contains the key macronutrients of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and proteins, which together make for a complete meal on the go..

Hardcover 2018

by Phoebe Lapine

For those battling autoimmune disease or thyroid conditions—or just seeking healthy life balance, Phoebe Lapine, food and health writer and wellness personality, shares recipes for healthy comfort food and insights about balanced lifestyle choices beyond what’s on your plate. After she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in her early twenties, Phoebe adopted twelve of her own wellness directives.

This is a must-read not just for those suffering from autoimmune disease, but for anyone looking for simple ways to improve their health without sacrificing life’s pleasures.

Hardcover 2017

Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are. ― Mason Cooley ―

HOW HEALING WORKS: GET WELL AND STAY WELL USING YOUR HIDDEN POWER TO HEAL ______

by Dr. Wayne Jonas

Eighty percent of healing can be attributed to the mindbody connection and other naturally occurring processes.

Drawing on forty years of research and patient care, Dr. Jonas lays out a revolutionary new way to be more in control of your recovery and lasting wellness.

Hardcover 2018

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The new strategy of the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism Since its launch in September 2017, the brand “Visit Lebanon”, implemented by Lebanon Minister of Tourism HE Avedis Guidanian has gone from strength to strength.

With the important role of putting Lebanon firmly on the map of tour operators and MICE agencies throughout the world, the Visit Lebanon’s office has 30 .

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been hard at work. Although representing Lebanon on an international scale, the aim is to focus initially on the countries with direct flight connections to Beirut airport.

For this, Visit Lebanon centralized and put in place a worldwide strategy with important commercial, communication and digital aspects led from their Paris office. Since it’s opening

less than one year ago, the Visit Lebanon team has worked on commercializing the destination. Amongst the 10 000+ worldwide contacts developed so far, over 2 000 worldwide have a direct interest in the destination. And among those, over 400 tourism worldwide professionals came to Lebanon following successful FAM trips

organized by Visit Lebanon, Pro Sy and Levenement, representing the most important events agencies in France. Their visit was organized to help them shed all pre-conceived ideas they had on the destination and see for themselves that the Lebanese enjoy life in a safe and exceptional country.

Visit Lebanon was also behind a large PR campaign on major Leisure and MICE trade shows (WTM, IBTM, PURE, FITUR, ITB, ATM and IMEX) and the organization of two very successful trade shows in Lebanon - Visit Lebanon 2017 and Visit Lebanon 2018.

Visit Lebanon has also done some serious ground work on the press side with the organization of press trips for important publication such as National Geographic, the Scandinavian inflight magazine SAS and French

influencer TOLT. Since it’s start, there has also been a number of positive press coverage in B2B publications in the UK, France, India, Germany, Scandinavia and Brazil. And, Lebanon also made it to the front cover of renowned B2B magazines Destination Reporter (India) and Voyages et StratÊgies (France).

Going digital As for the digital strategy, it has been put in place with the help of three main tools: a website (to be launched in September), the creation of social media accounts, and a CMS (Contact Management System) and CRM (Customer Relationship Management).

To be launched in September 2018, the new Leisure and MICE websites are being finalized and will be the go-

to place for professionals around the globe looking for inspiration, information and to connect with Lebanese providers (DMC, Hotels etc.).

This new comprehensive platform will not only include the contacts of all Lebanon tourism professionals but also the description of all hotels and meeting facilities, material on all the major touristic sites and important practical information.

As well as a good visibility on the web through the new website, Visit Lebanon is now also present on social media - Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube – featuring up to date information, news, inspirational content and regularly sharing all that the country has to offer.

And, finally, the made-tomeasure CRM and CMS which have been designed to facilitate the sharing and recording of every new contact and ensure a very personalized follow-up with each prospective lead.

With a comprehensive and qualitative database and important media coverage, the large number of international professionals who visited and loved Lebanon and gave it a good visibility worldwide. In under a year Visit Lebanon has certainly achieved some extraordinary results. . 31

TOURISM IN LEBANON TODAY

An interview with

Mr. Pierre Achcar Whenever the Lebanese economy is under discussion, the tourism sector is mentioned as a cornerstone needing protection and support as compensation for its successive economic losses after the war in Syria and the crises that have hit the country such as waste accumulation and successive insecurity episodes. Tourism is expected to add USD2-3 billion to the State Treasury, which will fundamentally support economic growth. In previous years, tourism realized a ceiling of income of USD800m; we wonder if the security and political status would aid that aspiration now, assigning the summer to be a turning point for 2018 as the “Tourism Year� in Lebanon.

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Interview The Decline of Lebanon’s Tourism Sector The nature of Lebanon, its geographical location and the proximity of its mountains to the coast are features of tourism in Lebanon that a tourist can enjoy. Regardless of all the attributes and attractions available, such as hotels, restaurants and historical and archaeological sites, Lebanon’s touristic sector is suffering from repercussions of various internal and external crises.

Indications of past months to 5 years back show a significant decline between 2015 and 2016, when tourist statistics plummeted by 20% reaching 83,355 tourists in March, 2016, compared to 106,220 tourists for the same period of 2015.

This decline has raised fears of negative economic outcome. Noting that this retreat in inbound travel started since 2011 when the statistics showed that year to be the beginning of decline in tourism as the route that linked GCC countries to Lebanon was barricaded throughout Syria. Monitoring the Lebanese Tourism Sector closely, a watcher would notice successive setbacks since 2005 because of instability. Needless to say, the tourism revival during religious vacations was not very fruitful as well. The tourism industry is still being optimistic this year, but this could be in vain.

Due to the fact that the tourism revival is directly linked to politics, and in relation to the past retraction of tourism, the question here is how tourism specialists perceive the industry in 2018 after the parliament elections and the formation of the government, and what their evaluation of the current status, especially that we are in a season that the Lebanese depend on tourism and related economic revenues.

There are about 460 hotels

the backbone of the inter-Arab tourism. Lebanon is the focal point of tourism in the region with its moderate climate and small area, let alone the close proximity of the mountainous areas to the coastline. The GCC tourist is able to break away from a 6 month long hot summer in only a two-hour flight, and socialize with new demography of an open society and tourism, and shopping tourism with less barriers and restrictions.

Lebanon is still the safest country in the Middle East

In comparison, regional tourism has raised its number of tourists from 40 million to 85 million tourists in one year upon strategizing its policy, and this is what we are pursuing at the moment. We have visited the UAE where Minister Al Mahsnouk and I met with a number of ministers who requested that Lebanon should look into several managerial and security issues.

incorporating 25,000 rooms, with declining fees for both hotels and rental rooms. The decline reached 40% while occupancy ranged between 25 and 40% in comparison to the previous 76% and 80% The President of the Association of Hotel Owners in Lebanon Pierre Achcar expressed his views for this issue by pointing out the impact of the political status of Lebanon on the GCC tourists who are considered

Mr. Achcar noted the diversity of the country’s tourism over the past two years, and the subsequent invitation to 300 travel agents from 60 countries around the world, a strategy to alter the medium and long term image of Lebanon as a destination, overcoming barriers and creating attraction features, employing appropriate budget, advertising campaigns, social media and modern measures to highlight Lebanese tourism and increase amount of reservations.

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In comparison, the GCC citizens have considered Lebanon as a touristic destination for the past 40 years, and the Arab Kings have always considered Lebanon their first choice of touristic location for summer vacations.

But, as a conclusion of the vertical social split in Lebanon due to the continuous political instability, the GCC citizens’ boycott of Lebanese tourism is showing notable retraction where reservations are spreading over a longer period than those of any other Arab country citizens. To elaborate on that, 300,000 GCC citizens have vacationed ten complete days in Lebanon whereas the same number of Iraqis and Jordanians spent only 3 days.

In conclusion, the GCC States citizens are known for a more medium-to-longer vacations than other nationalities.

Mr. Achcar also points out that Lebanon, upon the repercussions of the security and political status on tourism, is still the safest country in the Middle East, despite some remarks and fears. The GCC countries are awaiting the formation of the Lebanese government, and when this task is accomplished , the Lebanese tourism sector will witness an imminent growth period which will be a clear signal for GCC countries to override the ban on their

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vacationers, to which Lebanon is a natural outlet.

To answer the question on the measures the Ministry of Tourism needs to take to support the hotel sector, and his perspective on the status of hotels under the decline of tourism in Lebanon, Mr. Achcar highlights the absence of tourist sea resorts which is an important touristic resource. All of Lebanon’s hotels and resorts barely account for 25,000 rooms while resorts in Italy hold 100,000. In another context, there are 700,000 Russian tourists visiting Cyprus’ beach resorts, whereas sea resorts in Lebanon are numbered and thus visitors limited.

One reason for lack of sea resorts, Mr. Achcar explains, is the escalation of real estate costs, that amount to USD4,000 for one constructed meter. The cost of constructing a touristic resort of 50,000m2, can amount to USD200m without its variable cost. Mr. Achcar advises reverting to nontaxable incentives and more sophisticated infrastructure to boost touristic development in Lebanon.

In concluding the interview, Mr. Achcar explored more solutions for the development of the tourism sector in Lebanon. Local media

should be more considerate in broadcasting Lebanon’s problems. For example, traffic congestion in Egypt, Dubai and India is equivalent to that of Lebanon, but it is wisely not publicized. Discretion on this matter is a result of the countries’ strategies to reflect a civilized profile to the outside world.

Another point raised was the need to highlight the importance of Wellness Tourism and Rural Tourism in Lebanon, in line with offering creative activities to attract tourists, and controlling costs.

In general, the cost of tourism is considered acceptable to the public, who pay no more than USD133 for a Phoenicia Hotel room and USD108 at the Monroe hotel, whereas it rises to Euros 450 Euros in Italy and to 320 Euros in Cyprus.

Mr. Achcar related the example of Broummana Municipality’s proactive measures to attract tourists and avoid economic stagnation, where a specialized unit of six tourism policewomen was recruited to welcome in-comers. The role of this unit was to professionalize domestic tourism that was raised to 1,600 per day.

Mr. Achcar ended this interview by promising extraordinary tourism wonders provided that security in Lebanon is guaranteed.

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TOURISM: THE BUSINESS OF THE PASSIONATE An interview with Mr. Joseph Coubat,

General Manager of Le Bristol-Beirut As Tourism continues to grow internationally and in Lebanon, we are seeing significant changes at local levels to match the growth and to meet the challenges. More trips are taken to the developing world than to the developed world. Hotels are re-inventing themselves to match that mobility.

What does this actually mean to Lebanon?

In an interview with GM of Le Bristol-Verdan, Mr. Joseph Coubat conversed with NWN Magazine on Tourism and Hospitality in Lebanon and Bristol Hotel’s new perspective which he has drawn from a past deep experience in Hospitality that has started when he was at very young age. Lebanon at the time was occupied in a contrary route, but Mr. Coubat insisted on following up his dream and succeeded to combine entrepreneurship, hospitality, international experience and his own passion into a successful career. His perspective on Tourism and the management

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of a -70year-old Hotel is a modern look that leads surefootedly into a prosperous future.

Mr. Coubat said that Tourism was the easiest domain in Lebanon as a career start but it has come a long way since.

Prospering in this industry is vividly not a smooth ride. One has to be very passionate about Hospitality.

He compared it to the medical profession where practitioners cannot go home and forget about their jobs at the end of the day. Continuous tending to the customers is essential.

Standardization and finesse are also key factors in the service industry. It is a

specialty that needs training, practice and self-monitoring.

It is about human interaction and extraordinary customer service. For example, introduction of the new AI into this sector would prove interesting to the public, but not an alternative to human interaction in Hospitality customer service.

In answering the question on where Tourism and Hospitality are going to in Lebanon, Mr. Coubat explained that this issue has been under scrutiny for the past 8 years.

It is obvious that after GCC countries stopped the flow of travel towards our country, Lebanon has depended on

Interview

the Lebanese diasporas to boost tourism, but this is not the appropriate perspective to look at Tourism in Lebanon. Lebanon is all about archaeology, religions, history, literature, culture and other wealth aspects that attract tourists. Mr. Coubat said, “from my past experience, I can advise on not to capitalize on one big ostrich egg, diversity in services and sources can bail Lebanon out.”

We are used to the idea that expatriate Lebanese return to Lebanon to see family then travel to tour Europe.

Currently this is reversed.

Expatriate families are back in Lebanon to hold more control on their budgets, looking forward to business start-ups in the near future. 15 million Lebanese living outside their country can create the flow of tourism needed to revive the sector. Internal and reverse tourism are two aspects that should be tended to.

“Quality control and assurance from above”, says Mr. Coubat, “are two important factors to boost Tourism. The Tourism industry needs more regulatory procedures, and more intricate health, safety and hygiene standardization. A tourist wants to feel safe during travel period. Have we failed in providing safety to the tourist? As a matter of fact, we have a lot of work to do.”

Bristol Hotel, after its renovation in 2015, aspires for quality assurance while elevating its services to luxury level. Therefore, “Bristol strategy, at this stage, is to carry out the basics in the right way for a stronghold that ensures a solid sophisticated building. Bristol values its heritage, its employees, and its residents, and we are putting together a proficient team in a worthy place.”

The business sector is still a lucrative segment of tourism and we can market Lebanon as a cost-effective yet specialized destination where corporate objectives can be met in an energizing location.

“We have had the facilities of hosting conferences and business meeting since we started. And now that we have re-invented ourselves, we are more proficient in doing so. “said Mr. Coubat.

Medical tourism sector, as well, has attracted a lot of attention to Lebanon lately.

Its phenomenal growth in the past decade is promising. It is an industry, when taken good care of, can really make a difference. Medical tourism has captured attention in Lebanon due to the competitive advantage that our medical doctors have, their proficiency and their international successes in the field, creating a luminous brand name for their services. It is mostly driven by the relative treatment

low-cost, the availability of inexpensive flights and increased marketing and online consumer information about medical services in Lebanon. What puts the word «tourism» next to medicine is that people often stay in the destination country after the medical procedure longer than a regular trip or vacation.

Travellers can take advantage of their trips by sightseeing, visiting places of interest, or partaking action in any other leisure interest. Medical tourism, nevertheless, calls for trained individuals in the field to tend to the tourists or their families, thus launching a customized specialty in Lebanon.

In answering the question on what Hospitality/Tourism sector requires from the Education sector, Mr. Coubat said that the speciality needs passionate people to indulge themselves in studying it. Unfortunately, Tourism / hospitality became a trendy speciality in Lebanon. This sector is not for the fainthearted, but for the passionate courageous professionals. When you are passionate, you do your job fully. You create the effort, the knowledge, and the experience. It’s not just a job, it’s a mixture of humanitarianism and professionalism in one.”

“Either do it with all your heart, or don’t go into this business. It will backfire.”

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MUBS STUDENTS WIN IN IBDAA 2018: Translating Education into Innovation & Sustainable Development Another achievement was added to the record of the School of Health Sciences (SHS) at the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS). Two Public Health students, Myrna Yehya and Nermine Abi Farraj, won the first prize for the Educational Intervention Section at IBDAA on April 27th 2018 at the American University of Beirut.

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Active Life

IBDAA is an annual poster forum organized by the American University of BeirutNature Conservation Center (AUB - NCC) to celebrate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on May 22nd, the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB). In an informative and engaging milieu, IBDAA provides a platform for undergraduate, graduate students, and field experts to raise awareness of current environmental concerns by offering original and viable solutions. Over the last decade, IBDAA hosted over 2.000 students from different fields of study and engaged more than 20 courses.

This year’s theme, “Sustainable Cities and Communities”, was inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN for 2030.

Under the supervision of Dr. Wissam Ghach and Ms. Diana

Maddah from the School of Health Sciences, Myrna and Nermine participated in the intervention section with their senior project entitled “Community-based intervention to promote safe knowledge and environmental practices of pesticides among Lebanese farmers”. The project aims to promote environmental wellness among the Lebanese community and builds positive mindsets towards the responsibility of farmers to protect, preserve, and promote a healthy environment.

Supported by the National Wellness Network (NWN) at MUBS and in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agricultural Center in Aley and Debbane Agriculture Group, the project included a pilot intervention consisting of a series of four awareness sessions about safe implementation of pesticides in the Lebanese agriculture.

MUBS students competed with students from other Lebanese Universities such as AUB, LAU, USEK, NDU, Haigazian, and LIU and were awarded USD2,000 for their innovative project and poster.

Participation in such events falls within the SHS’s and the National Wellness Network’s vision to translate students’ creative potential into practical solutions for the preservation of their environment. Students have the opportunity to develop out-of-the-box thinking approach and entrepreneurial skills, develop competencies for sustainable development, and gain expertise from the jury of field specialists.

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ANYASAS FLOW WITH ART AND DESIGN MUBS participates in International Yoga Day 2018 Sabina Llewellyn-Davies In 2014, the United Nations declared June 21 as International Day of Yoga to create awareness about this discipline among people all across the globe to boost mental and physical health and improves the overall well-being.

To celebrate the day the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi performed Yoga with over 50,000 enthusiasts in Dehradun, India calling yoga a “unifying force and passport for wellness.” And, Rajasthan’s city of Kota turned into Yoga city when over one thousand people performed yoga at one place at the same time aiming to create a new Guinness World Record. People started gathering at the yoga spot since early morning.

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President Ram Nath Kovind marked the day with his Suriname counterpart in Paramaribo. “On #InternationalYogaDay greetings to all those practising yoga across the globe. Yoga is an ancient Indian tradition, but it doesn’t belong to India alone. It is part of humanity’s intangible heritage. I invite you to explore and celebrate yoga wherever you are. I look forward to participating in the Yoga Day celebrations with President Bouterse in

Paramaribo, Suriname. This is the first time two heads of state will be celebrating International Yoga Day together,’’ he wrote on Twitter.

A series of yoga-related events also took place across the world to celebrate this day.

To mark the occasion in Beirut, His Excellency the Indian Ambassador in Lebanon Sanjiv Arora performed Yoga with hundreds of enthusiasts, including staff and students from MUBS (Modern University

Active Life

for Business and Science) at the Zaitunay Bay. Soldiers from the Indian battalion operating in the international peacekeeping forces in Lebanon also took to the mats to performed anyasas.

Greeting the enthusiasts His Excellency quoted the ancient Sanskrit phrase “ Vasudaiva Kuntumbkam” which translates to “ the world is one family.

Rooted in its core civilization values, India exemplifies this phase by displaying a medley of faiths, beliefs, cuisines, fashion and traditions.”

After the yoga, the attendees toured the “Indimage” exhibition organized by the Art & Design department at MUBS which showcased the students› projects created on the theme of India. “Unity manifested through diversity is an astonishing aspect about India , a beautiful country where the people live together peacefully despite their religious differences.

Similarly, in Lebanon we experience such unity through our unique diversity,” said

Rima Ammar, Chair of the Art & Design Department, MUBS. While visitors toured the exhibition, admiring the student’s works, they were treated to some tasty snacks.

“This collaboration is an opportunity to showcase the work of the students from the Art & Design Department dedicated to the International Yoga Day, said Ammar, that was seen and appreciated by the organizers, patronage and attendees.”

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Municipalities Gathering at NWN, Aley

The National Wellness Network (NWN), Aley, invited more than twenty-five Heads of Municipalities from Al Matn, Al Jored , Al Gharb and Aley, to discuss social and health development needs.

In her welcoming speech, Diana Maddah, Public & Corporate Relations Coordinator at NWN, highlighted the importance of networking between the NWN and the municipalities in the development of the community. Dr. Hatem Alamy, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the MUBS (Modern University for Business and Science) 42 .

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and founder of NWN, introduced the vision of NWN. The participants were invited to participate in round table discussions to talk about their needs with NWN facilitators Dr. Nisreen Alwan, Dean of School of Health Sciences; Mr. Samer Daou, Program Coordinator at MUBS, Aley; Dr. Mohamad Abi Haidar, Consultant to the Minister of Economics; Laura Hjeij, Public & Corporate Relations Coordinator, NWN, and Diana Maddah.

First National Bank and El Mawared Bank supported the event by sponsoring Health Days in several

municipalities enabling community members to receive complimentary health tests (vision, BMI, glucose, etc.). Dr. Mohammad Abi Haidar and Dr. Amal Abi Harb, Professor at the Department of Social Work, Lebanese University,both experts in the health sector, presented their experience. Ms. Hjeij introduced the attendees to the various services offered

by NWN. The event came to a close with a signing of MOUs between NWN and the participating Heads of Municipalities. All attendees were invited to a buffet offered by Tivoli.

Events & Seminars

NWN Aley Health Campaign targets Elderly and Youth The National Wellness Network (NWN), Aley Branch, established by the Modern University for Business and Science, organized a health campaign entitled “The Health of our Elderly and Youth” in Baaleshmayh on 22 - 23 June 2018. Over 200 people participated in the campaign which was sponsored by the Municipality of Baaleshmayh and Mountada Al Ahli Al Ijtimaa’I .

A special thank you to sponsors Mains and Domo for their support and to the Municipality of Baalchmay who provided financial assistance to the residents of the town to benefit from the medical services offered at NWN - Aley branch.

The two-day campaign included recreational activities for adults as well as free medical examinations conducted by specialists from the NWN team and public health physicians. The second day included recreational activities for children with special needs. Awareness seminars were held on nutrition and optical vision and a pediatrician examined the children. . 43

NWN Hosts Innovation Camp in Partnership with Citi Foundation & INJAZ Lebanon

In collaboration with the National Wellness Network (NWN), and in partnership with Citi Foundation, INJAZ Lebanon successfully implemented the Innovation Camp at the Modern University for Business and Science (MUBS), Spears Campus, on 12 May 2018.

A total of forty-two students participated in the �ICAMP� to learn key entrepreneurial skills. The objective was to come up with innovative solutions to a business

44 .

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challenge proposed by Citibank Lebanon, the Program Partner. The students worked in teams supported by a volunteer mentor from Citibank and pitched their ideas to a judging panel which included Ms. Ruba Khoury, CitiBank; Mr. Rami Faour, Citibank and Dr Samer Hamzeh, Dean, International School of Business, MUBS. The members of the winning team were awarded a valuable prize: a job shadow day at Citibank. Congratulations!

Events & Seminars

Safe Agriculture Workshop at NWN The School of Health Sciences at the Modern University of Business and Science (MUBS) in collaboration with the National Wellness Network (NWN) - Aley, organized an extensive workshop for farmers under the theme of “Safe Agriculture in Lebanon”. The workshop is part of the senior project of the Public Health students: Nermin Abi Faraj and Mirna Yehya under the supervision of Dr. Wissam Ghach and Ms. Diana Maddah.The workshop included three awareness sessions about the proper use of pesticides in the Lebanese agriculture. The head of the Agricultural department in Mount Lebanon, Eng. Aboud Freiha, along with a team from the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture, presented the hazards of “Forbidden Agricultural Pesticides” and as well as discussed the “Integrated Pest Management” as an alternative method for a safer agriculture. Eng. Ibrahim Abi AzarDebbane Agriculture Group, explained the general knowledge of agricultural pesticides and the technical knowledge of its safe application. Dr. Wissam Ghash projected the safety guide of pesticide use for both human and environmental health. At the end of the workshop, the attendees were given certificates of participation from NWN-MUBS, from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day The National Wellness Network (NWN), Spears, in collaboration with the NGO SAID-CRC, organized an awareness day on colorectal cancer for professionals in the medical and paramedical field.

During the event Dr. Yasser Cheaib, director of the gastroenterology fellowship program at AUBMC (American University of Beirut Medical Center) gave a presentation on colorectal cancer prevention and the latest technologies in detecting the disease. Hana Nimer, founder and CEO of SAID-CRC , gave a lecture on the role of public health awareness in educating citizens about the early signs of the disease.

Finally, Jana Jabbour, clinical dietitian and head of the surgical unit at AUBMC, discussed the role of nutrition in prevention and management of colorectal cancer. The seminar was followed by a reception during which attendees and speakers mingled to discuss the pressing need for awareness days.

. 45

‫إدارة األعمال التي تهتم بتأمين‬ ‫خدمات للزوار‪ ،‬وتوفير المدخول‬ ‫الجيد لمقدمي الخدمات‬ ‫والحفاظ على الموارد الطبيعية‬ ‫في نفس الوقت تطبيقا‬ ‫الستراتيجية التنمية المستدامة‬ ‫في الحفاظ على الموارد الطبيعية‬ ‫ونقلها الى االجيال القادمة مع‬ ‫ثقافة المحافظة عليها‪.‬‬

‫‪www.nwn.com‬‬

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‫األعمال واإلستخدام المستدام‬ ‫للموارد الطبيعية والثقافية‪.‬‬ ‫وقد أثبتتأرقام دراسة القيمة‬ ‫اإلقتصادية لمحمية أرز الشوف‬ ‫انها مشجعة جداً‪ ،‬فالقيمة‬ ‫المادية لخدمات النظم‬ ‫اإليكولوجية التي نستطيع‬ ‫إحتسابهاحالي ًا تقدر بحوالي ‪10%‬‬ ‫من مجمل هذه الخدمات ‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫كانت توازي ‪ 19‬مليون دوالر سنوي ًا‬ ‫في نهاية العام ‪. 2015‬‬ ‫وتوزع هذه العائدات على الدولة‬ ‫والسلطة المحلية ومقدمي‬ ‫الخدمات السياحية واإلنتاجية‬ ‫باإلضافة إلى المحمية‪ .‬بينما ال‬ ‫تتجاوز الكلفة العامة للمحمية‬ ‫وإستثماراتها المليون دوالر‪.‬‬

‫‪١٨‬‬

‫بمعنى آخر‪ ،‬ان كل دوالر يستثمر‬ ‫في هذا المجال يد ّر ‪ 19‬دوالرا‬ ‫كمدخول في المقابل‪ .‬يعتبر‬ ‫من أفضل اإلستثمارات وأعالها‬ ‫عائدا‪ .‬ستقبلت منطقة الشوف‬ ‫هذا العام أعلى عدد زوار في‬ ‫لبنان ‪ .‬والفكرة األهم ان ‪95%‬‬ ‫من زوارنا وضيوفنا هم من‬ ‫اللبنانيين أنفسهم القادمين من‬ ‫كافة المناطق‪ ،‬منهم طالب‬ ‫جامعات ومدارس باإلضافة إلى‬ ‫مجموعات الشركات السياحية‬ ‫ومكاتب منظمي الرحالت‬ ‫والعائالت واألفراد‪ .‬وقد ارتاد‬ ‫محمية أرز الشوف حوالي ‪ 105‬آالف‬ ‫زائر من مداخلها المختلفة ‪.‬‬

‫ولتسويق هذا النهج ‪،‬برزت‬ ‫مبادرة الشوف األصي ل �‪Au‬‬ ‫‪ thentic Shouf‬التي اطلقتها‬ ‫السيدة نورا جنبالط منذ عامين‬ ‫بالشراكة مع تجار الشوف‬ ‫وجمعية أصحاب اإلمتياز اللبنانية‬ ‫وأرز الشوف ومهرجانات بيت‬ ‫الدين‪.‬‬ ‫كل هذه المبادرات تتماشى مع‬ ‫المخططات واإلستراتيجيات‬ ‫الوطنية وأهمها إستراتيجية‬ ‫وخطط عمل التنوع البيولوجي‬ ‫الوطنية التي أعدتها وزارة البيئة‬ ‫واإلستراتيجية الوطنية للسياحة‬ ‫الريفية التي اعدتها وزارة السياحة‬ ‫وكالهما تبنتهما الحكومة‪.‬‬ ‫هذا هو التوجه الجديد عالمي ًا في‬

‫الصغيرة الناتجة من تنظيف‬ ‫غابات الصنوبر والسنديان‬ ‫لحمايتها من حرائق الغابات‬ ‫في الصيف والخريف‪ ،‬والتي‬ ‫تخلط مع فضالت المواشي‬ ‫والمواد العضوية الناتجة عن‬ ‫الخضاروالطعام‪ ،‬ثم تفرم‬ ‫جميعها وتقلب للحصول على‬ ‫سماد طبيعي عالي الجودة‪ .‬ان‬ ‫أكبر وحدة إلنتاج الكومبوست‬ ‫(السماد الطبيعي) موجودة في‬ ‫بلدة معاصر الشوف التي أنتجت‬ ‫حتى اآلن ما يزيد عن ‪ 50‬طنا من‬ ‫السماد‪ .‬ويتم تدريب التعاونيات‬ ‫الزراعية‪ ،‬بالتعاون مع البلديات‪،‬‬ ‫إلنتاج هذا السماد في بلدة‬ ‫بعذران وبالتكامل مع معمل فرز‬ ‫النفايات الذي يغطي إتحاد بلديات‬ ‫الشوف األعلى وبتلون والباروك‬

‫وجباع ونيحا وعين زحلتا‪.‬‬ ‫أما في بشتفين ‪ ،‬فيخلط الجزء‬ ‫األكبر من نشارة الخشب من‬ ‫معمل السيمي مع جفت الزيتون‬ ‫ليصنع منه الحطب المضغوط‬ ‫الذي يعتبر منتجا بديالعن‬ ‫إستخدام الحطب وصديقا‬ ‫للبيئة‪.‬وينتج المعمل الذي‬ ‫قدمه النائب وليد جنبالط حوالي‬ ‫‪ 2‬مليون حطبة حالي ًا والمخطط‬ ‫له أن ينتج ‪ 5‬مليون حطبة في‬ ‫السنتين القادمتين‪.‬‬ ‫وقد تم إستحداث ‪ 100‬مزرعة‬ ‫دجاج بلدي صغير (‪ 24‬دجاجة‬ ‫في كل منها) في ‪ 6‬قرى‬ ‫(بمهريه وبتلون والجديدة‬ ‫والجاهلية وبشتفين وجباع)‬ ‫وذلك للتخفيف من المواد‬ ‫العضوية في النفايات وزيادة‬

‫انتاج البيض البلدي‪ .‬يتكامل هذا‬ ‫مع حمالت المناصرة في بلدتي‬ ‫بتلون وبعذران لتصنيع وحدات‬ ‫التسبيخ إلدارة المواد العضوية‬ ‫والتي تشكل ‪ % 50‬من نفاياتنا‬ ‫المنزلية‪ ،‬باالضافة الى تعميم‬ ‫مبدأ «زوادة بكرا» في المطاعم‬ ‫وهو عبارة عن استخدام علبة‬ ‫باحجام مختلفة يأخذ فيها رواد‬ ‫المطاعم بقاياطعامهم الى‬ ‫منازلهم بدال من ان يرمى في‬ ‫النفايات‪.‬‬ ‫كان هذا أمثلة عما يدور في هذه‬ ‫المنطقة التي تتكامل جهود‬ ‫بلدياتها مع تعاونياتها الزراعية‬ ‫ومحميتها وقياداتها السياسية‬ ‫ومجتمعها األهلي إلدارة مواردها‬ ‫بشكل متكامل ومتواز بين‬ ‫‪www.nwn.com‬‬

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‫الطعام التقليدي الصحي من‬ ‫صنع سيدات المنازل‪ .‬ولقد‬ ‫إستقبلت طاولة عميق العام‬ ‫الماضي ما يزيد عن ‪ 11‬ألف زائر‪.‬‬ ‫تربط كل هذه الخدمات دروب‬ ‫قدم للمشي (قادومية) تزيد‬ ‫اليوم عن ‪ 400‬كلم‪ ،‬تم تنظيفها‬ ‫وتعليمها وتدريب مرشدين‬ ‫محليين لمرافقة ضيوفنا‬ ‫عليها‪ .‬هذه الدروب هي التي‬ ‫تحكي قصص بلدنا وحقباته‬ ‫التاريخية الغنية والمتنوعة‪ ،‬هذه‬ ‫الدروب تمر بالجسور التاريخية‬ ‫في األودية ‪ ،‬ومن أقدمها جسر‬ ‫بركة العروس الذي يربط قريتي‬ ‫عين قني والمختارة الذي بني‬ ‫في العهد المملوكي سنة ‪،1907‬‬ ‫والمطاحن ومعاصر العنب‬ ‫والزيتون القديمة‪.‬‬

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‫ولن ننسى المونة البيتية وعسل‬ ‫األرز والعكوب والكثير من‬ ‫األعشاب البرية التي تعتبر من‬ ‫أفضل انواع االطباق في العالم‬ ‫وذات قيمة غذائية عالية جدا‪.‬‬ ‫وتساهم المونة البيتية في‬ ‫تأمين األمن الغذائي الذي يعتبر‬ ‫الهاجس األكبر في العالم اليوم‪،‬‬ ‫فالسؤال األهم هو كيف نؤمن‬ ‫غذاء صحيا ذا قيمة غذائية عالية‬ ‫ال يستهلك الكثير من الموارد‬ ‫ويستطيع التكيف مع التغيرات‬ ‫المناخية؟‬ ‫لتعزيز هذا األمر‪ ،‬يتم العمل‬ ‫على إستصالح األراضي الزراعية‬ ‫المهملة أي المدرجات القديمة‬ ‫التي هي جزء من تراثنا الثقافي‬ ‫الزراعي حيث يتم زرع المدرجات‬ ‫باألنواع البرية ذات القيمة‬

‫اإلقتصادية العالية وأهمها‬ ‫الزعتر والعكوب والزعرور والورد‬ ‫البري واألنواع األصلية التي ال‬ ‫تتأثر بتغيرات المناخ من التين‬ ‫والعنب والعناب وغيرها‪ .‬وذلك‬ ‫من خالل برنامج مع منظمة‬ ‫الغذاء العالمي ووزارة الزراعةو‬ ‫حيث تم إحصاء حوالي ‪ 600‬هكتار‬ ‫من األراضي الزراعية القديمة التي‬ ‫تحتاج إلى تأهيل‪.‬‬ ‫وباالمكان تنظيم دروب‬ ‫للمشي داخل هذه المدرجات‬ ‫ما يعرف بـ ‪Botanical trails‬‬ ‫وحدائق نباتية مفتوحة تربط‬ ‫هذه المدرجات بأحراج الصنوبر‬ ‫والسنديان واألرز في المرتفعات‪.‬‬ ‫أما السماد الطبيعي لهذه‬ ‫المدرجات فيؤمن من فضالت‬ ‫زراعية (الشحالة) واألغصان‬

‫الشوف هناك عشرات بيوت‬ ‫الضيافة والفنادق الصغيرة‬ ‫(‪ 15-20‬غرفة) التي ساعدت في‬ ‫ترميم البيوت القديمة والتراثية‬ ‫وحولتها إلى أماكن لإلقامة‬ ‫تقدم الطعام التراثي التقليدي‬ ‫والذي يعتبر جزء ال يتجزأ من‬ ‫تراثنا الثقافي في المنطقة‪ .‬هذه‬ ‫البيوت اليوم موجودة في قرى‬ ‫الباروك وعين زحلتا ودير القمر‬ ‫والمعاصر والخريبة وبعذران‬ ‫ومرستي ونيحا وغيرها‪.‬‬ ‫أضف إلى ذلك أماكن التخييم‬ ‫الخشن ‪Primitive Camping‬‬ ‫‪ Ground‬التي ال تتواجد فيها‬ ‫الطاقة الكهربائية‪ .‬فهي بالرغم‬ ‫من وجودها في قلب الطبيعة ال‬ ‫تؤذي البيئة وتتم إدارتها بطريقة‬ ‫مستدامة‪ .‬هذا هو األساس الذي‬ ‫يجذب الزوار اليها‪ :‬إستثمارات‬

‫صغيرة ولكن بمدخول جيد‬ ‫يعود بالنفع المباشر إلى اصحابها‬ ‫والعاملين فيها‪.‬‬ ‫ولن ننسى المطاعم‬ ‫المتخصصة التي تقدم الطعام‬ ‫النباتي البحت بشكل أساسي‬ ‫‪ Vegan‬والموجودة في بلدة‬ ‫كفرقطرة الشوفية وعين دارة‬ ‫وطاوالت الضيافة الموجودة في‬ ‫قرى جباع ومرستي والمعاصر‬ ‫والخريبة وبعذران وغيرها‬ ‫التي تقدم مأكوالتنا وأطباقنا‬ ‫التقليدية الصحية اللذيذة‪.‬‬ ‫أضف إلى ذلك طاولة عميق‪،‬‬ ‫المبنى األخضر األول في لبنان‬ ‫الذي ترشح لجائزة آغا خان‬ ‫الدولية والذي حصل على جائزة‬ ‫برنامج األمم المتحدة اإلنمائي‬ ‫للطاقة و‪ IPT‬والذي يقدم‬

‫تقرير‬

‫نموذج عـالمي للتنمية المســتدامة بأبعادها الثـالثة‪:‬‬

‫اإلجتماعية واإلقتصادية والبيئية‬ ‫تقرير‪ :‬نزار هاني‬ ‫يقــول ترافــر ســاندويذ (‪ )Trevor Sandwith‬مديــر البرنامــج العالمــي للمحميــات فــي اإلتحــاد الدولــي‬ ‫لحمايــة الطبيعــة (‪« ،)IUCN‬دائمــا يطلبــون منــا أمثلــة حيــة عن التنميــة المســتدامة بأبعادهــا الثالثة‬ ‫اإلجتماعيــة واإلقتصاديــة والبيئيــة‪ ،‬محميــة أرز الشــوف ومحيطهــا هــي خيــر مثــال على ذلــك‪ ،‬وإنموذج‬ ‫للتنميــة المســتدامة التــي هــي عبــارة عــن محميــة تحافــظ علــى أرز لبنــان وتنوعــه البيولوجــي ونظمــه‬ ‫اإليكولوجيةبطريقــة تفاعليــة تشــرك المجتمعــات المحليــة مــن خــال عــدة برامــج‪ ،‬الســياحة البيئية‬ ‫والزراعــة اإليكولوجيــة والتصنيــع الزراعــي وإدارة الكتلــة الحيويــة والتوعيــة البيئيــة وغيرهــا التــي تؤمــن‬ ‫فــرص عمــل صغيــرة ومتوســطة والمبنيــة علــى أســاس علمــي ســليم‪.‬‬

‫محمية أرز الشوف التي تعد‬ ‫األكبر في لبنان ومن األكبر‬ ‫واألنجح في محيط المتوسط‪،‬‬ ‫أعلنت محمية طبيعية في‬ ‫العام ‪ 1996‬بموجب القانون‬ ‫‪ 532‬وإعلنتها اليونسكو مع ‪22‬‬ ‫قرية محاذية لها كمحمية‬ ‫محيط حيوي في العام ‪2005‬‬ ‫ضمن برنامج اإلنسان والمحيط‬ ‫الحيوي‪ .‬رؤية المحمية هي‬ ‫كيفية الموازاة ما بين حماية‬ ‫الطبيعة والتنمية اإلقتصادية‬ ‫التي تتماشى مع اإلدارة‬ ‫الحديثة للموارد والحفاظ على‬ ‫المقدرات الطبيعية والبيئية‬ ‫والتراثية ألهلها ومجتمعاتها‬ ‫المحلية‪ .‬بشكل عملي‪ ,‬هي‬ ‫خلق نشاطات وأعمال صغيرة‬ ‫‪١٤‬‬

‫ومتوسطة ترتكز على المنتج‬ ‫المحلي الصحي والطبيعي‬ ‫الصديق لبيئته ويشبه اإلنسان‬ ‫الذي عاش في هذه األرض منذ‬ ‫آالف السنين ويرتبط بتراثه‬ ‫وثقافته‪.‬‬ ‫هذا هو المنهج الجديد في تنمية‬ ‫األرياف ألن األعمال الكبيرة‬ ‫التابعة للشركات اإلستثمارية‬ ‫أثبتت عدم إحترامها للبيئة‬ ‫واإلنسان في معظم الدول‬ ‫فهيتحول األرض‬ ‫والحاالت‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وتؤذي البيئة وتغير بطبيعة‬ ‫المجتمعات وتخرجها من‬ ‫نسيجها الثقافي والبيئي‪ .‬أما‬ ‫األهم من ذلك‪ ،‬فان األرباح‬ ‫بمعظمها تذهب إلى تلك‬

‫الشركات ومالكيها‪ ،‬وال تعود‬ ‫بفائدة على األرض واصحابها‪.‬‬ ‫ان الطريقة المستدامة‬ ‫للتطور والتنمية هي ان تملك‬ ‫المجتمعات األعمال الصغيرة‬ ‫والمتوسطة‪ ،‬هذا هو إتجاه‬ ‫منطقة الشوف بقيادتها‬ ‫وسلطاتها المحلية وجمعياتها‬ ‫ومجتمعاتها األهلية‪.‬‬ ‫عندما بدأ إنشاء بيوت الضيافة‬ ‫ودور اإلستقبال الصغيرة في‬ ‫العام ‪ 2000‬في الشوف‪ ,‬كانت‬ ‫فكرة غريبة ‪ ،‬وبنظر الكثيرين‬ ‫ال تستطيع ان تخلق التنمية‬ ‫والتطور اإلقتصادي المنشود‪.‬‬ ‫انما‪ ,‬مع الوقت أصبح في‬

‫واإلدراك‪ .‬الحاســة السادســة‪.‬‬ ‫شــاكرا الحلــق ( اللــون األزرق )‬ ‫الغــدة الدرقيــة ‪ :‬تقــع فــي منطقــة‬ ‫الحلــق‪ ،‬ترتبــط بالغــدة الدرقيــة ‪.‬‬ ‫تســاعد فــي التواصــل مــع الــذات‬ ‫والتعبيــر عنهــا ‪.‬‬ ‫شــاكرا القلــب ( اللــون األخضــر‬ ‫) الغــدة الصعتريــة ‪ :‬تقــع فــي‬ ‫منطقــة القلــب‪ ،‬ترتبــط بالغــدة‬ ‫الصعتريــة‪ ،‬تعمــل علــي زيــادة‬ ‫الرحمــة والحــب ‪.‬‬ ‫شــاكرا الظفيــرة الشمســية‬ ‫(اللــون األصفــر) البنكريــاس‪:‬‬ ‫تقــع بيــن المعــدة والبنكريــاس‪،‬‬ ‫تزيــد مــن إحتــرام النفــس‪ ،‬الثقــة‬ ‫بالنفــس‪ ،‬الشــجاعة‪ ،‬القــوة‬ ‫الشــخصية‪ .‬شــاكرا العجــز ( اللــون‬ ‫البرتقالــي ) الغــدة الكظريــة ‪ :‬تقــع‬ ‫فــوق الكليتيــن‪ .‬وهــي المســؤولة‬ ‫عــن اإلبــداع والعاطفــة والشــعور‬ ‫باالنتمــاء‪.‬‬ ‫شــاكرا الجــذر ( اللــون األحمــر‬ ‫) الغــدد الجنســية (المبيــض)‬ ‫(الخصيــة) ‪ :‬تقــع فــي قاعــدة‬ ‫العمــود الفقــري فــي منطقــة‬ ‫األعضــاء التناســلية ‪ .‬مســؤولة‬ ‫عــن الســامة والبقــاء علــي قيــد‬ ‫الحيــاة والعمــل الجماعــي ‪.‬‬ ‫وبذلــك‪ ،‬عندمــا يتــم حظــر تدفــق‬ ‫الطاقــة الفيزيائيــة عــن طريــق‬ ‫التماريــن الرياضيــة فــي حــركات‬ ‫معينــة لهــذه الغــدد او الشــاكرات‬ ‫فهــي تؤثر علــى كل شــاكرا أو أكثر‬ ‫وعلــى نظــام عمــل الغــدد الصماء‬ ‫لدينــا والتــي تنتــج الهرمونــات‬ ‫التــي تحفــز أو تمنــع العمليــات‬ ‫الفســيولوجية ‪ .‬وقد يتطورتأثيرها‬ ‫الــى األمــراض الجســدية والعقليــة‬ ‫أيضــ ًا فتخلصنــا مــن األمــراض‪.‬‬ ‫لذلــك عندمــا نعتمــد هــذه‬ ‫الطريقــة‪ ،‬فاننــا نــدرك أن التغيــر‬ ‫فــي الوعــي يؤثــر علــى حالــة الجســد‬ ‫وقــد اثبتــت هــذه النظريــة علميــا‪.‬‬ ‫ان تحكــم العقــل فــي حياتنــا هــو‬ ‫مصــدر تطــور اذا عرفنــا تدبيــر‬

‫االمــور وأدركنــا تاثيــر الفكــر علــى‬ ‫الصحــة‪.‬‬ ‫تســاعد الشــاكرا فــي تحقيــق‬ ‫التــوازن وهــذا هــو المطلــوب ‪:‬‬ ‫عندمــا يحــدث خلــل فــي مراكــز‬ ‫الطاقــة أو يعانــي شــخص مــن‬ ‫النشــاط المفــرط فهــذا يعنــي‬ ‫صعوبــة تحقيــق التــوازن الجســدي‬ ‫والعاطفــي والروحــي لديــه ‪ .‬فعلــى‬ ‫ســبيل المثــال فأنــت قــد تواجــه‬ ‫صعوبــة فــي التعبيــر عــن نفســك‬ ‫فــي وقــت مــا ‪ ،‬وتشــعر وكأنــك‬ ‫تتجــول فــي الضبــاب العاطفــي‬ ‫أو تعانــي مــن نوبــات عديــدة مــن‬ ‫إلتهــاب الحنجــرة أو إلتهــاب الحلق‪.‬‬ ‫مــا ســبق كلــه يعتبــر عالمــات‬ ‫ودالالت علــى ان شــاكرا الحلــق‬ ‫عنــدك غيــر متوازنــة ‪.‬‬ ‫وبشــكل عــام‪ ,‬عندمــا تكــون‬ ‫الشــاكرات متوازنــة بعضهــا مــع‬ ‫بعــض‪ ,‬يعمــل الجســم بطريقــة‬ ‫ممتــازة وذلــك مــن خــال النظــر‬ ‫فــي جميــع العالمــات التــي تواجهــه‬ ‫ســواء كانــت جســدية أم ال‪.‬‬ ‫والشــك أن هــذه العالمــات تظهــر‬ ‫حول منطقــة الشــاكرا المتضررة ‪.‬‬ ‫تقــول شــيا ايضــا ان نظــام الغــدد‬ ‫الصمــاء نظــام معقــد جــدا ً ولكــن‬ ‫عندمــا يتــم كســره إلــى أجــزاء‬ ‫فرديــة فــإن األمــر ليــس ســيئا‬ ‫للغايــة ‪ ،‬وعمومــ ًا فــان هــذه‬ ‫الشــبكة مــن الغــدد مســؤولة‬ ‫عــن إنتــاج وتنظيــم وتوزيــع‬ ‫الهرمونــات فــي جميــع أنحــاء‬ ‫الجســم وهــي تلعــب دورا ً حيويــ ًا‬ ‫ومحوريـ ًا فــي قــدرة الجســم علــى‬ ‫النضج‪ ،‬إســتقالب المــواد الغذائية‪،‬‬ ‫وتحســين وظائفــه بشــكل عــام ‪.‬‬ ‫فــاذا كانــت الغــدد هــي الوقــود‬ ‫للطاقــة الموجــودة فينــا‪ ,‬فــان‬ ‫الطعــام يشــكل المــواد الخــام‬ ‫لهــذه الطاقــة‪ .‬ولهــذا الســبب‬ ‫فــإن عالقــة االطعمــة باليوغــا‬ ‫عالقــة صحيحــة لتفعيــل عمــل‬ ‫الغــدد بطاقــة نظيفــة وجســم‬

‫وعقــل ســليمين‪.‬‬ ‫مــا الــذي يؤثــر علــي تــوازن‬ ‫الشــاكرات لدينــا ؟‬ ‫يتــم تحفيــز الشــاكرات األساســية‬ ‫مــن خــال تجــارب الحيــاة اليوميــة‬ ‫والبيئــة الثقافيــة ســواء كان‬ ‫ذلــك مــن خــال التحفيــز البدنــي‬ ‫المباشــر او العاطفــي‪ ,‬وهنــاك‬ ‫يتغيــر النظــام الكهرومغناطســي‬ ‫فــي جســمنا ويتــم تســجيله مــن‬ ‫خــال الشــاكرات األساســية لدينــا‬ ‫‪ .‬إن إتجــاه ونوعيــة الطاقــة لدينــا‬ ‫يحدثــان مــن قبــل كل التغيــرات‬ ‫مــن حولنــا‪ ،‬فالشــاكرا والتــوازن‬ ‫والنظــام الكلــي تتقلــب ضمــن‬ ‫منظومــة فعلية تــؤدي الــى خالص‬ ‫العالــم مــن الفكــر الســلبي‪.‬‬ ‫بالنهايــة‪ ,‬ان اليوغــا جــزء ال يتجــزأ‬ ‫مــن معرفــة الــذات وتطويرهــا‬ ‫فــي هــذا الجســد والعمــل علــى‬ ‫العيــش بســام‪ .‬هــذا مــا تصبــو‬ ‫اليــه اإلنســانية فــي المجتمعــات‬ ‫‪ ،‬وعــن طريــق ارشــاد النــاس الــى‬ ‫وســيلة معينــة للوصــول الــى‬ ‫الراحــة والســعادة المرجوتــان‪ .‬و‬ ‫هــذه التماريــن البســيطة هــي اول‬ ‫خطــوة فــي ســبيل معرفــة الــذات‬ ‫ومعرفــة انفســنا ‪ ،‬وال عالقــة الي‬ ‫ديــن بهــا وال هــي منهــج روحــي‬ ‫جديــد فــي هــذا العصــر الحديــث‪،‬‬ ‫بــل ان المعرفــة خيــر برهــان حيــث‬ ‫ان الكثيريــن يمارســونها وهــم‬ ‫ينتمــون الديــان مختلفــة ولــم‬ ‫تتأثــر معتقداتهــم بــل صقلــت‬ ‫اليوغــا حياتهــم وحفزتهــم‬ ‫لمعرفــة ذواتهــم الدراك‬ ‫الخيروتعقــب االفضــل‪.‬‬ ‫واخيــرا‪ ,‬تقــول شــيا ان الجلــوس‬ ‫لبضــع دقائــق يوميــا فقــط‬ ‫لممارســة التنفــس الصحيــح‬ ‫يدخلنــا فــي راحــة تامــة فكيــف‬ ‫اذا مارســنا الرياضــة والتنفــس‬ ‫الصحيــح والتامــل معــا؟‬ ‫ان اليوغــا نتيجــة ايجابيــة‬ ‫حتميــة لحيــاة مفعمــة بالصحــة‬ ‫و ا لســعا د ة ‪.‬‬ ‫‪www.nwn.com‬‬

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‫التنفــس الســليم العضــات‪,‬‬ ‫مــن خــال تماريــن اليوغــا‪ ,‬علــى‬ ‫التخلــص مــن ســمومها‪.‬‬ ‫وتقــول المدربــة شــيا ان النفــس‬ ‫هــو مــن اهــم الممارســات‬ ‫فــي رياضــة اليوغــا‪ .‬يتــوق أغلــب‬ ‫االشــخاص‪ ،‬فــي ايامنــا هــذه‪ ,‬الــى‬ ‫تنــاول الخضــار النيئــة الطازجــة‬ ‫لوجــود نســبة كبيــرة مــن العناصر‬ ‫الغذائيــة واالنزيمــات فيهــا‪ ،‬ولكــن‬ ‫ـم ‪ ،‬حقيقــة‪ ،‬هــو تواجد النســبة‬ ‫األهـ ّ‬ ‫االكبــر لالوكســيجن فيهــا‪.‬‬ ‫والتنفــس الصحيــح الــذي ينتــج‬ ‫زيــادة نســبة االكســجين للخاليــا‬ ‫هــو احــد اهــداف اليوغــا ‪ ،‬حيــث ان‬ ‫هــذه الزيــادة تخلــص العضــات‬ ‫مــن الشــوائب‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ويركــز برنامــج شــيا القائــم علــى‬ ‫اليوغــا ضمــن الشــبكة الوطنيــة‬ ‫للرعايــة علــى ‪ 7‬مســتويات هــي‪:‬‬ ‫الجســد اي المفاصــل والعضــات‪،‬‬ ‫ال َّنفــس اي عمليــة التنفــس‬ ‫الصحيــح‪ ،‬العقــل التحليلــي‬ ‫بالفكــر االيجابــي‪ ،‬الذاكــرة فــي‬ ‫تــوازن الغــدد الصمــاء مــن خــال‬ ‫التماريــن‪ ،‬الفــرق بيــن الــذات واالنــا‬ ‫والــروح فــي مــا يختــص باالوجــاي‬ ‫التــي توارثناهــا فــي هــذا الحيــاة او‬ ‫فــي مــن قبلهــا‪.‬‬ ‫فــإن المقاربــة كليــة‬ ‫بالتالــي‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لتعويــد األشــخاص علــى نمــط‬ ‫خــال مــن اإلجهــاد‬ ‫حيــاة جديــد‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫والتوتــر‪ ،‬وهمــا عنصــران متوفــران‬ ‫بكــرم زائــد فــي لبنــان‪.‬‬ ‫ومــا يلفــت فــي هــذا البرنامــج‬ ‫الصحــي الــذي تقدمــه الشــبكة‬ ‫الوطنيــة للرعايــة ليــس فاعليتــه‬ ‫علــى المواطــن العــادي فحســب‪،‬‬ ‫بــل فاعليتــه فــي تخفيــف االدمــان‬ ‫علــى المخــدرات وتخفيــف الضغــط‬ ‫النفســي والشــعور بالغضــب‬ ‫واالنتقــام عنــد المحكــوم‬ ‫عليهــم‪ ،‬فقــد تــم تعليــم هــذه‬

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‫التقنيــات إضافــة إلــى صفــوف‬ ‫اليوغــا وورشــات العمــل فــي‬ ‫العديــد مــن المؤسســات التربوية‬ ‫والشــركات والجمعيــات واألنديــة‬ ‫ومراكــز التأهيــل المختصــة‬ ‫بالعمــل فــي الســجون‪.‬‬ ‫وتصــف شــيا البرنامــج بالتجربــة‬ ‫العميقــة التــي بامكانهــا أن تغ ّيــر‬ ‫حيــاة الفــرد‪ ،‬حيــث ان طريقــة‬ ‫تعاملــه مــع المواقــف تصبــح‬ ‫أكثــر إيجابيــة‪ .‬واجابــة علــى‬ ‫التســاؤل عــن عالقــة الفيزيــاء‬ ‫بالكيميــاء وعملهمــا المتــوازي‪،‬‬ ‫وبالتالــي عــن عالقــة الشــاكرات‬ ‫‪ Chakra‬والغــدد الصمــاء فــي‬ ‫جســم االنســان مــع بعضهــا‬ ‫البعــض‪ ،‬أوضحــت الســيدة شــ ّيا‬ ‫ان الفالســفة الهنــدوس يقولــون‬ ‫ان الشــاكرات الســبع هــي مراكــز‬ ‫الطاقــة الخفيــة فــي الجســم‬ ‫وقــد تــم التعــرف عليهــا فــي‬ ‫العديــد مــن الثقافــات‪ .‬هنــاك‬ ‫ســبع شــاكرات أساســية فــي‬ ‫الجســم بمــا فيهــا الجــذر‪ ،‬العجــز‪،‬‬ ‫الظفيــرة الشمســية‪ ،‬القلــب‪،‬‬ ‫الحلــق‪ ،‬العيــن الثالثــة‪ ،‬والتــاج‪،‬‬ ‫وهــي تعتبــر مراكــز الطاقــة فــي‬ ‫أنحــاء الجســم ومصــدر النشــاط ‪.‬‬ ‫وتعتمــد الصحة البدنيــة والعقلية‬ ‫والعاطفيــة للفــرد علــى تحقيــق‬ ‫التناغــم بيــن هــذه الشــاكرات‪.‬‬ ‫ولــكل منهــا لــون مميــز خــاص‬ ‫بــه بــدءا مــن شــاكرا الجــذور التــي‬ ‫تتميــز باللــون األحمــر‪ ،‬ومــن ثــم‪,‬‬ ‫‪ ،‬صعــودا‪ ،‬البرتقالــي‪ ،‬ثــم األصفــر‪،‬‬ ‫‪,‬األخضــر‪, ،‬األزرق‪, ،‬النيلــي‪ ،‬وانتهــاء‬ ‫بالبنفســجي لشــاكرا التــاج‪.‬‬ ‫وتتأثــر حالــة الشــاكرا لدينــا‬ ‫بتجــارب الحيــاة اليوميــة التــي نمــر‬ ‫بهــا ايجابيــة كانــت ام ســلبية‪.‬‬ ‫فهــي تتــرك بصمــة فــي أنماطنــا‬ ‫الحيويــة وتؤثــر علــى الطريقــة التــي‬ ‫تعمــل بهــا ‪ .‬فالتجــارب الســلبية‬ ‫لهــا تأثيــر قــوي للغايــة ألنهــا‬

‫غالب ـ ًا مــا تــؤدي إلــى تغييــر مســار‬ ‫الــدوران اي ان يصبــح بالعكــس ‪،‬‬ ‫فهــدف الشــاكرات دعــم تدفــق‬ ‫الطاقــة المتــوازن فــي جميــع‬ ‫أنحــاء الجســم أو أجــزاء محــددة‬ ‫منــه مــن خــال توليــد الطاقــة‬ ‫الحياتيــة عبــر التــرددات والذبذبــات‬ ‫الناتجــة عــن هــذه الحركــة ‪.‬‬ ‫فكيــف‪ ،‬اذن‪ ،‬تؤثــر الشــاكرات‬ ‫الســبع علــى الغــدد الصمــاء ؟‬ ‫اذا كانــت الشــاكرات الســبع هــي‬ ‫مراكــز الطاقــة فالغــدد الصمــاء‬ ‫هــي المــواد االساســية لتصنيــع‬ ‫هــذه الطاقــة تمامــا مثــل الوقــود‪.‬‬

‫الشــاكرات الســبع ونظــام‬ ‫الغــدد الصمــاء ‪:‬‬ ‫تعمــل الشــاكرات الســبع‬ ‫الرئيســية فــي الجســم علــي‬ ‫تدفــق الطاقــة فــي جميــع أنحــاء‬ ‫الجســم مــن قاعــدة العمــود‬ ‫الفقــري وحتــى الــرأس‪ .‬ان‬ ‫الشــاكرات هــي البرامــج الرئيســية‬ ‫التــي تديــر حياتنــا العاطفيــة‬ ‫والجســدية وكل منهــا ترمــز الــى‬ ‫خصائــص مختلفــة وضروريــة‬ ‫لنمونــا ورفاهنا‪ .‬وال داع للدهشــة‪,‬‬ ‫فــإن الشــاكرات الســبعة تتفاعــل‬ ‫مــع الجســم مــن خــال نظــام‬ ‫الغــدد الصمــاء وهــي واحــدة مــن‬ ‫آليــات التحكــم الرئيســية فــي‬ ‫الجســم‪ .‬وسيســاعد الوصــف‬ ‫التالــي فــي توضيــح التفاصيــل‬ ‫حــول الشــاكرات الســبع والغــدد‬ ‫فــي جســم اإلنســان وموقعهــا‬ ‫ومميزاتهــا ‪.‬‬ ‫شــاكرا التــاج ( اللــون البنفســجي‬ ‫) الغــدة الصنوبريــة‪ :‬تقــع أعلــي‬ ‫الــرأس ترتبــط بالغــدة الصنوبريــة‬ ‫لتحســين الوعــي واألمــور‬ ‫الروحانيــة‪ .‬مثــل االتصــال بالخالــق‪.‬‬ ‫شــاكرا العيــن الثالثــة ( اللــون‬ ‫النيلــي ) الغــدة النخاميــة ‪ :‬تقــع‬ ‫وســطا بيــن الحاجبيــن‪ ،‬ترتبــط‬ ‫بالغــدة النخاميــة لزيــادة الحــدس‬

‫الغربيــة‪ ،‬مشــيرةإلى ان اليوغــا‬ ‫هــي عــدة مــدارس وصفــوف‬ ‫لالرتقــاء الجســدي والفكــري‬ ‫والروحــي‪ .‬فالصــف االول «هاتــا‬ ‫يوغــا» هــو الرياضــة البدنيــة فقــط‬ ‫‪ .‬امــا التأمــل والروحانيــات فهــي‬ ‫للصفــوف االعلــى‪ .‬ويمــارس‬ ‫اليوغيــون فــي العالــم طقوســا‬ ‫معينــة علــى هــوى المــدارس‬ ‫المتخصصــة التابعــة لمرجعيــات‬ ‫ثقافيــة مختلفــة حــول العالــم‪.‬‬ ‫وكمــا ذكرنــا ســابقا‪ ،‬فــا شــك ان‬ ‫األســباب التــي تدفــع باللبنانييــن‬ ‫إلــى ارتيــاد هــذه المراكــز ومزاولــة‬ ‫اليوغــا أنهــا ترتبــط بالضغــط‬ ‫النفســي الــذي يشــعرون بــه‬ ‫ويريــدون الخــروج منــه‪ .‬فمــن‬ ‫يــزاول اليوغــا لمــدة يشــعر‬ ‫بتحســن دائــم علــى كل االصعــدة‬ ‫فتصبــح جزءا مــن روتينــه اليومي‪.‬‬ ‫فالشــعور بالراحــة وممارســة‬ ‫التأمــل واعتمــاد النظــرة اإليجابيــة‬ ‫مــن االنســان لنفســه يغيرنوعيــة‬ ‫الحيــاة الــى االفضــل‪ .‬ومــن هنــا بــدأ‬ ‫تعلــق األفــراد باليوغــا واإلنتظــام‬ ‫فــي ممارســتها ‪.‬‬

‫ومــن الالفــت إقبــال الرجــال كمــا‬ ‫النســاء على صفــوف اليوغــا‪ ،‬فيما‬ ‫تكــون التكلفــة على المشــتركين‬ ‫نحــو ‪ 60‬دوالرا ً بشــكل عــام ألربــع‬ ‫حصــص فــي الشــهر‪ .‬وتتفــاوت‬ ‫التكلفــة وفــق حجــم المركــز‬ ‫ولياقــة المدربيــن فيــه‪ .‬ومــع كل‬ ‫هــذا اإلقبــال‪ ،‬ال يمكــن قيــاس‬ ‫الفاعليــة الحقيقيــة لليوغــا‪ ،‬فهــل‬ ‫تحســن المــزاج فعــ ً‬ ‫ا وتغ ّيــر‬ ‫هــي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مــن الحالــة النفســية وتخ ّلــص‬ ‫مــن الضغــوط؟ هــل لهــل عالقــة‬ ‫فعليــا بتغيــر وتحســين نوعيــة‬ ‫حيــاة الفــرد؟ ام ان التأثيــر هــو‬ ‫تأثيــر نفســي فقــط‪ ،‬علــى اســاس‬ ‫مقولــة‪ « :‬لــو أحســن أحدكــم‬ ‫الظــن بحجــر لنفعــه اهلل بــه «؟‬ ‫أمــا الشــبكة الوطنيــة للرعايــة‬ ‫التابعــة للجامعــة الحديثــة‬ ‫لــادارة والعلــوم فهــي الشــبكة‬ ‫التــي تقــدم النمــوذج االفضــل‬ ‫لمفهــوم الوعــي الصحــي للوقايــة‬

‫مــن االمــراض بكافــة جوانبــه‬ ‫كســبيل لبنيــة مجتمــع معافــى‪.‬‬ ‫ومــا برنامجهــا الــذي يعتمــد علــى‬ ‫وســائل ب ّنــاءة إال إلحيــاء النمــط‬ ‫الطبيعــي للجســم والفكــر‬ ‫فــي حيــاة اللبنانييــن‪ ،‬ومــن هنــا‬ ‫اســتضافت الشــبكة الســيدة‬ ‫شــيا العطــاء صفــوف اليوغــا‬ ‫والتأمــل حيــث ان مــن اهدافهــا‬ ‫البحــث والخبــرة فــي مجــال‬ ‫نشــرثقافة الوعــي فــي تغييــر‬ ‫انمــاط الســلوك العشــوائية‬ ‫والمســاعدة علــى تحقيــق‬ ‫التفكيــر اإليجابــي واســلوب الحيــاة‬ ‫المعاصــرة الســليمة‪.‬‬ ‫فــدور اليوغــا فــي هيكليــة‬ ‫الصحــة‪ ،‬تشــير شــيا ‪،‬هــو البحــث‬ ‫عــن طــرق ســليمة للتخلــص‬ ‫مــن ضغــوط الحيــاة‪ ،‬وكوســيلة‬ ‫صحيــة جســدي ًا ونفســي ًا لتهدئــة‬ ‫الجســم والتخفيــف مــن العصبية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫التنفــس‬ ‫وذلــك بإعتمــاد طريقــة‬ ‫الصحيحــة بــدل االنجــرار وراء‬ ‫تنــاول المهدئــات وغيرهــا‪.‬‬ ‫ويبــرز دور التنفــس كركيــزة‬ ‫أساســية فــي ممارســة اليوغــا ‪.‬‬ ‫فالنفــس هــو الحيــاة والحيــاة هــي‬ ‫فــي التنفــس‪ .‬فاالنســان يج ـ ّر اول‬ ‫نفــس عنــد الــوالدة وال يتوقــف‬ ‫هــذا النفــس اال عنــد المفارقــة‪.‬‬ ‫فنفــس االوكســيجن هــو‬ ‫المصــدر االول للحيــاة‪ .‬ويســاعد‬

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‫مقابلة‬

‫هل انت من أنصار‬ ‫رياضــة اليــــــوغا؟‬ ‫مقابلة مع السيدة كوثر شيا مستشارة في الطب التكاملي‬ ‫ـم األمــور التــي يجــب علــى اإلنســان ُممارســتها بشــكل يومــي‪ ،‬لمــا لهــا مــن‬ ‫ُتعتبــر ال ّرياضــة مــن أهـ ّ‬ ‫صحتــه ومظهــره ونفسـ ّيته‪ ،‬فالرياضــة أســاس صحــة اإلنســان ووقايتــه‬ ‫آثــار جانبيــة تنعكــس علــى ّ‬ ‫مــن اإلصابــة بالعديــد مــن األمــراض‪ ،‬كأمــراض القلــب واألوعيــة الدمويــة والســرطان وغيرهــا ‪ ،‬كمــا‬ ‫ـاقة ومرونـ ً‬ ‫أنهــا تجعــل الجســم أكثــر رشـ ً‬ ‫ـة‪ ،‬وهــي وســيلة ُممتــازة لل ّتســلية وال ّترويــح عــن ال ّنفــس‪,‬‬ ‫حيــث تزيــد مــن نســبة االوكســيجين بالــدم وتعتبــر ركيــزة النشــاط وعنصــرا مهمــا للحيــاة‪.‬‬

‫اليوغا‬

‫واليوغــا رياضة بســيطة وأســلوب‬ ‫حيــاة هدفهــا دمــج العقــل‬ ‫والجســد ضمــن وحــدة واحــدة‬ ‫متجانســة‪ .‬وتسـ ّبب اليوغــا توازنــا‬ ‫فــي الجســم علــى الصعيديــن‬ ‫الصحــي والفكــري‪ .‬فكلمــة اليوغــا‬ ‫تعنــي الوحــدة اي التوحيــد فــي كل‬ ‫مخلوقــات الكــون فــي طاقــة‬ ‫كونيــة واحــدة‪ ،‬فــكل فــرد منــا هو‬ ‫جــزء مــن هــذه الطاقــة الكونيــة‬ ‫ضمــن التجربــة الروحيــة التــي‬ ‫تــؤدي إلــى اتحــاد روح الفــرد بالــروح‬ ‫الكونيــة‬ ‫يعــود منشــأ هــذه ال ّرياضــة‬ ‫األصلــي إلــى الهنــد‪ ،‬فقــد عرفهــا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫الهنــود منــذ مــا يُقــارب ‪5000‬عــام ‪،‬إال‬ ‫أواخــر القــرن‬ ‫أن الغــرب عرفهــا فــي ِ‬ ‫التاســع عشــر وبدايــات القــرن‬ ‫العشــرين‪ .‬جذبــت هــذه الرياضــة‬ ‫المتابعيــن الغربييــن ‪،‬‬ ‫عــددا ً مــن ُ‬ ‫حيــث أصبحــت اليوغــا اليــوم رمــزا‬ ‫صحيــا يحتفــل بيومــه العالمــي‬

‫‪١٠‬‬

‫فــي ‪ 21‬حزيــران مــن كل عــام‪.‬‬

‫الجســدية والنفســية‪.‬‬

‫اكتســبت اليوغــا فــي لبنــان خــال‬ ‫الســنوات القليلــة الماضيــة‬ ‫شــعبية كبيــرة‪ ،‬وبــات مــن النــادر‬ ‫وجــود منطقــة خاليــة مــن مركــز‬ ‫مخصــص لمزاولتهــا مــع عــروض‬ ‫مميــزة فــي أحيــان كثيــرة‪ ،‬مــا‬ ‫يدفــع اللبنانييــن لتفضيلهــا‬ ‫علــى أي نشــاطات أخــرى مثــل‬ ‫المشــاركة فــي الصفــوف ضمــن‬ ‫نــواد رياضيــة‪ .‬وتعكــس هــذه‬ ‫ٍ‬ ‫الشــعبية المتوســعة التفتيــش‬ ‫المضطــرد للبنانييــن عن وســائل‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والتحكــم‬ ‫عمليــة لالســترخاء‬ ‫بالضغــط النفســي والتعامــل مــع‬ ‫الوضــع غيــر المســتقر فــي البــاد‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ظــل األزمــات المتالحقــة‪.‬‬ ‫فــي‬

‫أن اليوغــا باتــت الصيحــة‬ ‫بمــا ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫األكثــر رواجــا فــي لبنــان‪ ،‬يتوقــع‬ ‫أن تتكاثــر المراكــز المخصصــة‬ ‫بهــا‪ ،‬وأن تدخــل ضمــن صفــوف‬ ‫إضافيــة فــي النــوادي‪ ،‬وهــذا مــا‬ ‫يحصــل فعــ ً‬ ‫ا‪ .‬فهنــاك أق ّلــه‬ ‫‪ 40‬مراكــزا فــي وســط بيــروت‬ ‫ومحيطهــا القريــب لمزاولــة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يقــل عنــد‬ ‫اليوغــا‪ .‬وهــذا التزايــد ال‬ ‫الخــروج مــن العاصمــة بــل هنــاك‬ ‫نمــو ملحــوظ لمراكــز اليوغــا‬ ‫فــي مــدن أخــرى عــدة‪ ،‬وصــو ًال إلــى‬ ‫بعــض البلــدات‪.‬‬

‫فمــع المشــكالت اليوميــة التــي‬ ‫تفــرض نفســها علــى يوميــات‬ ‫اللبنانــي‪ ،‬يبحــث الفــرد عــن طاقــة‬ ‫أمــل للشــعور باإليجابيــة فــي‬ ‫محيــط ســلبي‪ .‬وتبــدو اليوغــا‬ ‫طريقــة مثلــى للشــعور بالراحــة‬

‫ولإلضــاءة علــى إنتشــار اليوغــا‬ ‫فــي لبنــان ونوعيــة المراكــز‬ ‫ومســتوى األداء إلتقينــا الســيدة‬ ‫كوثر شــيا‪ ,‬مستشــارة فــي الطب‬ ‫التكاملــي اي الطــب البديل‪،‬فهــي‬ ‫تمــارس اليوغــا علــى الطريقــة‬

‫تفاوت في النوعية‬

‫بوصفها حالة اختبار المشــاعر اإليجابية‪،‬‬ ‫وهــي تعتمد على مكونين اثنين رئيســيين‪:‬‬ ‫الشــعور باألمان والشعور بالقيمة‪.‬‬ ‫ويشــكل التوتر دفع ًا للســعادة إلى البعيد‪،‬‬ ‫ومعرفة الفرق بين التوتر ومسـ ّبباته‬ ‫أمر مفيــد‪ .‬وإزاء مواجهة التوتر‪ ،‬تتوقف‬ ‫المؤ ّلفة عنــد موضوع المرونة لتجنب‬ ‫مجدداً‪،‬‬ ‫الشــدائد أو احتمالها أو التصلب‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ولها أربعــة مجاالت تتو ّزع بين المرونة‬ ‫الجســدية‪ ،‬المرونة اإلدراكية‪ ،‬المرونة‬ ‫العاطفيــة والمرونة الروحية‪.‬‬ ‫يتناول القســم الثالث برنامج ًا من أربع‬ ‫خطوات يمتد على عشــرة أسابيع تتمحور‬ ‫حــول التدريب على االنتبــاه وكيفية التفكير‪،‬‬ ‫واالمتنــان‪ ،‬التعاطف‪ ،‬التقبل‪ ،‬المعنى‪،‬‬ ‫المســامحة‪ ،‬العالقات‪ ،‬وصو ًال إلى الخطوة‬ ‫الثالثــة وهي القيامبتمارين جســدية عقلية‬ ‫تؤدي الى هدوء آني او ســعادة مطلقة‪،‬‬ ‫وانتهــاء بكيفيــة التقليل من التوتر ورفع‬ ‫مســتوى الطاقة اليومية‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫داعية‬ ‫وتتابع المؤلفة اســتنتاجاتها‬ ‫إلى إســتحضار االنتباه إلى كل ما يحيط‬ ‫بنا‪ ،‬للتوقف قليـ ً‬ ‫ا والتفكير بماهية‬ ‫االشــياءمن حولنا والتي تؤدي دورا ً ما‬ ‫فــي حياتنــا‪ ،‬ليختم بالتوقف عند إدراك أن‬ ‫معظم األشــياء في الحياة فانية‪.‬‬ ‫كتاب ق ّيــم‪ ،‬كمرجع علمي ثقافي‬ ‫وكســبيل للمساعدة في فهم تعقيدات‬ ‫الحيــاة ومواجهة الصعوبات والتوتر‪.‬‬ ‫‪www.nwn.com‬‬

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‫كتاب العدد‬

‫كتاب السعادة‬ ‫‪Handbook of Happiness‬‬ ‫لمؤلفته الدكتورة أميت سوود “‪ ،”Amit Swood‬صادر عن مركز ‪.Mayo Clinic‬‬ ‫إصدار‪ :‬الدار العربية للعلوم ناشرون‪ ،‬ترجمة غيلدا عساف‪.‬‬

‫يدعو اســم مايو كلينيك بحد‬ ‫ذاتــه الى جذب االهتمام‪ ،‬بالنظر‬ ‫إلى القيمــة التي يمثلها المركز‬ ‫ودوره حــول العالم‪ .‬ويأتي عنوان‬ ‫الكتاب ليشـ ّ‬ ‫ـكل دافع ًا آخر إلى‬ ‫التعــرف على المفاهيم التي‬ ‫تضمنهــا‪ ،‬وقد تو ّزعت هذه‬ ‫المفاهيم على ثالثة أقســام‪.‬‬ ‫يتنــاول التقديم عرض ًا من‬ ‫المؤ ّلفة لنشــأته في حي معدم‬ ‫في أحد مدن وســط الهند‪ ،‬ثم‬ ‫التجربــة والصدمة التي تع ّرض‬ ‫لهما كطبيب مبتدئ للمســاعدة‬ ‫في معالجــة نتائج النكبة التي‬ ‫ألمــت ببلدته بوبال في الهند‬ ‫نتيجة تسـ ّرب كيميائي‪ ،‬لتبدأ في‬ ‫العــام ‪ 1995‬الرحلة إلى الواليات‬ ‫المتحــدة حيث تفاجأ الطبيب‬ ‫الشــاب فيها بحجم األزمات التي‬ ‫ـدث عنها إحصائيات االنتحار‪،‬‬ ‫تتحـ ّ‬ ‫واالكتئاب وسوء التغذية‪،‬‬ ‫وازدحام الســجون‪ ،‬لتبدأ مشوارها‬ ‫مــع رحلة البحث عن أجوبة‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫يشـ ّ‬ ‫ـكل الكتاب نتيجة «تطوير‬ ‫برنامــج القدرة على التك ّيف» من‬ ‫خالل التوازن بين ســبعة جوانب‬ ‫رئيســية تتو ّزع بين الجانب‬

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‫العلمي‪ ،‬إلى اكتســاب المهارات‬ ‫البســيطة والقابلة للقياس‪،‬‬ ‫ضمن بنية هيكلية ســليمة‬ ‫يصبــح معها الكل أعظم من‬ ‫مجموع أجزائه‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ويشكل الكتاب فرصة‬ ‫للمشــاركة في البرنامج‬ ‫الموصــوف (دليل مايو العيادي‬ ‫لحيــاة خالية من التوتر)‪.‬‬ ‫بدء من القســم‬ ‫يتضمن الكتاب ً‬ ‫األول اســتمارات ونماذج لالختبار‪،‬‬ ‫انطالقـ ًا من تحقيق التوازن من‬ ‫خــال تخفيف األحمال الثقيلة‬ ‫عــن عقولنا عبر كتابة أهم‬ ‫قضايا الماضي والمســتقبل التي‬ ‫تشكل مصدرا ً لإلزعاج‪.‬‬ ‫أما في شــرح طريق السعادة‬ ‫فتعتبــر المؤ ّلفة أن االمتنان‬ ‫محطــة إجبارية‪ .‬ويمكن للمرء‬ ‫أن يكون ممتن ًا ألشــياء‪ ،‬لتجارب‪،‬‬ ‫ألنــاس‪ ،‬و يصل إلى أفضل ما هو‬ ‫عليه من الســعادة عندما يطبق‬ ‫محددين‪.‬‬ ‫ذلــك على أناس‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وفي القســم الثاني للكتاب‬ ‫تشــرح الكاتبة وضعين للدماغ‬ ‫بدء من اإلشــارة إلى الخاليا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫العصبيــة للدماغ التي تصل إلى‬

‫حوالــي ‪ 90‬مليار خلية‪ ،‬مرتبطة‬ ‫ببعضهــا ومضغوطة بكتلة‬ ‫تــزن ‪ 3‬باوندات‪ ،‬وصوال الى‬ ‫متىيكون الدماغ فيه ســعيدا ً‬ ‫واالجابــة هي حين يكون مركزاً‪،‬‬ ‫ويوضــح الكاتب انه في حال‬ ‫ملــل الدماغ فانه يعبس ويدخل‬ ‫في وضع افتراضي‪ ،‬مما يسـ ّبب‬ ‫التوتــر والقلق واالكتئاب‪ ،‬وطرد‬ ‫السعادة‪.‬‬ ‫واســتطرادا ً إلى العالقة بين‬ ‫الدمــاغ والعقل‪ ،‬تقارب المؤ ّلفة‬ ‫الدماغ بكلمات أبســط وكأنه‬ ‫جهــاز كمبيوتر‪ ،‬والعقل وكأنه‬ ‫البرمجيات‪.‬‬ ‫مــن هنا فإن العقول هي مخازن‬ ‫للذكريــات والتجارب (مثل آالم‪،‬‬ ‫نــدم على الماضي ومخاوف‬ ‫من المســتقبل)‪ .‬بعض هذه‬ ‫المخــاوف منطقي وبعضها‬ ‫غيــر منطقي‪ ،‬حيث ان معظم‬ ‫التهديــدات التي نواجهها اليوم‬ ‫هي تهديدات نفسية‪.‬‬ ‫وارتباط ًا بالمفاهيم الســابقة‪،‬‬ ‫تتوقف المؤ ّلفة عند الســعادة‪،‬‬

‫ويسرنا ذكر إن هذه المراكز‬ ‫الصحية في مراكز الجامعة التي‬ ‫تنتشر في مختلف المناطق‬ ‫اللبنانية تستعد في المرحلة‬ ‫المقبلة لتقديم خدمات صحية‬ ‫للمسنين من أنشطة يومية‬ ‫وعناية بصحتهم وتوفير أوقات‬ ‫ممتعة ومسلية لهم في اجواء‬ ‫مريحة وايجابية‪.‬‬ ‫وفي المحصلة‪ ،‬فإن إزدهار‬ ‫السياحة الصحية مرتبط‬

‫بإستقرار االوضاع السياسية واالمنية‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ولعل قيام دولة عصرية‬ ‫في لبنان‪،‬‬ ‫ومدنية تهتم برعاياها يتطلب‬ ‫إهتمام الحكومة والجماعات واالفراد‬ ‫بهذا النوع من السياحة من خالل‬ ‫التواصل مع المجتمعات المحتاجة‬ ‫الى خدمات مماثلة من خالل وضع‬ ‫سياسة عالجية وصحية واستقطابية‬ ‫لتوفير الخدمات الالزمة للمرضى‬ ‫وتشخيص وضعهم الصحي بشكل‬ ‫دقيق وتقديم الخدمات المناسبة‬ ‫قياسا بالدول المتقدمة‪.‬‬

‫‪www.nwn.com‬‬

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‫لبنان‬ ‫قبلة السياحة العالجية‬

‫تقرير‪ :‬د‪ .‬نغم ابو شقرا‬

‫ّ‬ ‫تمكن لبنان من استعادة دوره‬ ‫بعد الحروب االهلية واالزمات‬ ‫السياسية التي م ّر بها‪ ،‬ليصبح‬ ‫وتخصصا في‬ ‫من أكثر الدول جذ ًبا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫السياحة العالجية العربية‪.‬‬ ‫ومع عصر العولمة ازداد اهتمام‬ ‫الدول والحكومات بكيفية‬ ‫استخدام مواردها السياحية‬ ‫وإمكاناتها الطبيعية من أجل‬ ‫السياح إليها من كافة‬ ‫جذب ّ‬ ‫انحاء العالم‪ .‬أصبحت السياحة‬ ‫سواء بهدف الترفيه او العالج أو‬ ‫االستكشاف‪ ،‬احد ركائز االزدهار‬ ‫االقتصادي واالجتماعي ‪ ،‬وبات‬ ‫لديها دور متنام ومهم في‬ ‫تنمية قطاع الخدمات‪ .‬وفي هذا‬ ‫االطار يمكن تصنيف السياحة الى‬ ‫عدة انواع منها‪:‬‬ ‫السياحة الترفيهية‪ ،‬السياحة‬ ‫الدينية‪ ،‬السياحة التراثية‪،‬‬ ‫السياحة الشاطئية‪ ،‬سياحة‬ ‫التامل‪ ،‬سياحة المغامرات‪،‬‬ ‫سياحة االعمال‪ ،‬والسياحة‬ ‫العالجية وغيرها الكثير‪.‬‬ ‫وفي االضاءة على السياحة‬ ‫العالجية في مقالنا هذا‪ ،‬فإنها‬

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‫تعني السفر بهدف العالج‬ ‫واالستجمام في عدد من‬ ‫المراكز والمنتجعات الصحية‪.‬‬ ‫ويعد لبنان واحدا ً من اهم بلدان‬ ‫العالم العربي في مجال السياحة‬ ‫الصحية إذ يحتضن اهم المراكز‬ ‫الطبية والعالجية بسبب امتالكه‬ ‫احدث المعدات واالجهزة الطبية‬ ‫والعالجية المتوفر مثيلها في‬ ‫أهم المراكز الطبية في الواليات‬ ‫المتحدة االميركية واوروبا‪ .‬أضف‬ ‫الى ذلك غناه بالكوادر والكفاءات‬ ‫الطبية‪.‬‬ ‫واليوم‪ ،‬ومع التطور الثقافي‬ ‫واالجتماعي الذي يعيشه العالم‪،‬‬ ‫يوجد في لبنان أكثر من ‪70‬‬ ‫إختصاصا طب ًيا وأكثر من ‪ 12‬ألف‬ ‫ً‬ ‫طبيب في مختلف االختصاصات‪.‬‬ ‫يضم القطاع االستشفائي‬ ‫اللبناني ‪ 161‬مستشفى منها ‪7‬‬ ‫مستشفيات جامعية بعضها‬ ‫تم إعتماده عالم ًيا‪ ،‬وهي تحتوي‬ ‫على ‪ 15‬ألف سرير‪ ،‬فضال عن ‪15‬‬ ‫ألف غرفة فندقية‪ ،‬وأطباء لبنان‬ ‫متخرجون من ‪ 46‬دولة بما فيها‬ ‫لبنان‪.‬‬

‫وفي هذا الصــدد ّ‬ ‫ركزت الجامعة‬ ‫الحديثة لــادارة والعلوم على‬ ‫إفتتــاح مراكز صحيــة تابعة لها‬ ‫في عاليه وبيروت والشــوف‪،‬‬ ‫من اجــل تقديم خدمات‬ ‫صحية وطبيــة متطورة النماء‬ ‫الســياحة العالجية لجهة‬ ‫االعتناء بصحة الجســم وذلك‬ ‫من خــال تنظيم صفوف‬ ‫رياضيــة وأخرى لها عالقة‬ ‫بســياحة التأمل والتــي تعتبر من‬ ‫ارقى أنواع الســياحة العالمية‬ ‫وهــي منتج ســياحي جديد على‬ ‫المســتوى العالمي‪ .‬ويتطلب‬ ‫هــذا النوع تواجــد مختصين في‬ ‫مجال التأمــل والتفكير‪ .‬وهذا‬ ‫مــا تقدمــه الجامعة الحديثة‬ ‫لــادارة والعلوم عن طريق‬ ‫شــبكة الرعاية الصحية في‬ ‫كافــة فروعها‪ .‬أضف الى ذلك‬ ‫الخدمات الخاصــة بالتغذية‬ ‫والعــاج الفيزيائي فض ً‬ ‫ال عن‬ ‫وجود عيــادات متخصصة في‬ ‫الصحة النفســية ذات العالقة‬ ‫المباشــرة بالصحــة العقلية‬ ‫وذلــك كله ينــدرج تحت ما يعرف‬ ‫بالســياحة العالجية‪.‬‬

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‫لملــوك العــرب إلــى لبنــان ‪ ،‬ونتيجة‬ ‫اإلنشــقاق العامــودي الحاصــل‬ ‫فــي لبنــان بســبب المشــاكل‬ ‫السياســية الدائمــة ‪ ،‬خلقــت‬ ‫تراجعــا ملحوظــا فــي الســياحة‬ ‫فــي لبنــان‪ ،‬خاصــة ان الدراســات‬ ‫كشــفت ان فتــرة حجــوزات دول‬ ‫التعــاون الخليجــي مــن حجــوزات‬ ‫الــدول العربيــة مث ـ ً‬ ‫ا (حيــث دخــل‬ ‫‪ 300‬الــف ســائح خليجــي بمعــدل ‪10‬‬ ‫ايــام كاملــة‪ ،‬فــي حيــن تــوازى عــدد‬ ‫الســواح العراقييــن واالردنييــن‬ ‫انمــا لمعــدل ثالثــة ايــام فقــط‬ ‫) لذلــك فــإن الســائح الخليجــي‬ ‫يمتــاز بمــدة إقامتــه المتوســطة‬ ‫والطويلــة‪.‬‬ ‫وحــول إنعكاســات الوضــع‬ ‫األمنــي والواقــع السياســي علــى‬ ‫هــذا القطــاع فــي ظــل الحــرب‬ ‫اإلقليميــة والتحذيــرات المرتبطة‬ ‫باألهــداف السياســية ‪ ،‬يشــير‬ ‫االشــقر إلــى أن لبنــان هــو البلــد‬ ‫األكثــر أمن ـ ًا فــي الشــرق األوســط‬ ‫مــع بــروز بعــض المالحظــات‬ ‫والمخــاوف ‪ ،‬وأن دول مجلــس‬ ‫التعــاون الخليجــي بصــدد إنتظــار‬ ‫تشــكيل الحكومــة والتــي فــي‬ ‫حــال أنجــزت هــذا االســبوع فــإن‬ ‫هــذا القطــاع سيشــهد طفــرة‬ ‫نمــو واضحــة وجديــة بعــد إشــارة‬ ‫واضحــة للمواطنيــن بكســر‬ ‫الحظــر المفــروض علــى الســواح‬ ‫بالتوجــه الــى لبنــان والــذي يشــكل‬ ‫متنفســ ًا طبيعيــ ًا لهــم‪.‬‬ ‫وحــول التدابيــر التــي علــى وزارة‬ ‫الســياحة اتخاذهــا لمســاعدة‬ ‫قطــاع الفنــادق‪ ,‬كيــف يوصــف‬ ‫واقــع الفنــادق فــي لبنــان فــي ظــل‬ ‫تراجــع الســياحة فــي لبنــان؟‬

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‫يبــرز األشــقر حيــزا الفتــ ًا يتجلــى‬ ‫فــي غيــاب المنتجعــات الســياحية‬ ‫علــى البحر‪،‬والتــي تشــكل مــوردا ً‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫جــل‬ ‫ســياحي ًا هامــ ًا‪ ،‬فتعــداد‬ ‫فنــادق لبنــان ومنتجعاتــه ال‬ ‫يصــل الــى أكثــر مــن ‪ 25000‬غرفــة‬ ‫بينمــا يصــل تعــداد المنتجعــات‬ ‫فــي إيطاليــا إلــى ‪ 100000‬غرفــة وفــي‬ ‫ســياق آخــر هنــاك ‪ 700000‬روســيا‬ ‫فــي قبــرص علــى شــاطئ البحــر‬ ‫بينمــا قلمــا نملــك فــي لبنــان‬ ‫منتجعــات والتــي يصــل تعدادهــا‬ ‫الــى اصابــع اليــد الواحــدة ‪.‬‬

‫عــن تفاصيلهــا؟ فاالضــاءة علــى‬ ‫هــذه المشــاكل قليلــة ألن القــرار‬ ‫السياســي فــي تلــك البــاد واضــح‬ ‫لنقــل صــورة حضاريــة عــن الداخل‬ ‫وليــس العكــس‪.‬‬ ‫كذلــك‪ ،‬ضــرورة العمــل إلبــراز‬ ‫دور الســياحة الصحيــة والريفيــة‬ ‫ووضــع أفــكار خالقــة جديــدة‬ ‫لجــذب الســواح ومراقبــة األســعار‬ ‫مــع ان تكلفــة الفنــادق فــي لبنــان‬ ‫مقياســا تعتبــر منطقيــة ففــي‬ ‫أهــم فنــادق لبنــان‪ ،‬فينيســيا‬ ‫مثــا‪ ،‬ال يتجــاوز تكلفــة الغرفــة‬ ‫الواحــدة فيــه ‪ ،133$‬مثــال آخــر‬ ‫هــو فنــدق مونــرو بتكلفــة ‪108‬‬ ‫‪ $‬للغرفــة الواحــدة‪ ،‬بينمــا تصــل‬ ‫تكلفــة الغرفــة الواحــدة فــي‬ ‫الفنــادق االيطاليــة الــى ‪ 450‬يــورو‬ ‫وفــي قبــرص الــى ‪ 320‬يــورو‪.‬‬ ‫وخوفــ ًا مــن الروتيــن االقتصــادي‬ ‫وتراجــع الســياحة فــي برمانــا‪،‬‬ ‫وبخطــوة إســتباقية قامــت‬ ‫البلديــة بتعييــن ‪ 6‬شــرطيات‬ ‫بــزي موحــد‪ ،‬بــدور الترحيــب‬ ‫بالقادميــن بأســاليب متنوعــة‬ ‫تضيــف الفــرح علــى المــكان حيــث‬ ‫ســاهم وجودهــن برفــع الســياحة‬ ‫الداخليــة الــى ‪ 1600‬ســائح يوميــا‪.‬‬

‫وفــي اإلضــاءة علــى بعــض الحلــول‬ ‫لتطويــر الســياحة ‪ ،‬يركــز االشــقر‬ ‫علــى دور وســائل االعــام فــي‬ ‫عــدم نقــل مشــاكل لبنــان إلــى‬ ‫الخــارج ‪ ،‬فزحمــة الســير مثــا‬ ‫فــي مصــر ‪ ،‬ودبــي والهنــد تضاهــي‬ ‫زحمــة الســير اللبنانيــة‪ ،‬انمــا‬ ‫مــن يعرفهــا منــا ومــن ســمع‬

‫ويختــم االشــقر بقولــه‪" :‬أعطونــا‬ ‫االســتقرار وخــذوا مــا يدهــش‬ ‫العالــم !"‬

‫ويشــير االشــقر إلــى إرتفــاع أســعار‬ ‫العقــارات كســبب مباشــر لقلــة‬ ‫تعــداد المنتجعــات فــي لبنــان‪،‬‬ ‫حيــث تبلــغ تكلفــة المتــر الواحــد‬ ‫فــي جبيــل ‪4‬آالف دوالرا‪ .‬أما اذا كان‬ ‫المنتجــع بمســاحة ‪ 50‬ألــف متــر‬ ‫مربــع فــإن ســعر العقــار وحــده‬ ‫يبلــغ ‪ 200‬مليــون دوالر ناهيــك‬ ‫عــن تكلفــة البنــاء والخدمــات‬ ‫والموظفيــن‪ .‬لذلــك يــرى األشــقر‬ ‫أن التطــور الســياحي يقتضــي‬ ‫حوافــز جديــدة بــدون ضريبــة‪،‬‬ ‫مــع التركيــز علــى بنيــة تحتيــة‬ ‫متطــورة‪.‬‬

‫القطــاع الســياحي والتراجــع‬ ‫الكبيــر‬ ‫كلنــا نــدرك أن طبيعــة لبنــان‬ ‫الجغرافيــة‬ ‫وصغرمســاحته‬ ‫وقــرب الجبــل مــن الســاحل‬ ‫مميــزات تدعــم الســياحة فــي‬ ‫لبنــان حيــث يســتطيع الســائح‬ ‫وبوقــت قصيــر أن يســتفيد‬ ‫مــن معالمــه الســياحية‪ ،‬وعلــى‬ ‫الرغــم مــن مقومــات الســياحة‬ ‫فــإن القطــاع الســياحي مــن‬ ‫فنــادق ومطاعــم وأماكــن اثريــة‬ ‫يعانــي مــن تداعيــات أزمــات‬ ‫داخليــة وخارجيــة جمــة‪ ،‬ممــا‬ ‫جعــل اللبنانــي فــي حــال إنتظــار‬ ‫لمعرفــة‪ ،‬ليــس فقــط وجهــة‬ ‫ســير الموســم الســياحي بــل‬ ‫أيضــا وجهــة ســير البــاد عموم ـ ًا‪.‬‬ ‫فــكل مــا تــدل عليــه األشــهر‬ ‫الماضيــة وحتــى الســنوات‬ ‫الخمــس المنصرمــة باألرقــام الى‬ ‫تراجــع الكبيــر لنســبة الســياح بيــن‬ ‫العاميــن ‪ 2015‬و‪ 2016‬حيــث ســجل‬ ‫المعــدل العــام للســياح فــي‬ ‫األشــهر األولــى للعــام ‪ 2016‬تراجع ـ ًا‬ ‫بنســبة ‪ 20‬بالمئــة حيــث بلــغ عــدد‬ ‫الســياح ‪ 83355‬فــي شــهر اذار‪/‬‬ ‫مــارس ‪ 2016‬فــي حيــن وصــل العدد‬ ‫فــي الفتــرة نفســها مــن العــام‬ ‫‪ 2015‬الــى ‪ 106,220‬ســائح ًا‪ ،‬وقــد اثــار‬ ‫هــذا التراجــع مخــاوف متعــددة‬ ‫مــن نتائــج إقتصاديــة ســلبية‬ ‫واضحــة المعالــم ‪،‬علمــ ًا أن هــذا‬ ‫التراجــع فــي حركــة الوافديــن كان‬ ‫قــد بــدأ منــذ العــام ‪ ،2011‬حيــث‬ ‫تشــير األرقــام وبشــكل واضــح أن‬ ‫عــام ‪ 2011‬كان بدايــة لمنحــى تراجــع‬ ‫عــدد القادميــن الــى لبنــان حيــث‬ ‫تعطــل الممــر البــري للســياح‬ ‫الخليجييــن بشــكل خــاص نتيجــة‬ ‫حذرهــم مــن المجيءعبر ســوريا‪.‬‬ ‫ومــن يراقــب أوضــاع القطــاع‬

‫الســياحي اللبنانــي عــن قــرب‬ ‫يكتشــف أن هــذا القطــاع يشــهد‬ ‫انتكاســات متتاليــة منــذ العــام‬ ‫‪ 2005‬ناجمــة عــن حالــة عــدم‬ ‫االســتقرار التــي تعيشــها البــاد‪.‬‬ ‫واذا الحظنــا فــي فتــرات األعيــاد‬ ‫وجــود حركــة ولكنهــا كمــا يبــدو‬ ‫لــم تثمــر نتائــج إيجابيــة‪ ،‬فهــي‬ ‫اشــبه بالــكالم فــي الطاحــون‪ .‬ان‬ ‫المؤسســات الســياحية‪ ،‬وككل‬ ‫عــام‪ ،‬تأمــل ان يكــون الوضــع‬ ‫أفضــل مــن األيــام الخوالــي‪ ،‬لكنهــا‬ ‫عبثــ ًا تأمــل‪.‬‬

‫السياحة مرتبط بالسياسة‬ ‫وإزاء هــذا التراجــع‪ ،‬كيــف‬ ‫ينظــر أصحــاب اإلختصــاص‬ ‫لواقــع الســياحة عــام ‪2018‬‬ ‫بعــد اإلنتخابــات النيابيــة وواقــع‬ ‫التشــكيل الحكومــي ؟ ومــا هــو‬ ‫تقييمكــم للواقــع الحالــي ونحــن‬ ‫فــي ظــل موســم يعــول عليــه‬ ‫اللبنانيــون لزيــادة ايراداتهــم‬ ‫ســياحي ًا واقتصاديــ ًا؟‬

‫نقيب أصحاب الفنادق‬ ‫يوجــد فــي لبنــان مــا يقــارب الـــ‪460‬‬ ‫فندقــ ًا تضــم حوالــى ‪ 25‬الــف‬ ‫غرفــة‪ ،‬وكلفــة الغــرف‪ ،‬كمــا‬ ‫الشــقق المفروشــة‪ ،‬تراجعــت‬ ‫لتصــل اليــوم الــى حوالــى ‪40‬‬ ‫بالمئــة فــي ضــوء نســبة اشــغال‬ ‫تتــراوح مــا بيــن الـــ‪ 25‬والـــ‪ 40‬بالمئة‬ ‫مقابــل ‪ 76‬و‪ 80‬بالمئــة ســابق ًا‪.‬‬ ‫فــي لقــاء مــع رئيــس نقابــة‬ ‫أصحــاب الفنــادق فــي لبنان الســيد‬ ‫بيــار االشــقروكيف ينظرإلــى‬ ‫تدنــي نســبة الحجــوزات فــي بلــد‬ ‫ســياحي بامتيــاز‪ ،‬يشــير األشــقر‬

‫إلــى تأثيــر الوضــع السياســي فــي‬ ‫لبنــان علــى حجــوزات الخليجييــن ‪،‬‬ ‫الذيــن يعتبــرون العمــود الفقــري‬ ‫للســياحة البينيــة (بيــن الــدول‬ ‫العربيــة) حيــث يشــكل لبنــان‬ ‫محــور الســياحة نتيجــة مناخــه‬ ‫المعتــدل وصغــر مســاحته‬ ‫وقــرب المناطــق الجبليــة مــن‬ ‫الســاحلية ‪ ،‬فالســائح الخليجــي‪،‬‬ ‫وخــال ســاعتين مــن الطيــران الــى‬ ‫لبنــان‪ ،‬أو ًال يهــرب مــن موســم‬ ‫حــر يمتــد لســتة أشــهر كاملــة ‪،‬‬ ‫وثانيــا يدخــل فــي ديموغرافيــة‬ ‫اجتماعيــة متقدمــة حيــث‬ ‫الســياحة المنفتحــة وســياحة‬ ‫التســوق بعيــدا ً عــن حواجــز وقيود‬ ‫دولتــه ‪.‬‬ ‫رفعــت الســياحة البينيــة فــي‬ ‫أوروبــا نســبة الســواح مــن ‪40‬‬ ‫مليــون إلــى ‪ 85‬مليــون ســائح‬ ‫خــال عــام واحــد مــن إقرارهــا‪،‬‬ ‫وهــذا مــا نعمــل الجلــه حيــث زرنــا‬ ‫دولــة اإلمــارات وإلتقينــا عــددا مــن‬ ‫الــوزراء‪ ،‬بحضــور الوزيــر المشــنوق‪،‬‬ ‫الذيــن طالبــوا الدولــة بالعديــد‬ ‫مــن القضايــا األمنيــة واإلداريــة ‪.‬‬ ‫وأشــار األشــقر إلــى العمــل علــى‬ ‫تنويــع الســياحة علــى مــدى‬ ‫ســنتين ودعــوة ‪ 300‬وكيــل ســفر‬ ‫مــن ‪ 60‬دولــة ‪ ،‬لتغييــر صــورة لبنــان‬ ‫علــى المــدى المتوســط والطويــل‬ ‫و رفــع الحواجــز‪ ،‬عبــر موازنــة‬ ‫مالئمــة وحمــات إعالنيــة و‬ ‫عبــر مواقــع التواصــل اإلجتماعــي‬ ‫وإســتخدام الوســائل المتطــورة‬ ‫لإلضــاءة علــى الســياحة ورفــع‬ ‫نســبة الحجــوزات‪.‬‬ ‫أمــام ذلــك فــإن مقاطعة الســائح‬ ‫الخليجــي والــذي كان يعتبــر لبنــان‬ ‫مركــزا ً ثابتـ ًا له منــذ ‪ 40‬عام ًا وحيث‬ ‫كانــت وجهــة إصطيــاف أولــى‬ ‫‪www.nwn.com‬‬

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‫واقع السياحة في لبنان‬ ‫مقابلة مع السـيد بيار األشـقر‬

‫رئيس نقابة أصحاب الفنادق في لبنان‬ ‫ال نــكاد نذكراإلقتصــاد اللبنانــي حتــى يتجلــى قطــاع الســياحة كركيــزة أساســية‬ ‫لحمايتــه ودعمــه للتعويــض عــن خســائره االقتصاديــة المتتاليــة بســبب‬ ‫الحــرب فــي ســوريا‪ ،‬وبســبب االزمــات التي ضربت البــاد بدءا ً مــن أزمــة النفايات ‪،‬‬ ‫وصــو ًال الــى الخضــات األمنيــة المتتاليــة ‪،‬حيــث مــن المتوقــع أن تدخــل ‪ 2‬الــى ‪3‬‬ ‫مليــار دوالر إلــى خزينــة الدولــة مــا يدعــم‪ ،‬بشــكل اساســي‪ ،‬النمــو االقتصــادي‬ ‫بعدمــا كان يدخــل فــي الســنوات الســابقة ‪ 800‬مليــون دوالرا فقــط‪ .‬فهــل‬ ‫ســيكون الوضعــان األمنــي والسياســي كفيليــن بتحقيــق ذلــك ‪ ،‬ويكــون صيــف‬ ‫‪ ،2018‬عــام الســياحة فــي لبنــان؟‬

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‫د‪ .‬حاتم عالمي‬

‫كلمة رئيس التحرير‬

‫يتماشــى اعتمــاد مواضيع المجلة‬ ‫مــع الرزنامــة الزمنيــة باعتبارهــا‬ ‫التعبيــر عــن االهتمــام باألولويــات‬ ‫االساســية لــكل حقبــة زمنيــة‪ ،‬في‬ ‫عالقتهــا بالمحيــط وتأثيراتــه علــى‬ ‫الخيــارات الفرديــة وتأثيرهــا علــى‬ ‫توجهــات المجتمعــات‪.‬‬ ‫يمثــل موضــوع الســياحة حلقــة‬ ‫اســتثنائية فــي موضوعنــا‪ ،‬وهــو‬ ‫يتخــذ تجليــات جديــدة حســب كل‬ ‫مرحلــة‪ ،‬حيــث يمكــن هنــا تنــاول‬ ‫ابعــاده مــن خــال ‪:‬‬ ‫‪ -١‬الطفــرة غيــر المســبوقة‬ ‫علــى الصعيــد العالمــي‪ ،‬حيــث‬ ‫تشــير تقاريــر منظمــة الســياحة‬ ‫العالميــة الــى ان عــدد الســياح‬ ‫وصــل الــى ‪ 538‬مليــون ســائح‬ ‫حــول العالــم فــي النصــف األول‬ ‫مــن العــام ‪ ،2015‬ليــزداد العــدد‬ ‫بنســبة ‪ %5-4‬ســنوي ًا‪ ،‬ويتوقــع أن‬

‫يصــل عــدد الســياح فــي عــام ‪2020‬‬ ‫الــى ‪ 1.6‬مليــار ســائح حــول العالــم‬ ‫تتــوزع بيــن الســياحة لمســافات‬ ‫قريبــة‪ ،‬والســياحات الــى مســافات‬ ‫بعيــدة‪.‬‬ ‫‪ -2‬زيــادة التنــوع فــي الســياحة‪،‬‬ ‫حيــث تتركــز الســياحة بشــكل‬ ‫االهتمامــات‬ ‫علــى‬ ‫عــام‬ ‫ً‬ ‫المشــهورة تاريخيــا‪ ،‬يضــاف‬ ‫إليهــا ازديــاد االهتمــام بســياحات‬ ‫جديــدة‪ ،‬تبعــ ًا إلهتمامــات رواد‬ ‫الســياحة؛ أمــا أبــرز األنــواع فهــي‪:‬‬ ‫الســياحة الترفيهيــة‪ ،‬الســياحة‬ ‫الثقافيــة‪ ،‬الســياحة الدينيــة‪،‬‬ ‫الســياحة العالجيــة‪ ،‬ســياحة‬ ‫األعمــال‪ ،‬الســياحة التعليميــة‪،‬‬ ‫يضــاف اليهــا بعــض الســياحات‬ ‫الخاصــة بالمغامــرات أو زيــارة‬ ‫أماكــن للتأمــل‪ ،‬أو الشــواطئ‬ ‫وغيرهــا‪.‬‬ ‫‪ -3‬زيــادة األهميــة اإلقتصاديــة‬ ‫لقطــاع الســياحة‪ ،‬بإعتبارهــا‬ ‫أحــد األنشــطة اإلقتصاديــة التــي‬ ‫تشــكل رافعــة للناتــج الوطنــي‬ ‫وزيــادة معــدالت الدخــل القومــي‪،‬‬ ‫مــن هنــا تركــزت جهــود الــدول‬ ‫علــى تطويــر اســتراتيجية وطنيــة‬ ‫للســياحة‪ ،‬باإلســتناد إلــى مزايــا‬ ‫كل بلــد والفــرص التــي يتمتــع‬ ‫بهــا لرفــع عائــدات الســياحة‪ ،‬كمــا‬ ‫نــرى فــي حالــة األماكــن األثريــة‪،‬‬ ‫وأماكــن الترفيــه‪ ،‬والمتاحــف‪ ،‬مــن‬ ‫خــال دعــم مبــادرات اإلســتثمار‬ ‫فــي القطــاع‪.‬‬ ‫ينفــرد لبنــان بموقــع ســياحي‬ ‫خــاص تعــود جــذوره إلــى عهــود‬ ‫الفينيقييــن‪ ،‬وقــد كان لموقــع‬ ‫لبنــان‪ ،‬وتنوعــه الطبيعــي‪،‬‬ ‫وخصائــص ســكانه الدور الحاســم‬ ‫فــي فــرادة هــذا الــدور‪ ،‬حيــث كان‬ ‫لبنــان موئ ـ ً‬ ‫ا إلســتقطاب الســياح‬

‫العــرب واألجانــب‪ ،‬وقــد تــازم‬ ‫تطــور دور الســياحة وأهميتهــا في‬ ‫الناتــج الوطنــي مــع تطــور قطــاع‬ ‫الخدمــات والتجــارة‪ ،‬فــي ظــل‬ ‫وجود شــبكة مميــزة مــن الفنادق‬ ‫والمطاعــم المنتشــرة بصــورة‬ ‫خاصــة فــي بيــروت والمناطــق‬ ‫الســياحية‪ .‬للتطــور متطلباتــه‬ ‫ومكوناتــه‪ ،‬وال بــد مــن تحديــد‬ ‫الخيــار األفضــل وســط المســارات‬ ‫التــي تبــرز أمــام رحلــة التطويــر‬ ‫والتغييــر؛ مــع تنــاول موضــوع‬ ‫الســياحة فــي إطــار منظومــة‬ ‫الـــــ ‪ ،wellness‬تبــرز جملــة مــن‬ ‫التحديــات التــي تنبــع مــن مشــاكل‬ ‫الحيــاة المعاصــرة والصعوبــات‬ ‫التــي يواجههــا اإلنســان فــي بحثــه‬ ‫عــن األفضــل‪.‬‬ ‫مــن هنــا كان هــذا العــدد مــن‬ ‫المجلــة المتخصصــة فرصــة‬ ‫لتســليط الضــوء علــى واقــع‬ ‫الســياحة مــن جهــة‪ ،‬واإلمكانــات‬ ‫التــي تختزنهــا ســياحة الـــــ‬ ‫‪ wellness‬مــن جهــة أخــرى‪.‬‬ ‫إن المســاهمات المشــكورة‬ ‫لوزيــر الســياحة‪ ،‬ونقيــب أصحــاب‬ ‫الفنــادق والفاعليــات المعنيــة‬ ‫بموضــوع الســياحة‪ ،‬تشــكل‬ ‫محطــة لزيــادة التوعيــة‪ ،‬ودعــوة‬ ‫إلــى تفعيــل اإلمكانات المشــتركة‬ ‫لإلســتفادة القصــوى مــن تطــور‬ ‫فــرص الســياحة‪ ،‬ولتكــون هــذه‬ ‫الفــرص مجــاالت واعــدة إلحــداث‬ ‫تبديــل وتعديــل فــي نمــط الحيــاة‬ ‫باتجــاه تعزيــز الرفــاه وتحقيــق‬ ‫الســعادة‪.‬‬ ‫ونتطلــع مــن خــال هــذا العــدد إلــى‬ ‫توســيع مجــاالت التعــاون بروحيــة‬ ‫جديــدة تعكســها هــذه المجلــة‬ ‫المتخصصــة وفريــق العمــل‬ ‫الــذي بــذل جهــدا ً طيبــ ًا إلعدادهــا‬ ‫وإصدارهــا وتوزيعهــا‪...‬‬ ‫‪www.nwn.com‬‬

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