Youth Empowerment through Youth-Led Street Sports

Over the past five years, Lebanon has faced deep instability and uncertainty — shaped by the devastating Beirut port explosion in 2020 and a powerful youth-led uprising in 2019, where young people took to the streets demanding political reform and accountability from the ruling elite. Lebanon also hosts the highest number of refugees per capita in the world, with an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees and 257,000 Palestinian refugees. These circumstances have created complex tensions between refugee communities and the host population.

One major challenge is the lack of inclusive public spaces where people from different backgrounds can come together and build mutual understanding. This is especially critical for young people, who are the least likely to have regular contact with someone from another nationality. Creating opportunities for meaningful interaction across communities is essential to reducing tensions, insecurity, and violence — and to fostering a more united and resilient Lebanon.

Through this project, GAME Lebanon aims to empower youth and reduce tensions between refugees and host communities by organizing sports activities, cultural events, and social initiatives.

The project is supported with a grant of SEK 1,060,000.

What does the project deliver?

– Development of GAME Lebanon’s volunteer training program, including a new module focused on equipping youth with knowledge and skills in social entrepreneurship and cultural engagement.
– Training of youth aged 15–25, both refugees and Lebanese, to become youth leaders who can drive change in their communities.
– Design and implementation of social initiatives in public spaces, led by the trained youth leaders, to foster inclusion, dialogue, and community resilience.