On March 26, the Rotary Club Beirut Cosmopolitan had the presence of the Ambassador of Spain in Lebanon José María Ferre de la Peña and the President of the Trad Juventud Social Promotion Foundation, as guest speakers.
In his remarks, the ambassador gave an overview of how Spain has dealt with the severe financial crisis that has hit the country in 2008. The economic fallout was severe and Spain had to adopt strict measure to lift the country from a severe recession that has swept through the globe. GDP negative growth, unemployment north of 20% and a soaring current account deficit were the highlights of this recession.
Ten years later, the severe and sometimes painful measures the government had to take are starting to bear some fruits. Unemployment has dipped to 17%, exports of Spanish goods and services have risen and tourism has soared.
Still, more work needs to be done. The Spanish government is determined to continue its structural reforms to bring the country back from the brink of economic.
In the second part of the evening, Mrs. Jumana Trad. President of the Social Promotion Foundation made a presentation on the work of the Foundation and its mission to eradicate poverty and promote sustainable human, social and economic development.
The Foundation footprint extends to more than 40 countries in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Europe.
Mrs. Trad explained in some detail the work the foundation is doing with the Syrian refugees in the region. In addition, the Foundation works on other sectors like education and healthcare.
Next, Rima El Khoury from Social Promotion Foundation in Lebanon informed those present about the social sports schools education project aimed at supporting disadvantaged schools in Lebanon that lack the necessary resources to adopt a solid sports program for their students.