Bkeftine (Lebanon)

Since 2018, Erlangen has been linked to the northern Lebanese municipality of Bkeftine through a project partnership. Through this project partnership, the City of Erlangen responded to a call from the BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) to support municipalities in the key countries serving as initial reception points for Syrian refugees through expert exchanges and the transfer of know-how.

Through the mediation of the Chair of Oriental Philology and Islamic Studies at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg, a suitable municipality and an NGO working with people with disabilities were quickly identified, and plans were made to establish a project partnership with them. In the initial phase (2018), a professional exchange in the field of inclusive child and youth work—with a focus on environmental education and animal-assisted education—was carried out in several stages. In the current project phase (2019–2022), an inclusive facility utilizing animal-assisted education was established in Bkeftine, with the goal of improving care for people with intellectual disabilities in the region and creating a local program to promote inclusion. In addition to the local municipalities, the Umweltstation Jugendfarm Erlangen e.V. and the Lebanese NGO Wahat Al-Farah (Oasis of Joy) in Bkeftine played key roles in implementing the project. To mark the successful completion of this project, a report was published, which is available for download (as a PDF) below.

To support the partner municipality of Bkeftine in coping with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, a project was implemented in 2021 as part of the municipal COVID-19 solidarity package.

All three projects were funded by Engagement Global gGmbH, through its “Communities in One World” service office, with funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Since spring 2026, Erlangen and Bkeftine have been collaborating on a new initiative: improving the water supply. Although the Lebanese government is responsible for providing water to its citizens, it can currently fulfill this responsibility only to a very limited extent. As a result, the population of Bkeftine has for some time now been receiving water only on an hourly basis and must purchase not only drinking water but also non-potable water at high cost. This project involves drilling a well to supply water to the people of Bkeftine, supplementing the rudimentary government water supply. The project is complemented by events aimed at raising awareness about the economical use of water.

The association “Friends of the Oasis of Joy e.V.” has been in existence since 2019 and supports the Lebanese association Wahat Al-Farah. Lebanon is currently experiencing the worst economic crisis in its history. The Lebanese currency has lost much of its value, electricity is now only guaranteed for one hour a day, and four out of five Lebanese now live below the poverty line. To support Wahat Al-Farah even in this difficult situation, the association “Friends of the Oasis of Joy e.V.” is collecting donations (Friends of the Oasis of Joy e.V., Stadt- und Kreissparkasse Erlangen Höchstadt Herzogenaurach, IBAN DE 30 7635 0000 0060 1044 41, BIC BYLADEM1ERH; for more information, visit www.freunde-der-oase-der-freude.de)