The Rene Moawad Foundation inaugurated Sunday the Sustainable Urban Demonstration Energy Projects (SUDEP) in Zgharta district, a joint venture funded by the European Union with the aim of implementing sustainable energy solutions  in a number of towns in north Lebanon.

Residents of Ardeh town, Beit Awkar and Beit Obeid villages in Zgharta district will benefit from the project, which aims to promote energy efficiency and reduce increasing costs associated with energy consumption.

The SUDEP inauguration ceremony was attended by Michel Moawad, executive chairman of the Rene Moawad Foundation and Marcello Mori, head of the EU delegation to Lebanon as well as former MP Jawad Boulos along with a number of local municipal officials from Zgharta district.

Head of Ardeh municipality George Naoum hailed the Rene Moawad Foundation’s efforts when it comes to the implementation of a number of sustainable and environment-friendly projects in Ardeh over the past few years.

The latest project, added Naoum , was the installation of energy-efficient public lights, residential solar heaters and water-conservation systems.

Naoum said the EU contributed 800,000 euros to the development of the project while the Rene Moawad Foundation donated more 200,000 euros.

Michel Moawad, executive chairman of the Rene Moawad Foundation, reiterated the foundation’s commitment toward the promotion of sustainable development.

“We are committed to promoting the values of freedom, human dignity, and right to education,” Moawad said in his opening speech, stressing that the foundation will continue to uphold those values, which lie at the heart of its mission.

The foundation’s determination to promote those values has strengthened its partnership with the EU, Moawad added.

“Our partnership with the EU goes beyond the SUDEP project. It is a partnership based on the shared values of sustainable development and human rights,” he  said.

Moawad explained that the SUDEP project will enable local authorities to promote rural development, thus encouraging administrative decentralization and bolstering transparency and accountability in public administrations.

“Administrative centralization has failed in Lebanon as demonstrated by the garbage crisis,” Moawad said, urging the government to implement administrative decentralization in a bid to boost transparency and accountability.

“It is about time that local authorities are granted more power to bolster rural development,” Moawad said, adding that the Rene Moawad Foundation will continue to support sustainable development across Lebanon in spite of paralysis in state administrations and constitutional institutions.

“Our mission transcends geographic, political and sectarian boundaries as we seek to provide a more promising future to the Lebanese regardless of their affiliations,” he said.

Head of the EU delegation to Lebanon Marcello Mori said the SUDEP project will not only promote energy efficiency but will also empower local authorities and support their efforts in improving the quality of life of local residents.