In the framework of “Women Active in Rural Economic Development-WARED” Project, within the “Afkar III” Program, funded by the European Union and managed by the Office of the Minister of State for Administrative Reform OMSAR, “Safadi Foundation” with the Municipality of Qobayat and the Union of Municipalities of Kaytee and Joumeh in Akkar, have organized a trip to the center of Bulgaria for five women participating in the project. During this trip, they underwent training courses on roses and aromatic plants, and participated in the “World Rose Festival”, in Kazanlak. They also represented Lebanon at the “Francophone Week for Peace”, which occurs on the first week of June 2017, in the city of Sozopol.

The delegation of women, in addition to the Project Director Anwar Dernaikah, agricultural engineers Emile el-Asmar and Basem el-Khoury, met with the Lebanese Ambassador in Bulgaria Mrs. Suzan Mouzi Yassin, who expressed her “happiness to meet ladies from the north of Lebanon, specifically from the region of Akkar, who came to benefit from the experiences of this country, known for the cultivation of roses it exports worldwide”.

The visit included a tour for the delegation to the fields of roses, where they learned how to extract aromatic oils. It also included training courses on modern techniques used in the cultivation of aromatic plants, starting from the preparation of the soil and seedlings, to the cultivation in the fields, and the attention for the harvest in order to have the best results. The Lebanese delegation also visited distillation factories, where they listened to explanations on ways to benefit from roses and aromatic flowers.

In this context, Mr. Asmar pointed out that “Bulgaria is considered as one of the most important countries that produce and manufacture aromatic plants such as roses and lavender”, noting that “the goal from this visit is to increase the knowledge of the ladies in this field, and to exchange experiences between both countries”.
During the visit, the delegation participated in the events of the “World Rose Festival”, which is annually held at the Kazanlak city. They also toured in the exhibition to see the specialists’ presentations on how to manufacture the desired products.

The Lebanese delegation also visited the coastal city of Sozopol, where they attended as a guest of honor the “Francophone Week for Peace”, and participated in an exhibition that gathered the most significant historical and cultural stations that are mutual between Lebanon and Bulgaria.