The First Sports Festival in Barja under Ministerial Patronage

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Nora Bayrakdarian, sponsored and attended the first sports festival organized by the Sports Club at the late Abdel Salam Saad Municipal Stadium in Barja, in cooperation with MP Halima Al-Qaqour, dedicating the event to the launch of the Women’s Volleyball Academy.

The festival was attended by the ambassadors of Belgium (Armand Poliz), the Netherlands (Frank Molen), and Denmark (Christopher Viveki), the UN Women Representative in Lebanon, Gilan Misri, MPs Bilal Abdullah, Halima Al-Qaqour, Nagat Saliba, and Charbel Massad, UNESCO Programs Director Maysoun Shahab, the President of the Lebanese Volleyball Federation, Walid Al-Qassouf, the former General Director of the Public Institution for Sports, Youth, and Scouting, Mohammad Said Oweidat, as well as security, religious, social, municipal, political, academic, and school figures.

Speeches at the festival were delivered by Tareed Ghatass on behalf of the hosting club, Raed Al-Maoush on behalf of the Barja Municipality, and MP Halima Al-Qaqour, followed by the festival sponsor, Minister Dr. Nora Bayrakdarian.

Bayrakdarian congratulated the organizers of the festival and thanked MP Al-Qaqour for initiating and closely following up on the project, stating:

“I am delighted to be with you today at this national and sports event launching the Women’s Volleyball Academy in Barja. This is not merely a sporting activity but a message that Lebanese women have the full right to practice sports, advance, compete, and excel just as they have in all other fields.”

She added:

“At the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we believe that supporting women in sports is not only a recognized right but also a cornerstone of a fairer and healthier society.”

She also highlighted that:

“The role of women in sports today lies at the heart of the struggle for empowerment, equality, and equal opportunities. Empowering women in sports is a step toward their economic and social empowerment and is an integral part of the just state project we aspire to achieve.”