The Forum for Religious Social Responsibility (FRSR) project is implemented by the Community Engagement Department at Adyan Foundation, in partnership with the British Embassy, from April 2020 – March 2021, to amplify the voices of religious leaders to foster positive sociatal change. It creates an opportunity for 116 influential religious leaders and activists who have been trained in order to increase their skills in promoting messages of diversity and living together.
Lebanon, despite its diversity, has demonstrated a high level of social cohesion, particularly in recent months with the protests for improved governance and services. This national cohesion is a powerful counterpoint to the many divided countries in the wider Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Despite the examples of social cohesion, Adyan’s long experience of working on inter-religious coexistence and preventing violent extremism (PVE) in Lebanon has led to an informed awareness of the need to continually tackle the push and pull factors of radicalization in Lebanon, particularly among those at risk of recruitment to extremist ideologies. With the important role of religion in the country, religious leaders represent a strong voice of moral authority in communities.
In the light of the above, Adyan Foundation recognizes the FRSR project as a long-term PVE strategy, involving targeted interventions, both at the community and individual level. The forum does not only focus on capacity-building, but it also empowers its members to assume their role as change-makers in their local communities through the support of more than 25 community-based initiatives, especially in under-deserved areas such as the Southern Suburbs, Tripoli, the South, and Beqaa.