Resilient, more resilient, Lebanese youth

How do Lebanese young people persevere in building peace and a brighter future, generation after generation amid multiple crises? How can civil society manage to act when the state is on the verge of collapse? How to create hope through action?  

YMCA Lebanon has been in operation for a century and has experienced the crises that have shaken the country. Lebanese educator Mirelle Abi Khalil and Razane Alzein, voluunter with YMCA Lebanon, discuss YMCA’s work and the youth peace efforts, both embodying Lebanese resilience and community spirit. They are interviewed by Camilla Ojala, Youth, Peace and Security Expert at YMCA Finland.  

The programme is in English. The programme can be followed on the festival’s Speaker’s Stage in Tiivistämö or via streaming on the festival’s website. 

After the programme, you can meet the panellists in the Lämpiö next to the Speaker’s Stage.

Mirelle Abi Khalil

Mireille Abi Khalil is a Lebanese educator and consultant deeply committed to inclusion and community-led change. She has worked closely with YMCA Lebanon, developing and facilitating its Leadership for Peace curriculum, which promotes youth leadership, peacebuilding, and social resilience.

Mireille has supported mentoring young facilitators and helped shape safer spaces for peer learning. She aims to create environments where young people feel seen, heard, and empowered to contribute to their communities.

Mireille, who holds a degree in special education, has over ten years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors, both locally and internationally. She believes that a better tomorrow starts with relationships between people and that change is most sustainable when built together. 

Razane Alzein

Razane Alzein is a student majoring in medico-social work with a heart for humanitarian efforts and youth rights. Razane is a volunteer with YMCA Lebanon and has participated in the organisation’s programmes focusing on youth inclusion and holistic well-being. She is also a volunteer with the Lebanese Red Cross and has been involved in its disaster preparedness unit and awareness campaigns. The young Lebanese woman is driven by a desire to promote mental health, social responsibility, and children’s rights.

As the war in Gaza spread to Lebanon, Razane joined the Red Cross in the field, becoming involved in providing emergency assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs). For Razane, the past year has been a shattering experience that has further deepened her desire to work with vulnerable communities.

Camilla Ojala

Camilla Ojala is a global education specialist at YMCA Finland. Her expertise relates to the national Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) action plan and youth agency in peace issues. Camilla was awarded the Youth Peace Award of YMCA Finland in 2022 – before taking up her position in the same organisation.