Beirut:The Saint Joseph University of Beirut hosted the closing ceremony for the Summer 2026 cohort of the Youth for Governance (Youth4Governance - Y4G) programme. This initiative, in collaboration with Lebanon's Ministry of Tourism, Saint Joseph University, and Siren Associates, supported by the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), aims to enhance public administration through youth involvement. The programme's nine participants engaged in various research activities and partnered with the Ministry to develop a digital platform for managing tourism license applications.

According to National news agency - Lebanon, the closing ceremony gathered key figures from government, international organizations, and academia. Participants showcased the project's achievements, focusing on the digitization of licensing procedures for various tourism-related entities. The digital transformation promises to simplify the application process, making it more efficient for both citizens and business owners, while reducing administrative workloads for public officials.

The programme's digital platform addresses several challenges identified by the Y4G team, such as lengthy procedures and lack of application tracking mechanisms. By enabling online submissions and progress tracking, the platform aims to streamline processes, reduce costs, and encourage business investments in the tourism sector. This is particularly vital given the sector's economic significance and the recent disruptions it has faced.

In her opening remarks, Minister of Tourism Laura Khazen Lahoud praised the participants for their efforts in transforming the Ministry's administrative processes. The project has been described as a significant step in modernizing governance and improving public services. Representatives from OIF and Saint Joseph University emphasized the value of such initiatives in strengthening public institutions and fostering cooperation between different sectors.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates to the programme's graduates, highlighting their contribution to the digital transformation of Lebanon's public services.