Support for Cultural Projects in Lebanon

Action for Hope is now accepting applications for grants to support cultural projects and activities targeting displaced communities and/or those affected by war in Lebanon. This call is part of the Ahlieh relief initiative, launched by Action for Hope in collaboration with Ettijahat – Independent Culture in October 2024, following the Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Through this initiative, financial support was previously provided to more than 150 individuals and three institutions. This time, the initiative offers financial support for cultural or artistic projects and activities, with each selected project receiving €5,000. Individuals, associations, and artistic and cultural groups are eligible to apply for this grant. Projects and activities are expected to take place throughout 2025.

Lebanon Emergency Support Program
In response to the October 2024 attacks on Lebanon that displaced over a million people, Action for Hope, in collaboration with Ettijahat-Independent Culture, launched the Ahliyeh Relief Initiative to provide urgent cultural and humanitarian support to affected artists, families, and communities. The program delivered small grants ranging from €800 to €2,400 to 132 former beneficiaries of Action for Hope and awarded €10,000 each to three frontline organizations—Ahla Fawda, Women Now, and Endless Medical Advantage—to provide immediate aid in the Bekaa and Beirut. By 2025, these efforts had expanded significantly: Ahla Fawda reached 1,950 families through its EcoHub, distributing over 48,000 meals and offering emergency shelter; Endless Medical Advantage provided 355 mattresses and blankets, psychosocial support to more than 1,487 individuals, and cardiology consultations to 100 displaced patients; and Women Now funded school tuition for 42 children, supported 33 displaced women and girls through psychosocial sessions, delivered baby formula and diapers to 60 families, and offered food assistance to 700 refugees.

Gaza Emergency Response
In 2024, Action for Hope, in collaboration with Ettijahat – Independent Culture and a network of partners inside and outside Palestine, launched an emergency relief program to support artists and cultural institutions in Gaza amidst the ongoing crisis. The initiative provided small grants averaging €1,000 to 74 individual artists and €10,000 each to eight cultural organizations, including Mayasem for Culture and Arts, Basma for Culture and Arts, and the Future Association. These funds supported a range of urgent activities, such as psychosocial support sessions for women and children, puppet theater performances, the distribution of food parcels and hygiene kits, and therapeutic recreational programs for people with disabilities.

To strengthen and sustain this vital work, Action for Hope later provided an additional top-up grant of €6,800 to each of the eight partner organizations. These included the Independent Living Association, Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children, Future Association for Development and Environment, Juzoor for Health and Social Development, Sharek Youth Forum, and Unlimited Friends Association for Social Development. Together, these organizations continue to play a crucial role in preserving cultural life and supporting vulnerable communities in Gaza during one of the most challenging periods in recent history.

“Ahliyeh”: An Emergency Response Initiative Addressing the Needs of Those Impacted by the February 2023 Earthquake
In the wake of the devastating February 2023 earthquakes in Northern Syria and Southern Turkey, Action for Hope, in partnership with Ettijahat – Independent Culture, launched the Ahliyeh Initiative to address the urgent and long-term needs of affected communities. Officially announced on 6 March 2023, the initiative was built on strategic partnerships with grassroots and local civil society organizations, enabling direct, community-led implementation of cultural and psychosocial support programs on the ground.

Collaborating with groups such as Douzan Art and Culture in Gaziantep, Hurras Network in Ma’arrat Misrin and Idlib, Hooz Center in Azaz, Nabid for Relief in the Idlib countryside and Jindires, and Ashna for Development in North and Northeast Syria, the initiative reached over 7,000 people between March and August 2023. Activities ranged from psychosocial and cultural programming to capacity-building workshops in Turkey and Lebanon, equipping local practitioners with tools to continue their work amid ongoing crises. The Ahliyeh Initiative is a powerful example of how culture and community engagement can foster resilience and healing in the aftermath of disaster.