Faced with the reality of the marginalization of the various Lebanese regions, fragmented development, inequality in the distribution of resources and regional borders, we explore in this section the structural reasons that perpetuate this reality.

Public and economic policies in Lebanon have led to the destruction and impoverishment of livelihoods in the different “peripheral” regions. Today, the services and real estate sector contribute about 77% of the total Lebanese economy, within a privileged urban economy which needs to be concentrated in the capital in order to achieve the profits that justify its existence. Such practices contribute widely to the exclusion of other regions and the marginalization of their peoples’ needs.

This is embodied in planning mechanisms, which are still largely a tool of the powerful, and are characterized by the elimination of pressing issues and the marginalization of a large number of social groups.

Accordingly, we aim, through regional readings, to radicalize a public discourse about the absence of integrated development and the structural marginalization of the so-called peripheral areas. We also seek to involve communities and local institutions in discussing and addressing the public, civil and developmental issues they face, in order for them to become an active player in combating them.