Networks > NGO Community
NGO Community

Networking overview
The Lebanese Palestinian Dialogue Committee (LPDC) aims at re-launching the NGO networking initiative for both Palestinian and Lebanese organizations for the purpose of finding a common grounds for complementary efforts regarding the issues pertaining both communities such as the labour rights, property legislations, freedom of association and many others in order to enhance the relationship between the Lebanese government and Palestinian refugees.
  
Core principles
The LPDC has been conducting several meetings with both Palestinian and Lebanese counterparts who took part in the first networking initiative that was launched three years ago in 2008 in order to identify the gaps, lessons learned and develop a better understanding for the LPDC as a partner working towards having the role of facilitator that will complement with the civil society organisations.
Based on the outcome of these meetings, the LPDC technical team has managed to identify the following core principles:
 
  1. Develop a platform for dialogue and communication between the civil society organisations working on issues related to the Palestinian community;
  2. The LPDC plays the role of the facilitator for the coordination/communication process according the consensus built with all relevant partners;
  3. The LPDC deals with complete objectivity as well as neutrality with all partners and the priorities identified by the network members;
  4. The LPDC will communicate with all counterparts working on Palestinian issues without exception on equal opportunities;  
  5. The LPDC will provide the necessary support for organisations and associations working within the Palestinian community through working towards channeling their concerns to relevant authorities within the Lebanese Government institutions;
  6. The LPDC will work to complement with civil society organisations without getting into the details of the activities carried out by these organisations in order to develop the framework of governmental policies regarding Palestinian refugees;
 
Historical background
The LPDC launched the NGO networking initiative for organisations working on dialogue and communication issues between Lebanese and Palestinian communities in 2008. In addition to the LPDC technical staff, Jaber Suleiman, a Palestinian researcher joined the core committee that was formed to map the existing efforts in terms of coordination and dialogue and develop a draft project with the aim of improving communication between organisations under the umbrella of the LPDC. 
Based on the draft project developed by the core committee, a workshop was organized during the month of November 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hamra – Beirut, where 30 civil society organisations complied with the LPDC’s invitation to define the area of priorities. During the workshop, a recommendation was made by participants to form a follow up committee from four Lebanese and four Palestinian organisations.
Upon its formation, the follow up committee convened four times between the months of March and August 2009 where a member from the LPDC technical staff was attending in order to take part in the development of framework and follow up plans.
No additional meetings were held beyond that date.
 
Progress update
In March 2011, the NGO networking was re-activated and put on track based on the request of the LPDC president. Based on that, members of the LPDC technical team convened with Dr. Jaber Suleiman who played a leading role in the development and implementation of the first initiative back in 2008 and 2009 to learn more about the gaps and work towards the development of a new approach.
The LPDC team, consider this period of mapping and preparation is essential for the re-launching of the networking initiative under the umbrella of the LPDC which will bring together Lebanese and Palestinian civil society organisations on clear grounds.
 
Next steps
As mentioned above, several steps were undertaken in order to ensure better participation from active members whom will take part in the launching event that will be conducted on the third week of October 2011.