Unfortunately, Tripoli has been enduring a negative reputation in recent years which highly influenced economic and social circumstances. Tripoli was thought to be a desert with camels and Its people were living in tents. Foreigners believe that people living in our dearest Tripoli are barbaric and uncivilized.

While in reality, Tripoli is still called: “Em el Fa2ir”, “The poor’s mother”,Because there is still a place where you can get a kaake (bagel) for 500 LL! Tripoli embraces a variety of people within, we have educated people, Doctors, Enginneers, Prominent influencers, Advocates for peace and justice, Photographers, Musicians, Bloggers, as well as poor, unemployed and illiterate people, just like every city in the world.
During the first “Best Practice Trip of 2018”, people got introduced to the context and background of the violent clashes that were ceased in 2014 and how it affected locals living in Bab al-Tebeneh, Jabal Mohsen and Qobbeh.

Actually as part of the project “Hayda Lubnan” funded by GIZ the German Agency and under the title of “War Tourism”, Utopia organized a tour in Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen. Youth from various Lebanese regions as well as representatives from The Lebanese Army and the Agency participated in the activity. During the tour on the various stations, people had the chance to discover this marginalized region.

The tour started from Autostrade Al Maloule, passing through a number of stations, reaching to the football stadium previously equipped by Utopia, in addition to Al Andalusia Cinema which is being restored. The event has ended with a delicious feast in Al American Square.