After Frank Wältring from Mesopartner co-organised and facilitated a Local Economic Development (LED) Workshop with LED practitioners from German and Lebanese cities and districts in April 2018 in Lebanon (see mp at work), in October 2018 we again facilitated a workshop in Hamm, Germany, with nearly the same group of municipalities. In addition to a study trip, the objective  of the workshop was to put the first cooperation ideas into practice. The workshop showed the great potentials for launching concrete LED initiatives in Lebanon, which also involve the transfer of knowledge and expertise between the different municipalities. 5 LED projects have been initiated between German and Lebanese municipalities with a clear focus on infrastructure development, reconversion of old streets, recreation of market places and the initiation of several skills development exchange initiatives. 

The whole initiative is based on the Connective Cities-Initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) organised by the GIZ, the German Association of Cities (DST) and Engagement Global.

The workshop in Lebanon is nicely documented in a published report and website with all presentations.