Development Cooperation Handbook/The video resources linked to this handbook/The Documentary Story/Italian civilian-military cooperation in Lebanon

Italian civilian-military cooperation in Lebanon

Sometimes Italy lacks self confidence and is not even capable of appreciating its own success stories. The Italian intervention in the last conflict in Lebanon has been a considerable success. Especially if compared to the failures of others, particularly the "peace making" efforts by the US army.

I also wanted to talk about the interaction of civil and military international cooperation. And the role of development cooperation in foreign policies.

Fabio, the officer responsible of international cooperation at the Italian Embassy, was really a guru on the subject. And a very open and cooperative person. Then in Beirut there was the permanent RAI foreign correspondent, who was also the brother in law of Franco, the cameramen. So we got all we needed. (Then we forgot to bring the papers in the military areas …. we could have been arrested for that! But we did the entire job nevertheless).

We visited the Italian army base in South Lebanon, at the border with Israel. We visited a solid waste disposal centre, where we hold some interviews with Fabio and other International cooperators. We then went to Baalbek, a magical town near the Syrian border, where the ancient Roman temples were still majestically standing, and where the new city had just been rebuilt after the intense bombing by Israel air force in retaliation for the kidnapping of one of its soldiers.

The sweet face of the major of Baalbek was not in line with the general image of the terrible members of the Hezbollah party as they are normally portrayed in the Western media. And we must give credit to Francesco for having used it and so have silently broken a stereotype. But may me too silently. Too timidly. He should have said it explicitly. But he did not.

Next ⇒  More recording in Syria

Video Clips
On Youtube ⇒ Diffusing Conflicts - playlist

On Youtube ⇒ Heritage and Community playlist

Stories
⇒  Diffusing Conflicts

⇒  Balbek - Heritage and Community

⇒  Managing Waste

Interviews
Fabio Melloni

/Documentary Story /Projects in Lebanon