El Houssoum, Lebanon – June 2023 - Within the framework of the Lebanon Project, initiated by the Province of Mary Help of Christians, Spain (SMX), and coordinated by the Adolescent Jesus Province of the Middle East (MOR), the Formation School for Animators was held at the Salesian house in El Houssoum (Jbeil). The School aims to facilitate the formation of leaders from Salesian houses in Syria and Lebanon, including Iraqi leaders living as refugees in the country and working in a Salesian school in Beirut. Seven young Salesian leaders from the SMX Province participated in the programme, accompanied by José Luis Navarro, Provincial Coordinator of Missionary Animation, and six leaders from the Middle East Province, accompanied by Fr Simon Zakerian, Rector of the Salesian presence in Lebanon. On 20 June, after preparations for the course with the teaching staff almost full, the Spanish group, together with two Lebanese teachers and an Iraqi teacher, supported by a local logistics team, set up the house to receive the participants. In the afternoon, and at different times, participants arrived from Jbeil, Beirut, Aleppo, Damascus and Kafroun. Then in the evening the first international course for leaders in the Middle East officially began. The course unfolded as planned, following a very similar structure each day, combined with moments of prayer, formation, time together, Eucharist, various activities and some excursions that allowed participants to discover the cultural and spiritual heritage of the country. Lessons took up most of the time: pedagogy, educational games and Salesian leadership are some examples of the subjects taught during these course days.