Identity

arcenciel is a non-profit, apolitical and non-confessional association that was established during the civil war, in 1984-1985, during times when various communities were at war with each other and when the law of segregation was the rule in Lebanon. During this time, the population witnessed serious displacements of people regrouping with their respective communities. At that time arcenciel decided to work differently by creating a structure that permitted to serve all without discrimination, thus opposing the common logic of segregation.

In fact, this is the reason why the name arcenciel was chosen, because it regroups and represents all colors, and appears equally to all. Similarly, the name was chosen from the phrase in the Genesis: “The bow will be in the clouds, and I will look at it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all the living creatures.”

arcenciel thus works with and for all people with difficulties, without discrimination of age, gender, religion, culture, race or nationality.

On November 18, 1995, the organization was recognized as a public utility by the presidential decree N. 7541. arcenciel currently operates in more than 10 centers dispersed on all the Lebanese territory and through 8 programs: mobility, employment, social, youth, health, environment, tourism and agriculture. 

Mission

arcenciel’s mission is to participate in the sustainable development of society by supporting fragile groups and integrating marginalized persons. Therefore, arcenciel put in place a work system which extracts its strength out of its workers weakness; peer- counseling. For example, a mechanical engineer who sets about to make a wheelchair, no matter how skilled he is, cannot know the real needs of a disabled person as a paraplegic person would. He would need to refer to disabled persons in order to achieve a satisfying result.