Contributor: Rym Ghazal

Comfortable shoes, some change and an desire to see nature is all you need for a weekend of bird watching and entertainment in Ebel es-Saqi, a village tagged recently by world-renowned experts as being one of the main pathways for migratory birds.

A project undertaken by Mercy Corps and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon, the "Miracle of Migration" festival aims to celebrate the intriguing role Lebanon plays in the birds' migration system.

This project is part of a $12.5 million grant provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to develop the qadas of Hasbaya-Marjayoun, hand in hand with their local communities through tourism and agri-business.

Besides its natural charm, the festival is also an eco-tourism initiative by Mercy Corps, where it hopes to create jobs and economic opportunities for local communities while conserving a 38-hectare woodland as a habitat for wildlife, especially the globally threatened bird species.

Mercy Crops has been running local developmental and economics projects since 1997.

Participants can expect an informed tour of the village, bird-watching (with binoculars provided at the site), entertainment for children, light-and-sound shows and food and music for the whole family.

In addition, Ebel es-Saqi natives will be selling their famous olive oil and handicrafts to visitors from small kiosks that will be constructed by the residents themselves as part of the project.

"Come and see kings of the skies in all shapes and colors, from all over the world," says Hala Kilani, the senior economic development officer of Mercy Corps.

"The way the birds soar through the skies is quite charming. It leaves you with a majestic kind of feeling."

Admission to the festival is free and will last for two days, from Oct. 2-3.

Transportation is provided via bus at 9 a.m., departing from the parking of Center Sofil in Beirut. Those seeking further information can go to: www.lebanese-adventure.com.

[Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the Lebanon Daily Star]

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