Minister of Industry, Vrej Sabounjian, inaugurated Wednesday a workshop on "Strengthening local societies and ways of life" (Celep), organized by the Ministry in cooperation with UNIDO and the Italian Cooperation Office in Lebanon. The project (Celep) aims at addressing the issue of developing small and medium facilities and enterprises, in North Lebanon, South and Bekaa. The Minister who toured the Lebanese products exhibition organized at the sidelines of the workshop, stressed on the importance of this project which aims at offering aid to local and rural companies, providing new job opportunities and improving the living conditions of 250 families. "32 plants were selected in southern Lebanon, Bekaa and North, to benefit from the project" said Sabounjian. The Minister added that the project takes into consideration the use of equipments that reduce energy consumption and production cost, which are necessary for the green industry and for the respect of the eco-friendly norms. He thanked, in this regard, the Italian government which funded the project with 1,480 million Euros, welcoming the cooperation with the UNIDO, in favor of the Lebanese industrial sector.