The many green actors in the Arab world and North Africa are often overlooked. Resilient farmers, dedicated researchers, and passionate activists are underrepresented in global environmental solutions. Through our initiatives since 2020, we have built a network (‘Green MENA Network’) of over 700 green stakeholders and provided a platform for their voices. In May this year we invited some of our network partners from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine for a retreat in Zaghouan, Tunisia. We aimed to highlight the need to acknowledge and support ecological and sustainable initiatives amid various forms of destruction—war, extraction of resources, occupation, and climate crises.
 
“If you don’t bring us together, nobody does”, said one of the participants who created the TerraPods initiative—a living laboratory and agroecology farm that merges traditional practices with modern biodesign in Lebanon. A participant from the occupied West Bank never had an opportunity to meet Arab colleagues, as they cannot travel to Palestine. “It really gives me hope to know that all this work is being done in our region.” She works at the Om Sleiman Farm, which operates under military occupation and near expanding Israeli settlements. Founded as a form of ecological and cultural resistance, the farm emphasizes organic farming, seed preservation, and community-supported agriculture.
 
‘Virtual water’ exports, war-caused deforestation, cross-border river management, and green hydrogen projects that benefit Europe’s climate transition but pollute local environments, there were many topics to discuss and learn about. We also took time to go explore the beautiful Zaghouan mountain with a Tunisian biologist and nature activist as our enthusiastic guide. The slopes of the mountain are covered with wild olive trees and carob trees.
 
By the end of the retreat our group members felt inspired by the shared commitment across borders and expressed hope in future collaboration.