Spanish Blue Helmets in Southern Lebanon Promote Grassroots Sport in Their Area of Responsibility

• BRILIB XLII joins forces with the Al Ahli Hasbaya Volleyball Club to promote grassroots sport and foster relations with the Lebanese population, as a means of integration and normalisation in southern Lebanon

As a renewed demonstration of their commitment to local communities, the Spanish Blue Helmets of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are supporting sport as a pathway to restoring normalcy for Lebanese civilians. The Civil-Military Cooperation Unit (CIMIC) of the Eastern Sector has made a donation aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Al Ahli Hasbaya Volleyball Club.

The donation was formalised in a public event between Commander Santiago Vega Esteban, Head of the CIMIC Unit of UNIFIL’s Eastern Sector, and Mr Mazen Assaf, the club manager. During the ceremony, sports kits were handed over, donated by the Córdoba CF Foundation and the Sevilla FC Foundation, benefitting over 90 Lebanese athletes. This initiative not only encourages sport, but also serves as a crucial tool for social revitalisation and the return to normal life in a region that has faced considerable challenges in recent years.

In addition to the donation, friendly volleyball matches were held between male and female teams of the Al Ahli Hasbaya Club and Spanish personnel. These sporting activities, rich in symbolic value, contribute to social integration and community identity while promoting intercultural dialogue—key elements in the process of rebuilding and stabilising the area.

Such initiatives combine humanitarian efforts with the promotion of grassroots sports, reaffirming UNIFIL and Spanish troops’ ongoing commitment to the welfare and development of the Lebanese population. They also highlight the importance of international cooperation in designing and implementing integrated responses to emerging needs. This collaboration between peacekeeping contingents and the local community strengthens mutual bonds, delivering a positive impact in terms of stability, social cohesion, and socio-economic development.

In short, this donation and its associated activities are a clear example of how international cooperation—through tangible, multi-dimensional initiatives—can foster integration and development in communities striving to rebuild daily life and advance towards lasting stability.

Spain in UNIFIL

Spanish Armed Forces have been deployed in Lebanon since September 2006. The main body of the contingent in Operation ‘Libre Hidalgo’ is based at Miguel de Cervantes base, near the town of Marjayoun, where the Headquarters of the Eastern Sector—led by Spain—is located. Spanish troops are also stationed at the mission’s Headquarters in Naqoura. 

Currently, more than 650 Spanish military personnel are deployed in UNIFIL with the aim of ensuring compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. This mission continues in a context of significant instability, despite the peace agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon in November last year.