Happy World Olive Tree Day!

Posted in: ,

Established by UNESCO in 2019, World Olive Tree Day is celebrated every year on November 26.


2025

This World Olive Tree Day, we recognize the crises devastating olive trees across Lebanon and Palestine.

Every autumn, olive trees set the rhythm of life across Lebanon and Palestine. Families gather under the silvery leaves, spreading nets and pressing olives into oil that sustains them through winter. The olive harvest is more than an agricultural season; it is an act of continuity, belonging, resilience and hope. But this year, that rhythm has faltered. Olive oil, a cornerstone of Lebanese and Palestinian cuisine and a symbol of their heritage, is facing a critical moment.

From the mountainsides of northern Lebanon to the groves of Gaza, a combination of war, drought, and displacement has cast a long shadow over one of the most symbolic harvests in the Mediterranean. What used to be a season of abundance has become one of loss and uncertainty.

Read more about how conflict and climate change have taken a toll on olive harvests in Lebanon and Palestine.

Karl Osta’s olive grove in the village of Aley in Mount Lebanon.
Karl Osta’s olive grove in the village of Aley in Mount Lebanon.

2023

Happy Olive Tree Day! Olive oil production and olive trees are such a special part of Palestinian heritage. Our team member Sulieman explains more.


OUR BLOG

Related

Today, August 19, is World Humanitarian Day, created to honor humanitarian workers and reaffirm the principles that allow them to reach people in crisis. This year’s theme, “Strengthening Global Solidarity and Empowering Local Communities,” is especially meaningful for Anera. Our…

Read More

In Aqaba, Anera is connecting young Jordanians to the workforce, one certification, one interview, one job at a time. Jordan’s unemployment rate sits at 16% — and is dramatically higher among young people. As youth grapple with the widening gap…

Read More

Youth make up the majority of the populations in Palestine and Lebanon and are central to many of our program successes. Anera recognizes that youth hold the key to a better future.

Read More