The first group of Syrian refugees has returned home from Lebanon as part of the safe return plan launched by the United Nations in coordination with the Lebanese and Syrian governments. The return of the Syrian refugees, who fled their homes during Syria's lengthy civil war, represents the beginning of a new path towards addressing one of the most complex humanitarian issues in the region. The step came after lengthy consultations between Lebanon, Syria, and the United Nations. The plan aims to find sustainable solutions that guarantee the dignity of refugees and alleviate the pressure on host communities. The Lebanon Response Plan for 2025 includes a chapter dedicated to refugee return for the first time. Return will be gradual and voluntary, and will focus on alleviating the refugees' fears and providing them with humanitarian support and basic services in their areas of origin. The goal of the program, according to the United Nations, is not refugee return alone, but also aims to provide support, and work to encourage refugees to return home. According to estimates by Lebanon's General Security Directorate, the country currently hosts more than 2.08 million Syrian refugees, although only 825,000 are officially registered with the UN refugee agency UNHCR. Shotlist: Lebanon - Recent: 1. Gate at Masnaa border crossing; 2. Various of Syrian refugees to return, medical workers, soldiers, buses; 3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Elias Jradi, member, House Health, Labor and Social Affairs Committee of Lebanon (partially overlaid with shot 4): "What is required? We said international support is a very important issue, but it is not what drives the implementation of this decision. First, the decision should be an act of will. It remains primarily from the Lebanese government and people aiming to facilitate their return in coordination with the Syrian government and get direct support from both sides. I believe that technically, their return, compared to their displacement, would not have been so costly."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 4. Buses, trucks; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 5. Various of Syrian refugees putting luggage into truck; 6. Various of Syrian refugees in inspection hall; 7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Elias Jradi, member, House Health, Labor and Social Affairs Committee of Lebanon (partially overlaid with shot 8): "We hope international support will be present. We hope it will be available yesterday rather than today, but unfortunately we consider this support a lost cause. This is an international responsibility. The international community has played a role in the war and peace in Syria, response to displacement, and so on, and we all know these things. So, the international community has born its responsibility for this. We are asking for international support through a clear Lebanese-Syrian plan. If they help us, it's good. If they don't, we can implement it."; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown 8. UN flag; [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Lebanon - Recent 9. Various of home of Syrian refugees; 10. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Suleiman, Syrian refugee in Lebanon (starting with shot 9): "No one dislikes returning to their country, but the situation there is not very stable, neither in terms of livelihood nor security and anything else. Here too, the situation is not good, but what can we do? We've been living here for 10 years, and worked our way up to the bare necessities of life, including foods and drinks. The children were born and studying in schools here. [In Syria,] there are no schools. If there were schools and if we knew we could secure foods and drinks there, we would have left."; 11. Various of traffic. [Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]