LAU University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital: Health for

LAU’s new University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital represents the establishment of a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary learning, training and healing center.

The university’s exclusive partnership with UMC-RH provides students from LAU’s distinguished medical and health industry schools unprecedented access to a diverse, high-tech facility, with the goal of building a new generation of skilled and deeply compassionate practitioners.

UMC-RH’s patient-centered focus ensures excellent treatment tailored to patients’ individual needs in accordance with the university’s principles and values of safe, holistic medical care.

The medical center is also the site for LAU’s Standardized Patient Instructor program—the only one of its kind in Lebanon that trains volunteers to simulate real patients to be interviewed and examined by students, creating a realistic doctor- patient hospital experience.

Only at LAU & ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4

FEATURES CONTENTS 4 Still Held Back: 28 Teach for Lebanon Brings Quality Lebanese Women in Education to Rural Poor Power and Politics 29 LAU-MEPI Program to Empower Women An electoral loss for the women of Lebanon Kicks Off 30 LAU and the Université de Montréal Promote Democracy and Citizen 8 The Politics of Conflict and Empowerment Despair: Middle Eastern 31 Expanding Education: LAU’s New Medical Art Rises in the West School Welcomes Inaugural Class The value of politics in art 32 12th Annual International University Theater Festival

14 New Media=New Politics? 34 The New Face of LAU Citizen journalism and the drive 36 LAU Profile in Politics: Nimat Kanaan (’58) to represent 37 Faculty & Staff on the Move 17 From Washington to 38 Student Achievement Marc Abizeid served as a top aide to U.S. 40 Campus Notes presidential candidate and consumer advocate Ralph Nader—then came home to find the 45 Upcoming Events Lebanese elections strangely familiar… 46 From the Boardroom

48 Legacy and the Promise Campaign 20 State of the Union in Profile of Excellence: Stoltzfus and LAU Theory & Practice 50 Saudi Bin Laden Group Academics and activism, together at last 51 Alumni News 22 Chibli Mallat: A Nonviolent 53 Obit Bilal Omar Sidani Path to Advance Politics 54 Alumni Events The man who brought Sharon et. al. to trial speaks out on the need for real democracy in the 56 Why I Give Back

26 On Human Rights Not Enough—A Middle East Update

Students from the American University of Sharja, UAE, perform Neveshaya at LAU’s 12th International University The Teach for Lebanon teacher training Theatre Festival seminar participants on the Beirut campus

page 1 LAU Magazine & Alumni Bulletin Volume 11 | issue nº4

President Wherever You Go Joseph G. Jabbra LAU Magazine is your platform to share photos and news about Editorial Advisory Board yourself, your family and your friends. We encourage you to update Richard A. Rumsey, Vice President University Advancement us on your professional and personal activities and achievements— Peggy Hanna, Assistant Vice President from wherever you are! Marketing and Communications Abdallah Al Khal, Director Alumni Relations Saba Haider, Associate Director Print Communications Gregory Houle, Manager Advancement Communications Edward Shiner, Director Alumni and Special Projects

Managing Editor Todd Dorman Associate Editor Olga Habre Staff Writers Marc Abizeid Olga Habre Saba Fatima Haider Gregory Houle Contributing Writers Brooke Anderson Don Duncan Dana Halawi Dalila Mahdawi Austin G. Mackell Ana-Maria Luca Help Tell Our History Molly Sugarman Editorial Assistants We welcome news from alumni, friends, supporters and current and former Nadia Gabriella Bhuiyan faculty and staff representing all the university’s current and former schools Nanor Karageozian and colleges. Submit your stories and photos for inclusion in LAU’s online Nadine Maknieh Graphic Designer and print publications. Marianne Amkieh Siblini Photography Tamara Abdul Hadi Submit to: Rasha Accad [email protected], or Ali Chehade Marketing and Communications Department New York Office Saba Fatima Haider Lebanese American University Lebanese American University Bassam Lahoud Imad Salamey P.O. Box 13-5053/F24 475 Riverside Drive #1846 Hassan Nisr Chouran, Beirut 1102-2801, Lebanon New York, NY 10115-0065 Human Province screenshot courtesy Sean Lee Page 20, 3rd photo from left: Copyright © 2001 The Royal Hashemite Court

LAU Magazine is published quarterly by the Marketing and Communications Department at LAU and is distributed free of charge to alumni, students, staff, faculty, friends and supporters worldwide.

Direct comments can be sent to [email protected].

LAU Magazine & Alumni Bulletin The Days of Negligence, Marketing and Communications Department performed by students from Lebanese American University ’s Higher Institute for P.O. Box 13-5053/F24 Dramatic Arts at LAU’s 2009 Chouran, Beirut 1102-2801 International Theater Festival Lebanon Tel. +961 1 786 456 ext. 1948/1917 Fax. +961 1 786 470

New York Office 475 Riverside Drive #1846 Corrections for LAU Magazine, Volume 11, Issue 3, Summer 2009 New York, NY 10115-0065 Tel. +1 212 870 2592 Dr. Huda Abdo is chairperson of the Social Science Division, LAU Beirut (Page 11). Fax. +1 212 870 2762

The photograph on page 13 (bottom) is of Dr. Huda Rizk, professor of sociology at Please send changes of address to: the Lebanese University and consultant at the Economic and Social Commission for [email protected] Western Asia (ESCWA). +961 1 786 456 ext. 1341/1136

page 2 with President Jimmy Carter LAU President JosephJabbra engagement withtheimportantissuesthatsurroundusall. your as well as communities your to give you that service the commend also I values. our in politicsandwecandoitamyriadofways, asyouwillreadaboutinthepagesahead. nearly was unprecedented. Yet,generated as campaign citizens of the world we his have a sincere obligation to engage that the ourselves enthusiasm or of politics level in the Indeed interest system. little political held otherwise have might who people invigorate to how generations engageinpoliticstoday. younger which in ways new fresh the examining to magazine the of issue this dedicate we that reason this for is It them. around world the in active become to generations younger this vitally important topic and discuss ways in which politics can often act as a catalyst for elections the world over, was how it engaged the youth of the country. In this issue we address political modern election,most this of of hallmark aspects a intriguing indeed most and the regardless oftheirpoliticalviews, Lebanesevotersrespectedthedemocraticprocess. Oneof taking aparticularfocusonthechanging face ofpoliticsintheMiddleEast. significant aspects that make politics and the political world so tantalizing to so many of us, of issue this In world. the of throughout and politicians governments our of actions the by affected profoundly is us of each issues, the on From thePresident’s Desk President Joseph G. Jabbra Thank you, to commitment your and LAU of support continued your for you thank I always As for blueprint a as served States United the in election unprecedented Obama’s Barack part, most the for and, elections national important held Lebanon ago months few A stance our Whatever live. we where matter no lives our of part pervasive a is Politics Dear Friends, we explore some of the of some explore we Magazine, LAU page 3 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 FEATURES

LAU alumna and current Lebanese MP Strida Geagea

Still Held Back: Lebanese Women in Power and Politics By Don Duncan

The celebratory firecracker smoke has cleared from Beirut’s streets and the purple electoral ink has faded from the thumbs of Lebanese voters. It’s been more than four months since Lebanon went to the polls and, regardless of political affiliation, there was clearly one big loser across the board – the women of Lebanon. The number of women serving in government has moved down from six seats to just four seats out of the 128 seats in the Lebanese parliament. “It was a major, major setback for women, at least in terms of representation,” said Lina Abou-Habib, director of social justice at NGO Center for Research and Training on Development Action. “It is also a setback in the sense that the way that women who enter parliament do so is through patriarchal channels, and yet again this has been reproduced, reiterated, reinforced, exacerbated in the latest parliamentary elections.” Lebanon was at the forefront of women’s empowerment in the Middle East when it extended suffrage to women in 1952, the third country in the region to do so after Israel/Palestine in 1948 and Syria in 1949. Since then, Lebanon has slid significantly down the scale. With only 3 percent of its parliamentary seats currently occupied by women, Lebanon now languishes at the bottom of the table of parliamentary representation by women in the Middle East, side by side with conservative Gulf states like (0 percent), (2.7 percent) and (0.3 percent). At the top of the scale is Iraq, whose parliament has a 25 percent quota for women MPs, Tunisia with 22.8 percent, and Lebanon’s neighbor Syria with 12.4 percent.

Lebanon was at the forefront of women’s empowerment in the Middle East when it extended suffrage to women in 1952, the third country in the region to do so after Israel/Palestine in 1948 and Syria in 1949. Since then, Lebanon has slid significantly down the scale.

page 4 spouse who spouse has assassinated.been Such is the case of newly elected deputy secondary issueandweren’t raised enough.” Le Tu well, andI areintact.rights women’s alone,assume walking and carspeople driving and women university’s the consuming,” said Strida Geagea, Geagea, Strida consuming,”said culture. political sectarian infamous country’s brakesputtingthe advancement on forwomen, forsubjectingandvolatilities women’sthethe rightshere toof women whoare there hadtheydifferent nowhavehadthesamepossibilities family names?” its predecessors,” said therein lies theglassceiling theheadsofyoungLe above all duringthosetimes, Le were portraits of her and her husband set against billowing banese Forces party, was imprisoned for 11 years during the Syrian occupation of eni, MP Women in Geagea found herself thrust into politics when her husband, Samir Geagea, a Christian leader and head of the “Le Ma “Th Al “Ithink this parliament isasconservative, aspatriarchal, asremoved from thecitizens andwomen’s rights as “Le l four of the women fourthe l of ny people point to point people ny banon fools you,”foolsbanon ProfessorsaidSensenig,Dima communicationsteaches who at banonpassedhasthrough extremely difficulttimes,” saidGeageaeasthomeherin at e issue then was how to help to how was then issue e andeditorofLe have totryexplainthemthatthingsare infact notOKatall.” Lebanon frequently come to power in mourning clothes, stepping into a seat vacated by a father or In stitute for Women’s Studies in the in Studies forWomen’s stitute Abou-Habib. “We need more women in parliament, but then you have to ask, would the four banese women have proved to be on the front lines as activists.” MP banon’s Lebanon’s 1975-90 civil war and its numerous other periods of domestic tumult for tumult domestic of periods other numerous its and war civil 1975-90Lebanon’s s in the newly elected government comedynasties.government from elected political newly longstanding the in s L AU An Na

Le alumna and one of Le in theLebanese Army to LAU 2009 by inviting female soldiers IWSAW celebrated Women’s Day banon and how to save har newspaper, wasassassinatedin2005. Ar ab World ( World ab banese women with political aspirations. Le banon’s current women banese flags or romantic mountain landscapes. “ Le banon from those difficult times, and it was all- IWSAW).“You walk down the street and you see Na yla Tueni, 26, whose father Gibran MPs. “Women’s rights were a Le banon. My studentsMy assumeas so L AU Be and is director of director is and irut. Aroundher And And page 5 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 Still Held Back: Lebanese Women in Power and Politics

Unlike on the political level, engagement in politics by women on the grass-roots and university levels is relatively high in Lebanon. Some of the youth branches of political parties boast female membership levels of up to 40 percent. “In Lebanon, everything is politicized, even in school,” said Yara Boutros, a 19-year-old student of business at Université Saint Joseph in Beirut. “So I started to talk and think about politics in school, and that’s when I started to get involved.” Boutros is an example of how younger Lebanese women are getting involved in politics and quickly climbing up the lower echelons of political parties. Boutros is a member of the the youth branch of one of Lebanon’s main political parties, and she sits on the branch’s university committee, a board of 10 people, each representing one of Lebanon’s universities. Every Thursday, the The latest issue of Al-Raida committee meets in a basement room at the party headquarters to strategize and talk politics. Boutros is one of two female The IWSAW is active in integrating women’s issues into both members on the committee, a level of representation that is the spread of courses offered at LAU and the university’s research already a vast improvement on the meager parliamentary ratio. prowess. Knowledge is power and power is political, and at LAU, “I think it is at this level and at the level of local activism that students can take courses on Gender Studies, Feminist Theory, we can find the most encouraging signs for women in Lebanon,” Psychology of Women, Female Representation in the Arts, Women said Abou-Habib. and the Economy, and Women in the Arab World. LAU’s Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) LAU also sponsors academic research in the fields of women’s is a pillar in this respect, mobilizing women both on its campuses roles in the environment, education, literature, economic and beyond. The institute advances women’s rights and issues development, management, media, history and politics, and on several fronts, as well as academic research, public policy and a master’s program in gender studies is in the early stages of grass-roots awareness through “on-the-ground” contact with development. A tentative launch date is 2011. When it begins, it students. will be the first such program in Lebanon. “I know that civil society is pretty vibrant, but so far change The IWSAW also publishes Al-Raida (which means “Trailblazer” is not coming,” said Sensenig. “For the change to come, some in Arabic), a quarterly journal. The journal covers topics including things have to change materially—economic power or force that female criminality, disability, sexuality, warfare, legal status and will turn these civil society groups into a critical mass that will in race. turn effect real change in this country.” “It’s an academic journal. What we try to do is disseminate The IWSAW is an example of how political change for women recent information about women in the Arab world,” said can take place even when there is retrenchment happening for Myriam Sfeir, managing editor of Al-Raida. “We’re a data bank them in explicitly political channels such as the parliament. There by which researchers get the information they need on women is an inherent politics in the empowerment of women, and in this in this region.” respect the IWSAW is contributing to the political advancement More and more people are subscribing to Al-Raida, but also of women through its work with female prisoners, its literacy the internet is bringing net-savvy researchers all over the world outreach efforts to women in Lebanon, and its “Basic Living into the fold, said Sfeir. Skills” educational drive, which targets women. The institute “We have subscribers from Europe, America, Asia and the is also making an impact through its broad-based, awareness- Arab world, and a lot of people visit our magazine on the web,” raising campaigns, including conferences at LAU based on topics she said. “Some professors, like at the School of Oriental and pertinent to women’s rights, as well as local mobilization around African Studies in London, have put Al-Raida on their reading events such as International Women’s Day. lists in their classes.” “In my classes, I confront the students with details, like how Al-Raida recently got additional funding from LAU to publish just a few years ago a woman couldn’t leave the country without future editions in Arabic, opening up the publication to new her husband’s permission,” said Sensenig, who was instrumental pools of potential readers across the Arab world. in getting Introduction to Gender Studies accepted as part of The next edition, a double-issue, comes out in November and LAU’s liberal arts core curriculum in 2007. “These students are is focused on the theme of Women and Scripture in the Arab not aware of these problems because they haven’t experienced World. Hard copies can be obtained through the IWSAW, and them directly. But I see that by the end of the semester, there is a electronic versions of Al-Raida can be downloaded for free from change in attitude.” the IWSAW website.

LAU professor and director of IWSAW, Dima Sensenig

page 6 goal,” before all other concerns. rules, and that means community, religion and culture come first, Yaragetting involved in like politics means learning to women play by its sectarian young of mouths the from Le awarenessareprogressing, explicitpoliticalempowermentyetin —LinaAbou-Habib “ When thegoinggetstough,you’re first. hc se ecie a a mcoom o te ainl process. national the “microcosm” of a as describes she which nothing todowithwomen’sissuesatall.” system.that of part arethey because it parliament make own sectarian power,” said Sensenig. “ are women,” saidAb most disposable, and what is disposable in the patriarchal system example ofthis. as recognized in advancement man, wemustfocus onsurvivalasacommunity.” hasn’t really emerged from the war, so before being a woman or a forcountryfightingama war, stillIat thatis sense,a in thatone patriarchal systemarewomen.” and whatisdisposablein the going togetridofthemost disposable, banonstill seems to evade women. “I’d love to have the same rights as men, but for me it’s not my By all accounts, it is clear that grass-roots activity and generalized Sensenig saw this writ small in small writ this saw Sensenig “Politics is not about issues; it’s about the preservation of your the of rid get to going you’re tough, gets going the “When political women’s of foe biggest the is Sectarianism I all accounts, it is clear that grass-roots activity and generalized Bo don’t see myself as being a woman in political terms. political in woman a being as myself see don’t utros said. “ said.utros Lebanon’sfoughttightlyever,most further awere eao, n te ue lcin, largely elections, June the and Lebanon, ou-Habib. My Lebanese and religious identities come identitiesreligious and Lebanese My L AU The women who make it to Aninsight into whycomes ’ s own student elections, student own s Bo to. o her, For utros. It has It Now vision could yearsifnotdecades intheoffing. be process.” political natural more a to progress can get used to seeing women in government,” said Geagea. “Then we thiswayfor perhapstwoparliamentary termsthatso canpeople becauseit’sakind of segregation towards them, we have to do it 5.5 percent, respectively. quota; appropriate percent,25 percentofand quotas 9.2Jordanhave an Morocco and is parliament of percentage what specify to declined reforms.She those of part as parliament mandate, in four-year its during law and Geagea said she will push to include a quota for women electoral current to reforms change.through push to required now are measures forceful that and context, the in naturally happen cannot representation campaigns,”Sensenig. added national with on confessional, as repeated very slogans same were the patterns voting students’ “the election,the to came it when concerns,but campus-based such other andcafeteria the in conditionsincluded issues Campaign Campaign issues included conditions in the cafeteria and other andcafeteria the in conditionsincluded issues Campaign With “Th parliamentary female of progression said Geagea Strida MP ough this is not the best way to promote women’s rights,women’s promote to way best the not is this ough Lebanon’sconsensusnotoriouslypolitics,slow Geagea’s Lebanon’s new government is expected to pass toLebanon’s expectedgovernment isnew Lebanesepolitical page 7 page MPs Ir aq,

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 FEATURES

Photograph by Tamara Abdul Hadi: a Palestinian woman at the Bekaa camp, , Jordan The Politics of Conflict and Despair: Middle-Eastern Art Rises in the West The first of a two-part feature on art and politics in the Middle East By Saba Fatima Haider

page 8 —Tamara AbdulHadi,photographer “ By livingin theMiddleEast,itisuponusto on usandshowthepublicourtruth.” use ourtoolstobreakthestereotypesplaced ht hed hog te ok ad itnus te fo oe nte, hs cetv pltcl engagement” political “creative another, this one presents anewmediumfor dialogueanddiscourse. from them distinguish and works the through thread that often a major theme, as well as a great part of the appeal of art from the region. Regardless of the common themes complex andfragmented societies. fact—thatexact that in lies tastes Western to voicesappeal authentic Their reflect works the coming from often religiously (and even historically) history of engaged conflict and in diversity.a region that has a long-established Lebanon, Syria, EgyptandSaudiArabia—and toachieve$11millioninsales. expects act asamajorcatalyst inthedevelopmentofcontemporary market art intheMiddleEast.” three past years.the On in its website,East Middle Christie’s states the that its in semi-annual Dubai auctions, art held of in April and worth October,million $130 nearly “continue sold to region,having the in house auction leading unsurprisingly,the perhaps as, itself established has it that Turkey, and boasts Pakistan,Iran Christie’s Eastern artist. cultural unity—sold for a record-smashing $2.84 million, marking a world auction record for a work by any Middle some as a tribute to by the former ceremonialinterpreted capital of been the Persian has empire,that and by others wall as a Tanavoli—abronzemetaphor forParviz Iranian artist Iranian Persepolis”by “Oh April, in auction region. fromthe contemporaryart renaissancein a scale,greatersignified much also a artists,it on Eastern but Middle erafornew a of beginning the formallymark event million.this $8.5 did to only reachedclose Not auction first collections.their art London, Paris and New York, and when Western art buyers, gallery owners and collectors started, well, diversifying that there is still a long way to go before photography is accepted as an art form in notes that public ourtruth.” the show and us on placed stereotypes the break to tools our use East,”to Middle us upon is explained,“it she effects ofwar, plaguedwithfor oftheworld hasbeen years.” whichthispart The value of politics inart The value ofpolitics Truth inphotography said it will presentselection of Middle Eastern art—167an important sculptures and paintings, from particularly Middle East, mainly between Beirut and Dubai, where she has worked for Reuters and completed assignments for beauty of photography,”the and subjecthe said.the of beauty the“We between[distinction] photography, don’t a art make havesee don’t public]general they the art culture yet that allows people to understand things.” photography.“Th Most of the important issues in the Middle East, like refugees of war and poverty, are in direct relation to the to relation direct poverty,in areand war of refugees East,like Middle the in issues important the of Most are Arab photographers that work on projects that are not directly related to conflict and are still quite “Conflict successful.to.seen,” added,be “Thereit Hadi to said. needs Abdul wants she and important artist very is the own.It its not on stands photographyor whether region, the in subject every about just into down trickle does Le film,is medium chosen the Whether photographyor art a of artist,work Eastern the Middle in fine is politics politically, culturally, are they that is common in have artists Eastern Middle by works the of many What 2009, October in Dubai Contemporaryin and auction Forhas Modern Christie’s International Art seventh its Carrying works of art from new and established artists from around the Arab world as well as from Afghanistan, Christie’s the at year This years.recent in figures unprecedented for sold have artists Arab many of Works its Dubai,at in sales and opened house auction Christie’s 2006,in long-established Back and prestigious the circlesin art high-society in parties cocktail at jour du subject the became Arabartists when point the was It As a photographer, Abdul Hadi focuses her work on what she describes as social change. “By living in the in living “By change. social as describes she what on work her focuses photographer,Hadi a Abdul As Tamara Abdul Hadi is an Iraqi-Canadian photojournalist and photographer. Since 2004, she has been based in the Abdul Hadi notes that one does not need to be a war photographer to make it in the region, although war region,although the in it make to photographer war a be to need not does one that notes Hadi Abdul banese photographerbanese Lebanese people appreciate most the photography that they relate to most, and that happens to be war ey appreciate war photographers here because they can see it and feel it,”feel and it see can they because here photographers war appreciate ey Ba ssam La houd has been a photography instructor at instructor photography a been has houd Hadi about theMiddleEast. Hadi about culture and relevance, with stories that need to be heard,” said Abdul history,zone,’of ‘hot full areaa vast is a it also that news-wise,is it disadvantaged.the “Apartfact to the fromworkshops photography where she is currently working on personal projects, including giving living in forDubai After three years, Hadi Abdul moved to Lebanon, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other publications. Le L banon. “ AU for the past 22 years.He 22 past the for If Lahoud said,Lahoud adding they [the Lebanese [the they page 9 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 The Politics of Conflict and Despair: Middle-Eastern Art Rises in the West

Artist: Ahmed Moustafa Title: “Qur’anic Polyptych’ of nine panels,” 1995AD / 1414AH Size each panel: 102cm x 102cm Size overall: 306cm x 306cm Media: Oil and water colour on middle grain linen canvas Inspired by The Quran - surahs 112, 113, 114 Used by permission of the artist

page 10 a mosquereected inaBahraini neighborhood Photograph by Tamara Hadi: Abdul prize attheCannes FilmFestival. Intervention,” andproduced during theSecond filmed Intifada intheWestBank, wontheJury problems rooted insectarianism. “Divine Palestinian EliaSuleiman’s2002film filmmaker “La Grande Marche” depicts cultural diversity inanationthathasinfamously suffered from for byanArab apainting artist. Lebanese Paul painter Guiragossian’s oiloncanvas painting Ahmed Moustafa’s Qur’anic setaworldauctionrecord (opposite) ofninepanels polyptych the foreground andamanwatchingherfrom theside. 2007, InOctober revered Egyptianartist “Whispers” (inkongelatinsilverprint), ofaveiledMuslimwomanin whichdepictstheprofile Key worksthat haverecently soldfor impressive includeIranian figures ShirinNeshat’s artist page 11 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 The Politics of Conflict and Despair: Middle-Eastern Art Rises in the West

Photograph by Tamara Abdul Hadi: Palestinian women at the Bekaa camp in Amman, Jordan

On the big screen Khalil Zaarour is an LAU communication arts alumnus and a part-time film instructor at the university. Zaarour’s 2007 film “The Strangers” depicts the extent of the deprivation endured by more than 200 families living in neglected areas of Tripoli, Lebanon, including residents of the Ghuraba cemetery and also Khan Al Askar, a soldier’s caravansary. Zaarour gave an interview to a Lebanese television channel earlier this year to discuss his film, and he explained that the characters depicted in “The Strangers” are Lebanese people who are “strangers in their home country,” and who try to survive in every way possible. He cited the example of the residents of the Ghuraba cemetery who scrape a living by burying the dead. “There is no society that accepts people living this way,” Zaarour said. Another LAU film instructor, Assad Fouladkar, established himself as a legend in Lebanese cinema with his first feature film, “When Maryam Spoke Out” (2002), which explores the strains of cultural and family pressures on relationships and grieving. The growth of Palestinian cinema as a medium for expression and as a powerful form of cultural resistance over the past 10 years has quickly created an opportunity for political engagement by Palestinian filmmakers in the region. Films such as Hany Abu Assad’s “Paradise Now” (2005) and Elia Suleiman’s “Divine Intervention” (2002) have proven successful at engaging audiences with political discourse on the Arab-Israeli conflict, by screening to broad audiences at top international festivals such as Cannes. Bearing voices firmly committed to presenting the Palestinian truth of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and immediately becoming a powerful form of resistance, Palestinian films did not experience the warm welcome in the United States that other world cinemas might have offered. For example, while “Divine Intervention” won a top honor at Cannes, in the United States, the Academy Awards did not accept the film as the Palestinian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film category, on the basis that “Palestine is not a country.” As Hind Shoufani, a Palestinian filmmaker and former LAU film instructor, said recently, echoing most filmmakers in the region: “Our stories need to be told.”

“There is no society that accepts people living this way.” —Khalil Zaarour, filmmaker, LAU instructor

Elia Suleiman, “Divine Intervention”

page 12 popular culture icons in the and are onlyinterested ingettingjustthat—political orcontroversial subjectssuchastheveil,” shesaid. because they know that the subject sells. “Western museums, galleries and collectors come to makeliving.and a region’sthe artists,of majority thisthe of work the in Politics influence accordingan is part to of the world points out that it is not always a sincere inspiration for the artists of the region, who often struggle to sell their work An artist politically engagedintheregionpolitically iseitherfake [initsproposed expression] orexaggerated.” appears which art any that inspiration,are chances political or ideological an having to opposed ambitions.As theircareers,” havetaken theywanttofurther artists onthosesubjectsbecause saidAbilama. instability, political experienced have may war,and years,fewracism, past more the on.sexism,over so But and them,” saidAb she explained, and she felt the need to capture that mood. “ aroundher.on going artistand is reluctant categorizedto be as such, she said she did the series because she was inspired by what was Lethe five Eg going tosayitare theartists.” yptian singer Oum Kolthoum,Oum singer yptian Be ofart? The point Al “No one really says it, though,” Abilama concluded. “Art dealers aren’t going to say it. The only that people are career artist’s an by driven and driven,economically more becoming is engagement “Politicaladded, She that.of takeadvantage to regiontend the in Sure, artists think “I comefrommay troubledthey backgrounds While though her signature works are paintings of popular irut-based Pop irut-based dy Warholandthe1960sPop Ar Ab banese politicians who were assassinated that year. While ilama readily admits that politics as a theme is prevalent in contemporary in prevalent is theme a as politics that admits readily ilama ilama. “Bu Ar Th tist e assassination of the politicians had a huge impact on the on impact huge a had politicians the of assassination e t I did not exhibit them because I did notexhibitthembecause La Ar udi ab world and taking as an inspiration the signature style and techniques of Abilama also created,Abilamaalso 2006,earlyandpaintings of2005 lateofseries between a Ab —LaudiAbilama “ Western museums, galleriesandcollectors controversial subjectssuch astheveil.” interested ingettingjust that—politicalor come tothispartofthe world andareonly ilama is an up-and-coming talent in the in talent up-and-coming an is ilama t movementhepopularized. struggle toselltheirworkandmakealiving. inspiration fortheartistsofregion,whooften art, shepointsoutthatitisnotalwaysasincere theme isprevalentincontemporaryMiddleEastern While Abilamareadilyadmitsthatpoliticsasa Lebanese sex symbol and singer Haifa Wehbe and revered didn’t want to be labeled as a political portraitist.” asapolitical labeled didn’t wanttobe I thought it would be cool to do the series to remember Abilama is adamant that she is not a political Mi ddle Le banesesociety around her, East, creating paintings of paintings East,creating Mi ddle Eastern art, she art,Eastern American Ab ilama, page 13 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 FEATURES

“Mapping the Arabic Blogosphere: Politics, Culture, and Dissent,” courtesy Berkman Center for Internet & Society and Morningside Analytics New Media = New Politics? By Austin G. Mackell

Like the printing press, the radio and the television before for Internet and Society. The report pointed to the “seamless it, the internet has created broader opportunities for people to combination of modes of communication” made possible by involve themselves in political discourse. Older forms of mass new media, and to the “networked public sphere” that the digital media did this by giving the public a new way to get information, age creates, “in which the power of elites to control the public a new way to listen. But the internet has also provided a new agenda and bracket the range of allowable opinions is seriously way to share information, a new way to speak. This is particularly challenged.” significant in the Middle East, where broadcast and print have Although the report did not conclude that the internet has long been severely affected by political and social constraints. so far fostered international political communities to the extent Still, the internet, as with all new forms of media, is experiencing that many had predicted it would, the authors noted that political growing pains—and its impact on political discussions and blogs—even while many tend toward “personal, diary-style outcomes has so far been positive in many cases, less so in observations”—succeed in offering a variety of idiosyncratic others. perspectives. LAU journalism professor Ramez Maluf pointed out one of While Iran is outside the scope of the Harvard study, the the downsides of the new-media craze. “The quality [of online authors pointed out that, despite its slightly fewer than 20 million political analysis] is severely uneven,” said Maluf. “There is a internet users, the country has a vigorous online political scene. tendency to abridge analyses, because internet readers have According to the Internet and Democracy Project, there are twice a shorter attention span forced on them by the nature of the as many blogs in Persian as there are in Arabic. computer.” In the recent political unrest that swept Iran, the internet played But despite the sometimes truncated nature of online political an undeniable role, through not only blogs but also other forms of discourse, Maluf believes the internet has ultimately “widened new media, from text messages to Facebook and Twitter. the debate and given way to greater transparency.” He pointed to “mobiles that can film and photograph events and upload them, [and] dissenters who can carry their messages across large audiences.” The power of the internet to rapidly disseminate information and opinions about political events to a worldwide audience is one of the subjects of a recent report titled “Mapping the Arabic Blogosphere: Politics, Culture and Dissent,” by the Internet and Democracy Project of Harvard University’s Berkman Center

page 14 By AustinG. Mackell New Media=Politics? eie a su dw opsto nwppr—u as of also newspapers—but opposition down shut information—the has getting of regime way a as just not increased, has receive and list the internet views.election,morethe the sincerelianceon But Ali’s of top the to rise ratings best the that receive those users; other by rated then are that links where post users site a www.balatarin.com, on links sharing email and in groups participating as well as service, Farsi BBC’s the from Iran,receivingnews his in been student long technology had Ali roles of producer and consumer in the digital era. An information the of fluidity the identity,illustrates his protectperfectly to Ali hoping todiscredit theregime intheeyesofitssubjects. as far as went even claiming that the video Khamenei was a fake—the product of Hoseini foreign agents Ali Ayatollah Leader and caused great embarrassment to the establishment. Supreme movement protest the for image iconic an became It internet. the on widely circulated and camera cell-phone a on captured militia,was Basij pro-regime the of member a by shot was who a ko d ta’ timh Te et o Nd Agha-Soltan, Neda of death The triumph. team’s do kwon tae a time when state-run television preferred to focus on the Iranian with his claims of electoral fraud and his calls for protest—during supporters his reached Mousavi Hussein Mir leader opposition his and through website was Iranthat, once it the instance, in contested election For results East. both were announced, Middle evident the throughout become has that consumer, phenomenon and producer a between lines the of blurring the as using proxy servers. by dodged quickly then movement reform Iran’s of members tech-savvy more the which filters, government were by blocked turn became also in Facebook These protests. organizing and of Twitter ways election, as invaluable the of wake the in n Iain nent sr woe ae s hne hr to here changed is name user, whose internet Iranian One The digital age has also had more wide-ranging effects,such wide-ranging more had also has age digital The services text-messaging down shut regime Iranian the When blog byLee Sean The HumanProvince — Ramez Maluf, chairoftheCommunicationArts “ There isa tendencytoabridgeanalyses,because forced onthembythenatureofcomputer.” internet readershaveashorterattentionspan Province,” has focused on Lebanon since he moved here three here moved he since Lebanon Province,”on focused has Human “The blog, whose Beirut of University American the at news.Lee,of consumptionSean professor and a production the to approach creative more a and debate, political the entering was attemptedinIran. movements,as their freezing or journalists deporting by simply out getting from information keep cannot regime activity, the internet of level moderate demonstrateda even with country a that, elections in clearly the of after Iran acts in other journalism” and “citizen This producer. media to consumer media outsideIran.based website magazine a on permission, his with and anonymously published, eventually were they that quality high such of were reporter foreign a to updates email informal news.Ali’s sharing attached.” rules looser the to due creative more and conventional less be regional egregious habits,” other said Saidi. various “Also, form and the dialogue in the the new media can often nepotism takes patronage, sometimes of [and] families established by run and controlled is Lebanon in media old the of “Much agreed. “LebBohemian,”of print issues, social and Lebaneseon politics blog a and television respective outlets drive things.” their L and zu’ama the where affair, top-down a much “very as media ago,old years described Division n eao a wl, e mda a ld o oe voices more to led has media new well, as Lebanon In from transition the made had Ali it, planning even Without AU student and blogger Amer Saidi, author The Lebanese 2009officialwebsite Elections page 15 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 New Media = New Politics?

But Saidi pointed out that the role of the internet, in tandem Nonetheless, the internet can never be subject to the same with the general mood surrounding the Lebanese elections authoritarian crackdowns as old media. For example, internet in June, was somewhat muted. “New media played some role users in Iran or Iraq, especially if they are savvy with the use of in the Lebanese elections,” he said, “but one that pales in proxy services (which get around state-imposed filters), can access comparison to that played in the Iranian election … because information stored on databases located physically outside the the elections took place with relatively little disturbance, unlike borders of a country. This gives dissident bloggers, particularly what happened in Iran.” those living abroad, the ability to disseminate unconstrained Lee, whose blog would be considered by the authors of content comparable to that of satellite television or a shortwave Harvard’s “Mapping the Arab Blogosphere” study as one of the radio station, at a tiny fraction of the cost—as many do. “English bridge” sites that link the Arab blogosphere with its Even for dissidents and reporters based within the country they Western counterpart, elaborated on that view. “I don’t think write about, it is much easier to start a Twitter account or a blog, [online activism] had much of an effect,” Lee said. But he added or to post a video on YouTube, than it is to start a newspaper, radio that the internet did lead to positive changes in the election station or television channel, and not even the most repressive process. “It did allow people outside of Lebanon, including regimes have so far attempted to make people apply for a license Lebanese, to follow the results in English more closely,” said Lee. to blog or set up a video-sharing account. The authorities can “One interesting thing to note, though, is that the Ministry of block a site (although this will not stop proxy users from seeing the Interior put up an elections website, which had information it) or arrest a blogger once he or she is deemed to be important about how to vote and the results. This made the election results enough or to have crossed a “red line” in statements, but they much more transparent than before, allowing people to take a cannot regulate the digital networks as easily as they can the print look at how the vote broke throughout the country.” and terrestrial-based broadcast markets. Despite the positive changes that new media has engendered As LAU professor Maluf pointed out, old-media reporters around the world, internet freedom is still far from absolute. are also subject to other forms of control beyond the threat of New-media practitioners are getting arrested more and more incarceration. “Journalists working in old media work under other frequently, and Reporters Without Borders noted that there are constraints, such as media affiliation [and] gatekeepers who are more than 80 “net dissidents” currently behind bars worldwide, too careful or who share different views,” he said. The internet 58 of them in China. At least 10 dissidents currently languish age has changed all that. Those who want to participate in the in jails across the Middle East. The number of other dissidents online discussion, said Maluf, “operate under freer structures” who have been scared away from sensitive topics or provocative than ever before. statements is unknown, and probably much higher.

Ramez Maluf, LAU professor, chair of the Arts and Communications Division, and director of the Institute for Media Training and Research

page 16 By Marc Abizeid From WashingtontoBeirut uninsured residents. care ofthecountry’s50million care systemthatwouldtake universal, single-payerhealth We wereadvocatingfora A PersonalAccount Abizeid first meets andinterviewsNaderinMay 2008duringacampaign rally in Santa Cruz, CA. at Abizeid thetime was astudent reporter addts unn fr rsdn. hr wr i fc sx addts hs names were totheoretically on enoughstateballots wintheelection. whose candidates six fact in were There two president. than for more running were candidates there that coverage, media of absence total a to due largely impressivewhich isespecially considering hehasneverheldpublicoffice. memory,recent in recordleader political American achievement any than remarkable an more and longer has man The environment. the and consumers workers, forway the protecting legislation causespaved of that icondozens of champion and Nader,Ralph presidentialof the campaign consumer advocate Lebanese-American a it were ofcompetition. somesort if as honked drivers while signs street and lights traffic ignoring cars of convoys U.S.witnessed the had in I time that first years.the eight was last It the of residents A mob had assembled outside the White House to yell, chant and curse the mansion’s of the president-elect,supporters who were intoxicated, dancing, hugging each other. president. D.C., when the results were announced declaring Barack Obama the nation’s 44 nation’s the Obama Barack declaring announced were results the when D.C., Most people outside (and far too many inside) the U.S.the inside) many far(and too outside people Most were completely unaware, I had the spent last months five prior to the election working as a press forofficer To putitbrusquely the sun Not had long comeafter down, the streets were with people,filled mostly It was November 4, 2008, Election Day in the United States. I was in Washington,States.in 4,United was the November I 2008,in was Day It Election , I felt like Iwasin …Lebanon. Nader andhisstaff Presidential candidate Ralph OPINION page 17 page th

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 From Washington to Beirut

A rented campaign car gets topped off at a gas station in Reno, NV (July 2008)

Abizeid takes a call from the campaign headquarters in Washington, D.C.

It was Nader’s third consecutive presidential bid (first with On Election Day, after months of a media blackout, Nader the Green Party, then twice as an independent), and while we concocted a rather clever way to be heard: He would hold a had no intention of actually winning the election, we were one-word press conference. For the first half of the hour-long determined to put certain issues on the table, issues that neither conference, Nader responded to a heavy list of wide-ranging, Obama nor John McCain would endorse. We were advocating sometimes funny, questions from the roomful of journalists for a universal, single-payer health care system that would take with one-word, sometimes funny, answers. To give a sample of care of the country’s 50 million uninsured residents. We were his sharp analysis of Middle East affairs that afternoon: calling for a real end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bottom line was that neither of the other two candidates had a Reporter: How do you assess the situation in Iraq? spine tough enough to stand up to the corporations and special- Nader: Worsening. interest lobbyists occupying Washington. I still remember the words of one newspaper vendor I met in a D.C. Metro: “He ain’t Reporter: What about Israel/Palestine? gonna win, but at least he’ll give ‘em hell.” Nader: Stagnant. One of the goals of the campaign was to enter the presidential debates and offer viewers a fresh set of ideas that we believed Reporter: Lebanon? were being deliberately and systematically suppressed by the Nader: Hummus. “servile” media, as Nader calls them. The odds of being allowed to debate, however, were heavily against us. In the late 1980s, Eighteen hours later, physically and mentally exhausted from a phony debate commission controlled by former chairmen of the work of the past five months, I was on a 6:34 a.m. departure the Democratic and Republican parties was created to ensure back to California, where I spent about a week visiting family third party and independent candidates play no part in debates. and friends. I then packed my bags and came to Lebanon, where The commission set unattainable thresholds for candidates to I have been living since then. gain access. I arrived in Beirut on November 13. My first few weeks in But in October, Nader accepted an invitation to debate Chuck Lebanon were spent relaxing and catching up on sleep in my Baldwin, a presidential candidate running under the Constitution family’s village of Ain Saade. It would not have taken a foreigner Party. The highlight of the debate was when the moderator hit long to guess that elections were on the way, considering the on the Middle East. Nader unleashed, blasting Israel for its siege omnipresent display of political flags, symbols, graffiti and on the Gaza Strip and ripping Obama for his token 25-minute honking. (To readers outside Lebanon: Yes, some political parties visit to the West Bank during a trip to the region. in Lebanon even have their own honks.) After the debate, a swarm of reporters invaded the stage to Despite the series of violent events that had rocked the interview the candidates. One reporter from LBC, who was sent country over the past few years—including the Israeli aggression to Washington to cover the elections, stuck his microphone out in the summer of 2006, the war at the Nahr el Bared Palestinian to Nader and asked him the same question that he has been refugee camp, the May 7 fighting, and the string of political asked thousands of times: “Why are you running?” assassinations—the Lebanese were still divided between the Without missing a beat, Nader shot back in Arabic: “Adeleh.” March 8 and March 14 coalitions, as they were four years earlier, “Justice,” he told the reporter. during the previous parliamentary elections.

page 18 Lebanon ortotheregion. to policy fresh offer to prepared be would House White the in communicate Republican a to nor Democrat a U.S.Neither the election: during trying vigorously was campaign Nader the that point the many to proved importantly,it more react.But to opposition the caused and indiscreet quite was Lebanon election in the in interference His vote. should they way which about Lebanese the to message clear a election—sending the to Lebanon, as it had in 2006. The fears were only compounded Gaza from extend might war the Lebanese that fearingedge, the on put people December. It of end the at Gaza on fall to to “reassess” U.S. aid to the country based on the outcome of outcome the on based country the “reassess”to to U.S.aid Vice President Joe Biden paid a visit to Lebanon and threatened Abizeid isnow employed asafulltimewriter at LAU did nottake longbefore weproved themwrong. policy changes to the country and to the wider region, though it significant bring would Obama that belief or hope the had and U.S.presidentnew the over excited wereLebanon, too,people U.S.election.the during Obama backedIn overwhelmingly had the in voters Muslim 2006,and Arabin Lebanon on war Israeli with the full acknowledgment that both men had supported the and Obama McCain/Bush on their attitudes toward between the region, differencesand even benign Despite military. Israel’s for U.S.support end to promise a was campaign Nader the to border. the over Lebanonfrom launched wererockets where incidents two after Lebanon southern of areas shelled Israelis the when The mood in Lebanon intensified when the bombs started started bombs the when intensified Lebanon in mood The On May 23, two weeks before the parliamentary elections, U.S. drawn been had I why reasons compelling most the of One Washington, D.C. the National Press Club, Abizeid withNaderat ukaes dsiet ad oil rtc tee h nx day, next the charged upandready to“give‘emhell.” there critics social and dissidents muckrakers, the find always still will U.S.,we the in or Lebanon in whether I thing: one night, least election on winner declared is who matter at no that knew in assurances my found I off, nodding finally Before village. my around circles endless in drove who coalition,winning the of supporters by honking nonstop the of because capital.night the that well overlooking couldn’tsleep I mountains the in home my from Beirut in glittering seen be could fireworks of display celebrate.colorful to streetsA the to took people and won over.had was 14 night March the before actually winningaseat. at shot real no had shockingly, of he so advocate not and,workers’ rights; an was he interests; special and parties political coalitions; refusedpolitical he rival taketo both of frommoney who fighter communist former and a Halabi, meet Al Ibrahim to interview opportunity an had I example, February, for In Lebanon who tried to shake up the system during the elections. marriage andachangetothesectarianelectoral law. topics, especially with regard to creating a civil state throughthe civil in table the rival coalitions in off issues many left had Republicans the in system two-party the in coalitions As-Shaab (The People’s Movement). Like Nader, he was a critic Nader,Movement).a LikePeople’s was (The he As-Shaab Harakat of member a as Beirut in parliament for running was Th As in the U.S., the election results in Lebanon had been called in dissidents Nader-type some course of were there But e system that had given birth to the Lebanon was in a way similar to what had produced Lebanon were also criticized for ignoring critical system intheU.S. what hadproducedthetwo-party in Lebanonwasawaysimilarto the March8and14coalitions The systemthathadgivenbirthto documents nearReno,documents 2008) NV(July Abizeid helpsacolleague prepare campaign .. ut s h Dmcas and Democrats the as Just U.S. Ma rch 8 and and 8 rch March 14 U.S.,the page 19 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 FEATURES

LAU graduate student Manal Karim Chaanine, former Sarruf participated in the 2009 director general, LAU AL G8 University Students’ Summit WALID GC Model U.N. State of the Union: Student Activism in Theory and Practice By Brooke Anderson

Student activism in Lebanon had its heyday in the early Besides introducing a mandatory ethics course, LAU is 1970s, with Marxist-inspired strikes throughout the country as also offering its students the opportunity to get involved well as anti–Vietnam War protests that sometimes ended in in extracurricular activities that help further their political violent confrontations between students and authorities. education, for instance by participating in the Model United These days, universities in Lebanon are encouraging their Nations or by helping to monitor the parliamentary elections, as students to become activists, hoping to inspire a new generation some LAU students did in June. of leaders and free thinkers. “My LAU education has certainly influenced my student “In the past, universities looked at activists as troublemakers activism. LAU is a very student-centered community, with a or a threat,” said Imad Salamey, assistant professor of political liberal arts curriculum that helps you identify with your bigger science at LAU. “In our experience here, we’ve been trying to set community,” said Layla Kabalan, an international affairs student the stage for positive engagement. We’re trying to get involved entering her junior year at LAU. in positive activism—in which students bring their initiative and “The clubs at LAU, as well as the huge amount of institutions imagination into action and make informed decisions.” with all their programs, guide you through to the field that you It is through education that universities such as LAU are trying would like to be active in,” noted Kabalan, citing as examples to promote individual initiative. “In Lebanon, there’s a lot of mobilization—not through “ When people are taught critical thinking, critical thinking, but through brainwashing and ideology,” said they learn to question things and think for Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut. themselves.” —Paul Salem, director of the “When people are taught critical thinking, they learn to question things and think for themselves.” Carnegie Middle East Center

Insaf Sultan B.A. History, Political Wijdan Talhouni Saket Science 1958 B.A. History, Former Lebanese ambassador Political Science 1967 to , Pakistan, and the LAU in Public Life: Member of Senate (Jordan) Jeanette Mufti Dakhkqan Czech Republic HRH Princess Wijdan Ali HRH Sheikha Hissah Al Sabah A Timeline of Alumni B.A. Interdisciplinary B.A. History 1961 External Degree 1971, Political Service (HD) 1955 Jordan’s ambassador to Italy Honorary Ph.D. 2005 Parliamentary candidate Daughter of ’s crown prince; (Jordan) vice president of the Committee for Women’s Affairs in Kuwait

page 20 Member ofSenate(Jordan)Member Political Science 1967 B.A. History, Wijdan Talhouni Saket WALID U.N. GCModel director general, LAU AL Karim Chaanine, former vice president oftheCommittee for Daughter ofKuwait’s crown prince; HRH Sheikha Hissah Al Sabah HRH SheikhaHissahAlSabah Women’s Affairs inKuwaitWomen’s Affairs representative yetwasabletodeliverthemessageclearly.” L at committees many in follow.’not lead,and the ‘take Personally,participated to have I students’nourish students to enables empowerment.needed It to well.”as all benefit and noted,She benefit “LAU personally to one engaging of importance the world,’”realize the me within “made education her that adding said her courses have taught her to be “aware of the ‘other world of Lebanon.” benefit the is purpose,which sole a for united work to manage to and identity sectarian own their overcome to communities the convince to be would challenge Another steps. basic three with accepting engage the ‘other.’ to communities sectarian Accepting, the listening and negotiating are all the convince to be L at year third her entering country,”sectarian major Harb,science Ali political Ghina a said sectarian lines. along divided society post-conflict a in done than said easier is to dialogue.” them listeners good as well makeas speakers. Student engagement and can lead works U.N. the how about students educate students. educates United Nations—to This the is Model the idea behind that engagement student of kind this It’s positions. different have students that university,acceptadds,“At the we Baroudy, associate professor of political science at L at science Baroudy, political of professor associate other” thechance todothesame. While expressing themselves freely, students must also give “the of it, thusbreaking thecycleofcorruption.” the Lebanese youth closer to their government and more aware sectarianism.Moreover,of that brings activism above grow can Kabalan. “Activism is the only way where the spirit of citizenship period,” post-conflict and said postwar a in living still that,is of opportunities for civicinvolvementthanitspredecessors.opportunities more has that generation postwar a represent students college held,elections campus.violenceon civil forfearof Today, student 1975-90 Lebanon’s no were the there afterward, decade throughout a about But for war, and given. a like seem might Nations, youtorecent turmoil.” thatexpose andsocial political United Model the as programs,accreditedsuch internationally “has university the that added She World.Arab the in Studies LAU External Degree 1971, Honorary Ph.D. 2005 Harb, who was elected to the student council body last year,last body council student the to elected was Harb,who a in activist student a being of challenges many are “There Nonetheless, listening to those from different backgrounds different from those to listening Nonetheless, “The notion of activism might mean militancy,”mean might activism of Sami notion noted “The But this emphasis on activism comes with a new responsibility: Te eaee oit, n I hn ta eeyn i aware is everyone that think I and society, Lebanese “The Campus programs aimed at encouraging student involvement ’s Institute for Conflict Resolution and Institute for Women’s AU (Lebanon) Candidate for presidency 2008 B.A. EnglishLiterature 1982 Dr. ChibliMallat hrb I a te ny student only the was I whereby AU . “ offers the basic background basic the offers h mi calne would challenge main The B.A. Political Science 1994 AU .But,he Member ofParliamentMember Sethrida Geagea (Lebanon) f h Lbns gvrmn o a oeg msegr n the in messenger foreign a or government Lebanese the of an have part a to hand,not united.”in was hand I added,together “If She struggle work all to we if achieved and be only image,could that Lebanon energized real its in country my are many ways to continue through politics, mainly to represent in Lebanon andnotlinkingthemtoone’sreligion orsect.” She added, “The cause I am most concerned about is civil rights in seminars,taking part workshops and NGOsthatinterest me.” graduation. Kabalan plans to participate in political life “through of amuchbiggeraudience.” good you,the than for bigger much is that cause a for fighting much more careful handlingactivism.” about war,”experienced are Salamey.that “Students said adults than charged society. They handle situations much more responsibly more responsible, despite being in an overwhelmingly sectarian- more make informed decisions than and any previous generation. process They’re to much it for information more much so and parents their grandparents. than decisions better make to able be will generations politics.” about coming educating through message my deliver could I future, election monitorselection intheZahle district, Lebanese 2009 elections parliamentary LAU studentsDavigh Karamanoukian, GhaniandZarmig Tchekijian,Amani Abdel —GhinaAliHarb, LAU student negotiating arethethreebasicsteps.” accepting the‘other.’ Accepting, listeningand all thesectariancommunitiestoengagewith “The mainchallengewouldbetoconvince Harb, who hopes to pursue a political career, political noted,“There a pursue to hopes Harb,who after activism continuetheir to Kabalan plan and Harb Both added,Kabalan in passion “Activismyour finding basically is I hn ti gnrto i vr, ey nomd Tee is There informed. very very, is generation this think “I generations younger the that confident is he said Salamey (Lebanon) Former ofParliament member M.A. 1999 InternationalAffairs B.S. BusinessMarketing 1996, Emile Lahoud B.E. Civil Engineering2001 Member ofParliamentMember Samer Saade (Lebanon) page 21 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 FEATURES

A Nonviolent Path to Advance Politics By Saba Fatima Haider

LAU’s Saba Fatima Haider talks to Dr. Chibli Mallat, LAU alumnus, leading international human rights lawyer and scholar of European, Islamic and Middle Eastern law, about how to achieve peace in the East

page 22 By Saba FatimaBy Saba Haider A NonviolentPath toAdvance Politics The newgeneration isgoingtoconfront thisandI’msure more willbe successful thanus. countries.forour need democracyin the in stages,belief various a to by got moved and continuebe we to and nonviolent,way. politically a democratic committed in we regimes But those changing in failedgeneration My universally. Andthatcontroversially includesIsrael. understood as democracy of labels basic the to adhering East Middle the of countries the of any see cannot I this book is that from a democratic perspective, insofar as you can approximate the discipline of law as a science, and as an academic—a specialist—particularly in Islamic law and the laws of the region. The general thrust of region.thrust generalthe The of laws the and law Islamic in specialist—particularly academic—a an as and lawyer,Law,”a activist,Eastern as rights work human of a years as 20 of result Press.a OxfordUniversity is at It own governments and leadership? really hard, butitisprobably engagement and academic howIwouldsummarizemyviewofpolitical research. ineffective and vague term? How do you convince people that nonviolence yields an “nonviolence”better makeas won’t seen results that be vision than a with violence?complex immensely is It’s that region a of politics and are violence,cases theplaintiffs victimsofpolitical because andtheaccusedare leaders. usuallypolitical lawyer.a “political”areas career they my Obviously in pursued power.I in which caseswas are he These when sort,Saddam the of Sharonsort—or Ariel the and Gaddafi against Muammar the of thugs case criminal immensely usually their bring victims helping of sense “activist,”the more in are some and opinions; of prisoners to advance politics” andacademic wouldprobably theheadingofmypolitical life. be winning thejudgmentagainstSharon inFebruary 2003. Sabraof v.Victims Chatila caseof and the SharonAriel al.,et Belgium,in jurisdiction universal of law the under Islamic law at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the U.K.,Ph.D.in a and and Georgetowngained at international respect LLM foran earned bringing activist.He rights lawyer, human a and as academiccareer a on who allasked, “Howdidthishappen, andwhy?” heard oftheSabrawhen hefirst andChatilamassacres. forces spread around Lebanon, Beirut. occupying it carries. My political engagement is moved by the “distaste” for violence as a political means. “A nonviolent path as Iraq, Afghanistan andPakistan? compared to the Middle East, consideringespecially the recent Lebanese and Iranian elections and issues such presidential candidate in2007. Lebanese a was and 2001 since Beirut Saint-Josephin Université at Law European in Chair the Monnet E.U. Jean been has He world. the around universities top other among Studies, African and Oriental of School the literature atLAU There is no doubt that arepeople yearning for a nonviolent change in leadership that is more representative. CM: The academic work of my life is a book which I published two years ago,years two Middle published to “IntroductionI called which book a lifeis my of work academic The CM: their at arelooking East Middle the in people young way the in dramaticchange a identify you Would SH: history the through think you do How academic. is path nonviolent the of dimension general more The of defense the as advocacy,such rights human pure are Some shapes: various takes path nonviolent This Yale,at taught politics,has and Mallat Princeton,law Lyon and on of University severalbooks of author The embarked soon outraged,he nonviolence,was and for Mallat support his in adamant activist democratic A civilians,world,and politicians,enragingthe governments around waves shock sent massacres the of News A few weeks later, on September 19, 1982, Mallat was in a car in Washington listening to the news on the radio Like thousands of other students around the country, his studies were abruptly halted during the war as Israeli CM: Politics in the region and internationally is characterized these days by the immense amount of violence SH: How do you see political engagement emerging in other parts of the world, such as Europe and the U.S., He isnowPresidential Professor oflawattheUniversityUtah. In June 1982, a young Lebanese man by the name of Chibli Mallat was studying toward a degree in English in degree a toward studying was Mallat Chibli of name the by man Lebanese1982, young June a In (thenBUC)whenIsrael invadedLebanon. page 23 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 A Nonviolent Path to Advance Politics

Mallat with Patriarch Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir of Lebanon’s Maronite Church

SH: How will the new generation confront the anti-democratic don’t want to be like Lebanon.” But how do they address it? It’s movements of the Arab autocratic regimes? not easy because when you talk with leading Iraqi politicians, it’s CM: The two ways are easy to conceive. One is the violent immediately a question of, “Are they Kurds? Are they Shia? Are way, which is legal under political science and the received they Sunni?” So they’re trying to square it constitutionally, and notions that we have since the French and American revolutions: it’s not easy. Dictatorship and tyranny can be challenged violently. That’s one They have already had two presidents: One was a Sunni Arab, way and, curiously, it’s a legitimate way, but I don’t believe in it and the current president is Kurdish. If this natural alternation morally. It will do more harm than good. continues, then that’s one way to defeat sectarianism. The other is the nonviolent way. It started haltingly with the first Intifada in Palestine in 1987, then firmly in the Cedar SH: What can you say about the search for democracy by Revolution, and now in the electoral revolution in Iran. Iranians right now? True, the Middle East youth are also confronted with a third CM: The Green Revolution that’s happening in Iran—more choice—to not do anything—which one can understand. There accurately, it should be called the electoral or representative is an apathy, which is understandable because people are tired revolution, because the people were deprived of their votes— from politics and they think politics doesn’t give results, but is the second great nonviolent revolution in the Middle East, they’re still affected by politics. Apathy is a dead end. Violence the first being ours in Lebanon in 2005. The trend toward needs to be resisted, but the resistance needs to be nonviolent. nonviolence is real in the 2009 electoral revolution in Iran. There Otherwise you start looking like those you resist. has been characteristic tampering in elections, which triggered massive nonviolent resistance by people who wanted their vote SH: With the current manifestation of Iraqi democracy that to be counted. And so we have to support them. It’s going to be is emerging, do you see Iraq’s as heading in the same way as a very long and difficult struggle. But the fractured lines are clear post–Civil War Lebanese democracy? between those who are for nonviolence, democracy and human CM: I feel that they are ahead of us. The situation in Iraq is rights, and the brutes in power who kill kids in the street and much more promising than the one in Lebanon because they stage Stalinist trials against their own friends. are very aware of the danger of sectarianism, and they say: “We

Mallat on air

page 24 —ChibliMallat “ We liveinacountrythatisrelatively blessed. and basic freedomsand basic for thecitizen. press,the in freedom also is freedom,it academic only not It’s catastrophe.a it’s countries other Israel.In is them of hit—one continuesto one think.that we generally what Therearetaboos the onlyway to improve ofdebate? thequality is East Middle the freedomin academic of lack the questioning think you Do East. Middle the in improve to needs debate of attheE.U.look now. devastated—and completely was 1945—it in was Europe where at look are.Then we where look now and time, the at systems League started—we were far better countries in terms of political Arab the when 1945 in were we where at Republic”ago.Look years 2,500 “The in principle this formulated Plato other. each trust don’t leaders are authoritarian their countries because democratic, not the if union regional effective, an have cannot Muslim majorityandtradition can alsoadhere todemocracy. discrimination.of Iran,in And Turkey,like in countriesclear with that being a Jew doesn’t mean that being a non-Jew is the object sure make to have Israel-Palestine. You federal a for campaign Jewish Palestinian state that is recognized collectively. Hence my non- a have state,you Jewish the where,formulaagainst a find to have you state,so Jewish the keeping whilst Israel in country inanIslamic regime? democracy can fulfilled be We cansaygenerallywhat wethink.” CM: We live in a country that is relativelyblessed.is country that a in live say canWe We CM: quality the that disagree would anybody think don’t I SH: proved.has YouUnion European the that something is That democratic a fulfill can you that say I for As Definitely. quest CM: Iranian popular the that say you Would SH: that it will be successfulthat itwillbe decisively. suremake to generationfar, new so the success to a up is it but been not has countries.It important of number a in worth its proved has it as efficient, not is nonviolence that true not is It course.the stay to need succeeds.We nonviolence where point with increased violence. thenature That’s of things. that people in power are reacting to the challenge of nonviolence and through not violent. Of course there is violence, in the sense today in Iran with see the electoral we revolution, what which is so and far violent,through not through and through was which 2005, in Revolution Cedar The succeeded: relatively and failed as relativelyhave greatthinks.instancesthat two one had have We inefficient as not is Nonviolence counterproductive. be to proved has it violence,as using in believe don’t way.I another ifthereits goal issomuchapathy? Arab region. Do you think that nonviolent resistance can achieve foughtthat shouldbe andchanged. consequences are grave on your career and your standing. I think professors that have toward theirstudentsandinstitutions. duties the on depending calibrated be to has but there is an additional dimension of academic freedom which tik n aiu prs n h Mdl Es, e a rah a reach can we East, Middle the in parts various in think I see don’t I that is problem test.The big a it’s hard; is It CM: the in embedded being apathy about talked have You SH: the U.S., the in Israel of minister prime the criticize you If anywhere,think they what say to free U.S.,are the people In Collection dePoèmes Inédits, by Tamer Mallat, Chibli’s great uncle page 25 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 FEATURES

Darfur protest, London

The Long Road Toward Claiming Human Rights for the Middle East By Dalila Mahdawi

When it comes to human rights, the situation in many Middle While human rights concepts have become the norm in many Eastern countries leaves much to be desired. countries, Hamdan argues that those ideas have been deliberately Indeed, the region has a long list of rights grievances. Sudan’s ignored by Middle Eastern states that wish to retain tight control protracted civil war and ongoing conflict in Darfur have led over their affairs. As a result, the very notion of human rights is to ethnic cleansing, along with staggering refugee, health and often left out of national curricula entirely. illiteracy problems; most recently, an international arrest warrant Obstructionism aside, Nadya Khalife, Middle East and North was issued to President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes Africa researcher for the women’s rights division of Human against humanity. Further east, Saudi Arabian women are limited Rights Watch, believes apathy discourages youth from getting by laws that forbid them from driving and from traveling without involved in human rights and activism. “Sometimes people in the permission from male relatives, and they are denied equal access Middle East feel they can’t do anything because there’s no one to employment and the legal system. Human rights activists else around with common interests,” she noted. But she suggests and critical bloggers in the Middle East face trumped-up charges that, rather than be put off by the culture of indifference, young that they are weakening state morale, and if convicted they are individuals should be encouraged to “find out what’s going on in punished with long prison sentences, often after unfair trials. their local area ... find other people and organizations that have With sectarian tensions brewing and repressive autocratic the same interests and try to mobilize.” regimes in place across the region, the Middle East continues to While Hamdan and Khalife pointed to a lack of awareness attract criticism for flagrant human rights abuses. But while local about human rights, they also noted increasing efforts to foster and international organizations work hard to sound the alarm bells, respect for the issue in the region, particularly by civil society how aware are people in the Middle East about human rights? In organizations and centers of education. particular, how informed are the youth of the region about their rights and obligations under international human rights law? The answer, according to Fouad Hamdan, director of the Beirut-based Arab Human Rights Fund (AHRF), is discouraging. “ Universities ought to play a major role in “Most young people are not even aware of the existence of the human rights education.” Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what it entails,” he —Irma Ghosn, IPJE founder and director said, making reference to the United Nations document that outlines the fundamental human rights subject to international protection.

page 26 By DalilaMahdawi Human Rightsfor theMiddleEast The Long Road Toward Claiming

peace-building. Participants learn how to respond to conflict conflict to respond to how learn Participants peace-building. and resolution conflict of subjects the on students, university of itskindintheMiddleEast. (I PJ Education (IDC Transformation through training vocational opportunities andliteracy programs. educational and economic violence,their improve to based and gender- and citizenship rights, legal around women empower to programsseveral runs institute (IWSAW).The World Arab the rights in women’s Studies Women’s for oldest Institute East,the Middle the the in center to home is university The rights: the region toactivists, themediaandgeneral public. in issues relevant for resources and explanations provides and organizations rights human African North and Eastern Middle fromstatements and reports valuable the gathers website network’s users, internet Arabic-speaking of number advantage growing the Takingof (http://www.anhri.net). Information Rights e b the by led nationality lawsinMo discriminatory of amendment partial or whole the result, a as and,equality gender about awareness public growing to leading parliamentarians. women’s between partnerships build legislation,and changes,policy inequalitiesingenderconsolidate againstaction of families,capacity their the strengthen for legal it make to issues: of range broad a around campaign to region organizationsthe across rights women’s together brought has collective Research, Research, Every summer,Every IPJ In addition, L L Another regional initiative is The Arabic Network for Human for Network Arabic The is initiative regional Another being is rights women’s advance to initiative Arab pan- One AU is playing a significant role in efforts to promoteto human roleefforts in significant a playing is Tr eaee oil utc ognzto Cletv for Collective organization justice social Lebanese iig n eeomn – Development on aining E), which is the first university-based organization university-based first the is E),which AU Th hosts the Institute of Diplomacy and Conflict e efforts are proving tremendously successful, Arab women to pass on their nationality to nationality their on pass to women Arab ) n te nttt fr ec ad Justice and Peace for Institute the and T) E runs a 10-day academy, open to all Arab all academy,to open 10-day a runs E rocco, rocco, Al geria, Tu participants from LAUparticipants Harvard UN World Model nisia andEg Ar Ac ab in (CR tion NGOs to lobby forlobbyto NGOs ypt. TD.A) NGOs and NGOs . The —FouadHamdan,AHRFdirector “ Most youngpeoplearenotevenawareofthe term social andjudicialchange. term social they are sowing the seeds for the next generation to create long- so, doing In responsibilities. and rights their about East Middle the in people informing in role vital a playing are education of will not happen overnight, civil society organizations and centers Arab the by supported Human RightsFund. financially being is festival film 2010 that L that popular so proven has festival The rights. human about more country, along with educational material, so students could learn the across schools high to distributed later were films winning IDC Moubarak,audience,” Walid the said studentsandwereschool followed bydiscussions. high and public the of members to screened were festival 2008 human rights issue. a specific about from of A films number the documentaries or films short produce to students encouraging Festival,Film Rights Human Beirut the is offering latest competition a institute’s The issues. other many and decision-making rights human enhancing on awareness, and also provides training on negotiation, and bargaining, management conflict and are theleadersandparents ofthenextgeneration.” goingtobe education,”rights human in rolesaid. “AfterGhosn all, students major a play to ought justice.“Universities social or resolution percent of all participants go on to work in human rights, conflict governmental organization. non- local a other.”to submitted then are “the projects,which community with coexist cross-forproposalsformulate to and together work also Participants individuals like-minded with network to how as well as negotiation, and consensus-building listening,dialogue, reflective in skills their enhance to how and UN Headquarters, New York Rights andwhatitentails.” existence oftheUniversalDeclarationHuman While widespread awareness and respect for human rights human for respect and awareness widespread While Yu ant mgn te nhsam n eggmn of engagement and enthusiasm the imagine cannot “You IDC organization Sister According to IPJ AU opened the competition up to all Arab countries.ArabThe all to up competition the opened E’s founder and director, Dr. Irma Ghosn, 25-30 , enhl, ok o diplomacy on works T, meanwhile, T’s director. The three director.The T’s page 27 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 LAU Joint Ventures Teach for Lebanon Brings Quality Education to Lebanon’s Rural Poor By Marc Abizeid

Participants at the six-week training seminar on the Beirut campus

After an intensive six-week summer training seminar at According to TFL records, some preliminary-school students LAU Beirut, 18 fresh graduates from universities across the in rural areas reach the third cycle of their education lacking country will be immersing themselves this fall in a two-year the ability to read and write. One of the main factors, the group teaching program at some of Lebanon’s poorest schools in said, is that the absence of public schools in poverty-stricken towns and villages throughout the northern, southern and regions forces local communities to provide only minimal Bekaa regions. education that is way below state standards. The program is the product of a three-year partnership between LAU’s Teacher Training Institute (TTI) and Teach for “ The seminars definitely prepared our fellows. Lebanon (TFL), a local NGO seeking to bring quality education to children living in poor rural areas where student dropout Although they are bright and have high rates are the highest in the country. The partnership between degrees, they are graduates with backgrounds TTI and TFL began in 2006, when LAU President Joseph G. in business, engineering, arts—you name it. Jabbra, a member of TFL’s Board of Trustees, took notice of the Very few of them have backgrounds in organization’s efforts in underprivileged schools and urged education.” the institute to get involved. TFL is also part of a larger global —Ali Dimashkieh, CEO, Teach for Lebanon network of NGOs from 11 countries. “What we are trying to do is to get these graduates to know a little bit about education in Lebanon, to be able to cope with Many of the teachers hired at some of those rural schools, everything in the schools and at the same time to make a said Dimashkieh, lack proper qualifications and come in with difference,” said Dr. Rima Bahous, LAU faculty member in the just the equivalent of a high school diploma. “In many cases, education department and TFL advisory board member. the teachers don’t have university degrees, and there is no other The training took place from June 29 to August 7. One choice,” Dimashkieh said. “Without those types of schools, the of the most essential aspects of the training program, said children wouldn’t have a school at all.” Ali Dimashkieh, CEO of Teach for Lebanon, is offering the The seminar organizers explain that the graduates, graduates, most of whom have backgrounds in fields outside aside from developing their skills and gaining preliminary education, a structured exposure to teaching. teaching experience, will also be expected to engage in the “The seminars definitely prepared our fellows,” Dimashkieh local communities. To gain the most out of the experience said. “Although they are bright and have high degrees, they while making the heaviest impact on the communities, the are graduates with backgrounds in business, engineering, graduates will be living in the villages where they are teaching, arts—you name it. Very few of them have backgrounds in and collaborating with local residents to organize events and education.” extracurricular activities.

page 28 collaboration between several L said Dr. situations,” ImadSalamey, political YWLprogram director. and economic social, their advance and would impact and empower women in their own communities develop project ideas to be implemented in their countries that of activistsworkingtoadvance women’srights. network regional a creating of hope the in abilities leadership and skills knowledge, their build to designed training in part other proposals, butwewon.” the grant,” Salamey said. “It was a competitive grant, with many for applied projectand this program of and components ideas L dozen a About World. Arab the in Studies Women’s for leaders from , Bahrain, Oman and Yemen took took Yemen and Oman Bahrain, Arabia, Saudi from leaders Middle EastPartnership Initiative(MEPI). grant awarded to and of the SciencesSchool Arts from the U.S. $500,000 a days by possible 15 made training, phase: workshop nonstop first of program’s the of completion the with L at off kicked finally (YWL) program empowerment in the Middle East, so we developed the main the developed we East,so Middle the in empowerment and strategies tosubmitMEPI. goals their of outline and proposal detailed a preparing beforehand time of deal good a spent and began officially it writing, andviolence againstwomen. oneself,promote to disputes,technology using with social proposal deal to how including subjects on hit members faculty By Marc Abizeid WomenKicksOff to Empower LAU-MEPI Program The workshops, held August 1–15, were the products of a of products the 1–15,were August workshops,held The to participants for is workshops the of objective “One wny uf rb uies rfsinl ad community and professionals business Arab Gulf Twenty Leaders Women Young 2008, September in Announced MP ws oiiig rpsl twr women’s toward proposals soliciting was “MEPI before year a nearly program the announced Organizers AU institutes led by the Institute AU ert hs summer this Beirut AU

glass ceiling” intheGulfregion. a “breaking for participants the thanked turn in ambassador Michele Sison. L by Lebanon to Ambassador U.S. attended and Jabbra G. ceremonyJoseph President a during certificates awarded MEPI toextendtheprogram anotheryear. and projects their of areasidentify thatneedimprovement. results the on report to summer next countriessecondthe as program.the of phase returnwill They submitted project proposals to develop and implement in their program coordinator. well received in the Arab world,”Arab the Dr.Haraty,in said received Nabelah YWL well very was program the that sign a It’s eligible. were countries Gulf just that Tunisia,programspecified and the though even Of the20participants, three ofthemare men. forprograma region.the in women of advanceto position the YWL was East announced,after attesting to the perceived need —NabelahHaraty, YWLprogramcoordinator “ We gotover440applications—somefrom were eligible.” the programspecifiedthatjustGulfcountries Jordan, MoroccoandTunisia,eventhough aba hne Ssn o US “it” o eao, n the and Lebanon, to “gifts” U.S. for Sison thanked Jabbra were participants 20 training,the the of completion After L that said Haraty success, Anticipating participants the training, 15-day the completing After “We got over 440 applications—some from Jordan, Morocco Middle the across countries from in poured Applications LAU JointVentures to Lebanon (above) J.Michele Sison, U.S. Ambassador Education Minister(left), and female leaders MPBahiaHariri, The program includedmeeting AU il iey ask likely will page 29 page AU

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 LAU Joint Ventures

The project’s first workshop was held at LAU Beirut campus LAU and the Université de Montréal Promote Democracy and Citizen Empowerment By Dana Halawi

In a world where democracy is often more of a wish than a the name of elections, do not really empower citizens?” reality, two political science professors, LAU’s Dr. Bassel Salloukh Zahar added, “There are those who take elections as a and the Université de Montréal’s Dr. Marie-Joelle Zahar, have proof of democracy; we want to go deeper and investigate the embarked on a project that will research the impact of foreign quality of citizen participation. It is citizen participation, we democracy assistance on citizenship empowerment. believe, that really tells analysts about the quality of a given Their three-year study, titled “Empowering Citizens: Elections, democracy.” Civil Society and Peace Building,” is meant to interrogate and to She remarked that outsiders have increasingly attempted to critically examine attempts to advance democratization in the steer political outcomes in “troubled” societies toward peace Arab world, specifically in Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, and the West and democracy, but their efforts often backfire or do not have Bank and Gaza. The initiative is funded by the International the transformational impact expected, in spite of considerable Development Research Center, which reports to the Canadian efforts and resources. Zahar cited as an example the limitations Parliament. of outside impact on the course of the conflict between Israel “Our starting point is really a critical perspective on the and the Palestinians, invoking a point of view shared by many literature and the argument that says that there is a connection analysts that sustainable peace depends on the democratic between external democracy promotion and democratization transformation of society. in the Arab world,” said Salloukh. He noted that democracy- The program will also involve LAU and Université de promotion projects “are foreign-funded programs that aim at Montréal graduate students, along with NGOs from the four building sustainable, accountable and participatory institutions countries under study, in the collection of data, development in postwar societies.” of policy recommendations, and completion of other aspects Salloukh explained that the study defines citizen of the research. empowerment in terms of elections, electoral law and civil Salloukh predicted that it will take a year to finish the society reintegration. first step of field research, at which point the results will be “We want to see whether or not all this push from the discussed in a regional workshop. A second workshop will outside in the form of external democracy promotion and assess intermediate results. assistance to local actors is really leading to the kind of electoral Zahar and Salloukh are currently preparing to present laws and elections that empower citizens,” said Salloukh. “Or is preliminary parts of their research at the Middle East Studies it the case that despite this external intervention in the form Association meeting in Boston this coming November. “Most of foreign democracy promotion, elections are being sabotaged importantly,” Zahar said, “we are now planning for fieldwork to and highjacked by local actors to produce results that, under be undertaken in 2009–10.”

page 30 LAU JointVentures s o st o cmlto fr nte to er, tdns are facilities students temporary comprehensive, years,high-tech in courses taking two another for completion for set not is small modules, whereas wehavea continuous theme.” four-yearthe curriculum,” Badr.said are“These as taught usually years ofmedical school. their of each in four all take to students require medicine—will social and health population and development, behavioral and professionalskills, clinicalscience, clinical and basic of themes early clinical exposure. how they are integrated together, as well as the emphasis on very and disciplines the account into takes that process assessment an and themes, other and sciences clinical of integration knit closely the delivered, being is it way the structure, its unique: that isnotpresent anywhere elsetoourknowledge.” the School of Medicine. “We’ve taken it to a degree of integration including at Harvard,” explained Dr. Kamal Badr, founding dean of and has not been applied in this fully developed form anywhere— in thesameway. utilize to able been has Harvard even not that program a from L allowed has International here. finally L School of class inaugural Chagoury its and Rose-Marie Medicine of and Gilbert the of opening the L to students of By LAU WelcomesSchool Inaugural Class Education:Expanding LAU’s NewMedical Although the $18 million complex that will house the school school the house will that complex million $18 the Although “What is unique is the delivery of these four themes throughout four the into curriculum—divided progressive school’s The program the make factors of number Badr, a to According “The integrated curriculum we are applying is actually unique Medical Harvard with affiliation 10-year university’s The set and school new a welcomes officially semester fall This Staff AU Atr er o peaain n planning, and preparation of years After . AU ’s School of Medicine to benefit benefit to Medicine of School ’s AU medical students is students medical orientation day addresses new studentson Founding Kamal Dean Badr — “ The integrated curriculum we are applying is set up in the Byblos campus Dorms A Building. Facilities such FacilitiesBuilding. A Dorms campus Byblos the in up set Rafic Hariri University Hospital and Clemenceauand Hospital University Hariri Medical Center, Rafic Hospital, clinical the university’s principal facility, as well as from eight of groupsstudents—an exceptional ratio cadaver. per in study for cadavers three obtained also has university The use. student for place in already are equipment simulation and lab anatomy microscopy—the virtual highlight will lab—which room,multidisciplinary the case-method the as to share with us in the creation of the school and not just be be just recipients.”passive not and school the of creation the in us with willing share to and outgoing being for and personalities adventurous scores alone, good on based chosen Badr,said their “on also but universities in Lebanon and the United States. Students were not teach andfor research,” according to Badr. ofwhichpresent“both different ofadditionalresources types to Harvard.” fully developed form anywhere—including at actually unique and has not been applied in this Students will benefit from MedicalUniversity the Center-Rizk benefit will Students h suet oy oe fo dvre akrud and backgrounds diverse from comes body student The Kamal Badr, foundingdean LAU’s NewMedical School Expanding Education:Expanding page 31 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 12th Annual International University Theater Festival—Lebanon

“The Medium” by the Hamburg Academy of Theatre and Performing Arts 12th Annual International University Theater Festival—Lebanon By LAU Staff LAU gathers performers from around the world on the Beirut campus

Crowds packed into LAU’s amphitheaters throughout the last week of July, when the 12th Annual International University Theater Festival took over the Beirut campus. Organized by the Department of Arts and Communication’s School of Arts and Sciences, the festival brought together more than 200 performing-arts students, professors and drama professionals from Lebanon, Turkey, Kuwait, Germany, the Netherlands, the , Morocco and Syria. Participating countries tackled themes ranging from Arab history and legend to theater philosophy, as in the LAU production “Mirror, Mirror,” and even explored the flaws of the justice system in such plays as Morocco’s “A Balance with One Plate.” In addition to “Mirror, Mirror,” LAU students contributed four productions to the festival: the opening play, titled “Sex, Drugs, Rock ‘n’ Roll,” as well as “Black Swans,” “Finding the Sun” and “Silicon Bomb.”

Palestinian Circuna Troupe

page 32 — Maurice Maalouf, LAU professor “ They have the chance not only to show the In of the Kuwaiti the of clowning skills, reading. reading skillsandpoetry and graduation storiesoftreason, mixed withpersonal inclassical Ar whichtheyperformed night of the festival. prison who long for the outside world while enduring torture by a sadistic guard, received high praise on the sixth performed +3shorts” “Then performed American Univeristy ofBeirut students organizing,” he said. He added that he predicts the festival will become a prestigious event for the at people of also toseewhattheoutsideworldhasgivethem.” of the four festival co-directors. “ stand to learn from events like this, according to one of the company’s directors, organizing team.organizing were pleased roomwith the in well-equipped which they performed, and with the “very helpful and efficient” that hecan onlyseeitgrowing inthefuture. their plays and be in front of the audience that judges their performance,” said Is what theoutsideworldhas togivethem.” world what they have to offer, but also to see lamic warriorandpoet, received rounds amphitheater. ofapplauseinGulbenkian stitutes for Performingfor stitutes w o te ot clie pas t h fsia blne t tops rm h Kwii n Sra Higher Syrian and Kuwaiti the from troupes to belonged festival the at plays acclaimed most the of Two Participants said they were happy with the facilities and the experience they gained during the festival. festival. the during gained they experience the and facilities the with happy were they said Participants plays,professionaladditioncampus,festivaltoconcerts ashostedthecircus Inonandwell workshops on as Ma “Since we have this equipment and the technique, we have to give the students the opportunity to producetoopportunity studentsthe thetechnique, give the equipment toandthis havehave “Since wewe alouf, who has been with the festival for 12 years, said he is proud of the organization.“ the of proud is he years,said 12 for festival the with been alouf,has who and festivalco-director L AU Al Jaeel Al At

who feel very close to the theater.the to close very feel who the festival, the troupe’s play, “ Th e Syrian students also scored a hit with “ Waie Th Ar ts. Th And they have the chance not only to show the world what they have to offer, but e Kuwaiti production of “Th of production Kuwaiti e eater Troupetheyrealizingmuchfestival howthe attendafter decidedto had An tar,Her,”Protects Who an of story the by inspired They are well-trained, and they are quick and effective in effective and quick are well-trained,they are and They e Crookbacked e Th e Days of Negligence,” a story about student life Bird,”big detaineesa storyofinthe L AU Es am

professor Al Kazemi. He said the actors abic. Ma urice There is a group a isThere Mi ddle Maalouf, one Members Ar East, and ab pre- ab L AU

Palestinian Circuna Troupe page 33 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 The New Face of LAU

MarCom Publications

The New Face of LAU By Marc Abizeid

After a thorough 18-month process that involved image “Branding is not only about logos, seals, colors and look. It’s assessments, research, consultation and testing, LAU is poised also about our identity, how to bridge the gap between how people to become the first university in the Middle East to undertake a currently perceive us, and how we would like to be perceived branding initiative. Scheduled for a public launch in January, the in the minds of our stakeholders,” said Peggy Hanna, MarCom initiative will unveil a new visual identity that will encapsulate director. “We want to showcase to the outside world the points of the mission and aspirations of the institution. excellence of LAU.” The effort, led by LAU’s Marketing and Communications While LAU is the first university in the region to undergo Department (MarCom) with the support of the university’s branding, similar initiatives have been taken by the private sector upper management and community, will introduce revamped to help businesses and organizations reestablish and market logos, slogans and a tagline. themselves worldwide. “Steeped in history, with ambition and pride, LAU is a MarCom selected Mind the Gap, a leading branding agency university where rich heritage meets exceptional faculty and based in Beirut, to collaborate on the project with a special steering programs that have paved the way for significant achievements committee composed of LAU faculty, staff and alumni. The team over the decades,” said LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra. “We felt worked together to combine Mind the Gap’s marketing and those accomplishments deserved to be recognized and reflected branding expertise with the LAU committee’s solid understanding through a branding effort worthy of institutions of impressive of the university’s history and culture. stature.” “We have very high hopes for the branding initiative to be able The upper management at LAU entrusted MarCom, following to shed light on the strengths and improve the perception of the its establishment in late 2007, to lead the branding initiative and university,” said Karl Bassil, creative director of Mind the Gap. “The present LAU as an institution that not only has deep-seated roots, process was very much an inside-out one where … everything was but also remains on the move with its cutting-edge programs based on the university’s core values, and the work in progress was and unique opportunities. being carefully assessed and validated at all times.”

LAU officials during a branding presentation for the President’s cabinet The MarCom team

page 34 motn cags o piie u mreig ol, while and scrutiny,” tools, saidSawsanBistanji,consultation MarCom research consultant. intensive marketing after suggestions and our ideas on deciding optimize to changes important team thentestedthenewbranding withthe stakeholders. graphics.The and logos taglines, potential of portfolio brand a developing by identity visual new of university’s task the constructing monumental the on took team branding the surveys, parents. their and students university. prospective faculty, staff, alumni, students, the including stakeholders, 700 of nearly polled perceptions staffers Department and impressions about data the legacyofLAU promiseand the world outside the to excellence portrays of and reallythat identity an having points its reflects finally institution our with true,come dream not our seeing could finally “I of thrill project: the hide the about optimistic and excited is she an L an “thoroughly members team the explored LAU that noting added, Bassil “Honest opinions from our stakeholders helped us implement and groups focus through information the collecting After MarCom took an inclusive, participatory approach in gathering Nathalie Fallaha, a member of the steering committee and committee steering the of member Fallaha,a Nathalie enthusiasm,” with project branding this on embarked “We AU faculty member in the graphic design department,said design graphic the in member faculty , tohavediscovered andhope itstrueessence.” .” The theGap Mind team represents the university’s uniqueandinnovativecharacter.” that image an developing at succeeded we think I end, the said.“In Rumsey perspectives,” of varying group offered diverse who a constituents from feedback considered We thorough. helped support thewayforpave theinitiative. and blessing whose advancement, L university Rumsey, Richard by heralded were initiative. the of charge in manager account MarCom Moujaes,the Nayla carefully,” very said tackled be to had that complexity major a diversity,incredible their initiative,was and this within involved and interests aspirations. contradicting sometimes and opinions varying stakeholders,the of all offeredsatisfy who fully to was challenge Te rcs t bad L brand to process “The completeprojectand the undertake to combinedThe efforts decision-makers and stakeholders the of multiplicity “The main the team, branding the of members to According AU was long and painstakingly painstakingly and long was AU s ie rsdn for president vice ’s page 35 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 LAU Profile in Politics

LAU Profile in Politics

Nimat Kanaan (’58): Former Director General of the Ministry of Social Affairs Kanaan with her three By Dana Halawi daughters, Lara, Leen and Lama

From her first job as an English teacher to her appointment “In 1974 there was a plan of appointing me as the acting as director general of the Ministry of Social Affairs, LAU alumna director general of social affairs, but unfortunately the war started. Nimat Kanaan surmounted many challenges as she worked her I became a member of the two interim committees established way up to one of the most prestigious positions in the country. to receive and distribute food and life commodities aid at the A highly distinguished student, Kanaan enrolled at LAU beginning of the civil war,” she said. (formerly BCW) at the unusually young age of 13. She graduated in The strong-willed Kanaan did not give up on her dream, and 1958, when she was 17, with a B.A. in education and psychology. was appointed acting director general of social affairs—before “My first job was as a teacher of English language in public the establishment of the current Ministry of Social Affairs—and schools,” said Kanaan, “until the Office for Social Welfare came into deputy director general of the Ministry of Public Health in 1992. existence. [That is] where I started my real career path, at the age The following year, she was named director general of the Ministry of 19.” of Social Affairs. “Some people have objected to my appointment Kanaan’s ambitions led her to enroll in the master’s program to this position,” said Kanaan, “but I threatened to resign if they in education and social psychology at the American University of give it to someone else.” Beirut (AUB) in 1964, at the same time as she held a job as an editor and administrator at the social welfare office. Kanaan’s punctuality, “ If you don’t ask for your rights with confidence, organization and enthusiasm helped earn her a promotion to head no one will ever give them to you.” of the social assistance department in 1963. She credits LAU for giving her the tools to succeed and Kanaan was the first woman in Lebanon to hold such a position. “providing me with a wide range of skills,” said Kanaan, adding that She has played a key role in the development of the ministry and LAU “also revived in me the sense of independence and helped me has raised its profile significantly. She has also survived several achieve my ambitions. Freedom of expression was one of the best ministers, each with a different agenda, and managed to keep her attributes I gained from my education at LAU.” programs running efficiently. Kanaan pointed out that the communication skills and Some of her most influential work has been in raising awareness, confidence she developed have proven invaluable: “If you don’t improving legislation, and establishing national committees and ask for your rights with confidence, no one will ever give them services for children, the elderly and the handicapped. She has to you.” That conviction drove her to request a big promotion in also focused on population growth, poverty, and social and health 1968. “I went to the director general and asked him to give me conditions. the position of my previous manager, as an acting director of the “The path I have chosen was very tough, but I had the will to social services department within the office for social welfare,” said work for the prosperity of my country,” she said. “My advice to LAU Kanaan. “I felt I had all the qualifications for the job. Why not ask graduates is to work from the heart and never give up on your for it?” rights.” When she landed the position, Kanaan began establishing a Before her retirement in 2005, Kanaan was named “Woman of national network of social development centers, with the aim of the Year” by the American Biographical Institute. “I believe I paved offering social and health services to citizens. The first center was the way for other women,” said Kanaan, “and I ask them to believe established in 1971 after Kanaan got the approval from President in themselves and always seek for the best in life.” Suleiman Franjieh.

page 36 Faculty and Staff

Faculty and Staff on the Move

OMAR FARHOUD ZEINA ABDALLAH Omar Farhoud has been working at the LAU The Marketing and Communications Department libraries since he was a financial aid student has recently hired Zeina Abdallah as an account at the university, so it’s no wonder he finds the manager. She previously worked at LAU as a environment very friendly. He has been appointed website and communications coordinator for the the new systems librarian, having previously newly established School of Medicine, and at the served as assistant systems librarian and a library computer American University of Beirut’s Department of Internal Medicine center supervisor. He realizes that his promotion comes with and in administrative roles in its English department. In addition new responsibilities and obligations to LAU and plans to make to her work, she was one of the founding members of the a difference. Farhoud earned a B.S. in 1998 and an M.S. in 2001, Volunteer Outreach Clinic, an NGO that provides primary health both in computer science. care to people in need. Abdallah remains an active volunteer and serves on the executive committee as a public relations officer. JOSEPH KANAAN She holds a B.A. in public administration from AUB. Recently promoted to program coordinator at the guidance office in Byblos, Joseph Kanaan has CARLA FREIJ been serving LAU since his days as a student here, After graduating with a B.A. and an M.A. in first as a student assistant at the Vice President for education from LAU, Carla Freij has been Academic Affairs Office and then as an academic appointed as executive assistant to the dean of assistant in the Department of Economics and Finance. Now with students in Beirut. As she deals with students his new post, he feels that LAU is the right place for an ambitious directly and works to improve the way the individual like himself. Kanaan holds a B.A. from LAU in business, university assists them, she finds her job very fulfilling. Freij with a dual emphasis on banking/finance and marketing. previously held positions as an administrative assistant in the education department and taught at International College in Aar SABA FATIMA HAIDER for a year. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Saba Haider is the recently appointed associate director of JOY BALTA print communications at the Marketing and Joy Balta is the newly hired science lab technician Communications Department. She has 10 years for the School of Medicine on the Byblos campus. of international experience as a journalist and Balta earned a B.A. in biology from the Lebanese editor in print and online media and oversees content for all University–Faculty of Science II and has previously print media and publications for MarCom. Haider joins LAU from worked with the NGOs World Vision and Kafa. London, where she was based for the past five years as a journalist and filmmaker. Previously, she spent four years in California as LINDA NASR an editor for a Time Warner magazine. Haider has a bachelor’s Linda Nasr has been appointed executive assistant degree in political science from the University of Guelph in at the School of Business, Beirut campus. While Canada, and a master’s in film studies, specializing in Palestinian studying at LAU, she had a 100 percent graduate cinema, from University College London in the U.K. assistantship and served as a graduate assistant at the dean’s office in the faculty of business, Beirut MARC ABIZEID campus. She enjoys LAU’s work environment and hopes to repay U.S.–born Lebanese Marc Abizeid was recently the university for what it has given her. Nasr received a B.A. in recruited as a full-time staff writer for the business marketing from Notre Dame University in Lebanon and Marketing and Communications Department. an M.B.A. from LAU. After graduating from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a B.A. in history and politics MAKRAM OUAISS in 2008, he moved to Washington, D.C., and worked as a press Makram Ouaiss has been appointed full-time officer for Ralph Nader’s presidential campaign. With a passion assistant professor of political science and for journalism, writing and the Middle East, Abizeid decided international affairs at the LAU Byblos School to move to Lebanon after the election to start a new life and of Arts and Sciences. In addition to teaching a build a career. He chose a position with LAU because of its fast- variety of courses, he is eager to develop LAU’s paced and challenging nature. He is thankful for being teamed Institute for Diplomacy and Conflict Transformation into an up with caring staff members who go out of their way to offer internationally recognized establishment and a potential new encouragement and support. major. Among his many activities outside the university, he has worked with international organizations such as the National JALAL KAHWAGI Democratic Institute, Amnesty International, and the United Jalal Kahwagi has been appointed a full-time Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization academic computer center administrator on the (UNESCO). He is currently the coordinator of a pro-peace coalition Beirut campus. His previous positions at LAU of 22 nongovernmental organizations. He holds a Ph.D. in conflict were as technical support and IT support at the analysis and resolution from George Mason University’s Institute computer center. Kahwagi graduated from LAU for Conflict Analysis and Resolution. with a B.S. in business computer.

page 37 Student Achievement

Student Achievement Lama Masri At 21 years old, Lama Masri already has more accomplishments under her belt than many people do in a lifetime: high-flying media professional, founder of an NGO, professional football player and reality television star—all squeezed into just over two decades. Even before Masri graduated from LAU with a bachelor’s in international affairs in spring 2009, she was already working part-time for her present employer, media giant Avalon Arabia, as a marketing and public relations executive. Also as an undergraduate, Masri’s ambition combined with an ethic of social justice to compel her, in 2008, to launch Baytuna, a humanitarian initiative that seeks to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged women and children. While juggling these commitments, during the summer of 2009 she managed to fit in 40 days of intense filming across the United States for the second series of the reality television show On the Road in America. Masri was one of four cast members chosen from some 10,000 young people who auditioned from all over the Middle East to participate. The show aims to dispel Americans’ stereotypes of Arabs while offering up a diverse range of Arab opinions about the United States. Despite the hectic 7 a.m.-to-11 p.m. schedule, Masri described being part of the show as “one of the most memorable and exhilarating experiences of my life.” One specific highlight was the opportunity to meet with U.S. congressmen, who Masri claims have policies that will shape the future of the Middle East. “My main dream,” Masri admitted, “is to be involved in politics in Lebanon. But I want to get there not because of my father, my husband or my family, but because of who I am.”

Faisal Abbas By his own account, Faisal Abbas has never been one to rest on his laurels. “It’s not enough to have a dream. You have to chase it,” he maintained. From a young age, Abbas was inspired by the media as an avenue for impacting people, perceptions and broader politics: “I truly believe that it’s the passion for change that is the real driver for journalists.” Abbas majored in marketing at LAU and did a minor in communication arts with an emphasis in journalism. But while his friends were whiling away their freshman year at parties, the budding 18-year-old journalist was filling his spare time with a full- time job at Future TV. Nine years later, Abbas believes his efforts are starting to pay off. As a blogger, he has used “the democratization of communication brought on by new technology” to contribute an Arab perspective to the global media community. Abbas believes that blogging, particularly in the context of Middle Eastern countries, harbors immense potential for not only escaping the tight confines of government-controlled media outlets but also for fostering cross- cultural dialogue and combating negative stereotypes. Abbas’ dedicated work as a blogger and contributor to several English and Arabic language newspapers, including Al Hayat, Al Sharq Al Awsat and the Huffington Post, recently earned him the Cutting Edge Award of the 2009 International Media Awards. He is currently enrolled at the Westminster Business School in London, where he is working on a master’s in marketing communications.

page 38

— A “ I love Lebanon. It’s the country I grew up

LAU at teach and back come to is dreams

the Lebanese Central Bank. Chehade also hopes to give back to his community: One of his his of One community: his to back give to hopes also Chehade Bank. Central Lebanese the

country where I am going to spend my life.” my spend to going am I where country

at the University of Wisconsin. “I love Lebanon. It’s the country I grew up in, and it’s the the it’s and in, up grew I country the It’s Lebanon. love “I Wisconsin. of University the at

nevertheless keen to return to Lebanon after completing his master’s in applied economics economics applied in master’s his completing after Lebanon to return to keen nevertheless

also recognizes the value of traveling as a means of gaining knowledge and experience but is is but experience and knowledge gaining of means a as traveling of value the recognizes also

to spendmylife.” in, and it’s the country where I am going

Exchange, another cross-cultural initiative, sponsored by the U.S. State Department. Ladkani Ladkani Department. State U.S. the by sponsored initiative, cross-cultural another Exchange,

culture.” Chehade got his first taste of this when, in 2007, he participated in the Fusion Arts Arts Fusion the in participated he 2007, in when, this of taste first his got culture.”Chehade

to study but who like to share experiences, to learn things and to teach people about their their about people teach to and things learn to experiences, share to like who but study to to study but who like to share experiences, to learn things and to teach people about their their about people teach to and things learn to experiences, share to like who but study to

is convinced that this is why he was selected: “They want people who are not just there there just not are who people want “They selected: was he why is this that convinced is

Chehade, who will begin a master’s in media management at Southern Illinois University, University, Illinois Southern at management media in master’s a begin will who Chehade,

appealing to its beneficiaries. A core objective of the program is promoting cultural exchange. exchange. cultural promoting is program the of objective core A beneficiaries. its to appealing

master’s degrees in their respective fields at American universities, all expenses paid. paid. expenses all universities, American at fields respective their in degrees master’s

in spring 2009. The two will join the ranks of the prestigious Fulbright community by pursuing pursuing by community Fulbright prestigious of the ranks the join will two 2009. The in spring

TV and film, and Alaa Ladkani received his bachelor’s in economics with a finance emphasis emphasis finance a with economics in bachelor’s his received Ladkani Alaa and film, and TV

Dana ElZein relaxation and partaking inherfavoriterelaxation pastime, andpartaking riding. horseback hiring. She tries not to let this bother her too much, though, and about is cautious enjoying being some arepostgraduate companies interviews,but many offered been has tough.She been her career inthefield. Lebanonregion,the and connectionsthose and providedhave contactsvaluable for pursuing in companies marketing key with touch countries.”in our her represent put experience The to us of all for thing huge a was “It difficulties: the outweighed far participating of privilege tight a of challenges schedule and working fromwith people different countries and cultures, the El Zein said that the Despite Week. Cinema Indian as events cultural such suggested and communities workermigrant Asian the through Dubai to highlight brought richness cultural the to chose team her spirit, internationalist open-minded In events. upcoming for marketinga devise strategy programand presentedpitch was a that as management DSS to the opportunity. Surprises (DSS) Apprenticeship Programme—the third year in a row that someone from L Summer Dubai year’s this in part take to Lebanon in students marketing top the of six among from selected L graduated from L from graduated

Ali Chehade and Alaa Ladkani Ladkani Alaa and Chehade Ali In the long term, Ladkani is hoping for a position in the financial sector, possibly with with possibly sector, financial the in position a for hoping is Ladkani term, long the In

AU Yet it is not only the academic and financial aspects of the Fulbright scholarship that are are that scholarship Fulbright the of aspects financial and academic the only not is it Yet

Unfortunately, due to the fragility economy, of the global a job has El Zein said that finding to region the around from students star other eight alongside worked she days, 12 For from graduation off.her Followingtime hard-earned some taking is Zein summer,El hectic Dana a After This year two more L more two year This in spring 2009, where she majored in business and marketing and minored in psychology, El Zein was Zein psychology,El in minored and marketing and business in majored she where2009, spring in

laa Ladkani,FulbrightScholar

AU

in 2007 with a major in communication arts and an emphasis in radio, radio, in emphasis an and arts communication in major a with 2007 in

AU graduates have been offered Fulbright scholarships. Ali Chehade Chehade Ali scholarships. Fulbright offered been have graduates

.

hey want people who are not just there there just not are who people want hey rts rts AU has been awarded page 39 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 Campus Notes CampusNoTes Inspiring Change

On June 27, the No Apathy Pharmacy and Health Awareness Student Society (NAPHASS) held its first annual dinner at BAY 183 restaurant in Byblos. The dinner celebrated student achievements in learning and volunteering at community outreach events organized by NAPHASS over the year, and gave students positive reinforcement for their efforts. About 100 students and faculty attended the event, which included a talent show with musical performances by four students and a student-faculty general-knowledge quiz. Pharmacy student Lama Kheir received the Distinguished Leadership Award for the year. Next year’s calendar of events was also revealed: It includes community awareness campaigns on osteoporosis, vaccinations, drug abuse, cancer screening, and chronic-disease management for illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia.

On August 5, approximately 80 guests attended a driving awareness charity dinner organized by nine students taking Dr. Ramez Maluf’s summer Introduction to Public Relations course on the Beirut campus. Proceeds from the dinner went to Kunhadi, a Lebanese foundation established after LAU student Hady Gebran died in a car accident in 2006. The event included comedy sketches by renowned Lebanese comedian Adel Karam and LAU students, a performance by the band Foulblighter, speeches by students and Gebran’s father, and a video—all focused on driving. A raffle was also held.

Experts Explain

This summer LAU offered its employees an on-campus staff development program organized by the Human Resources Department and LAU’s Continuing Education Program. It included seven training sessions on time management and scheduling, general office management, customer service, organizing of events, conflict management, and oral and writing communication. Other such development programs are being planned.

On the Beirut campus June 22–26, LAU faculty members attended a training workshop in quantitative research methods. The workshop, given by retired University of Arizona professor in quantitative methods Lawrence Aleamony, examined research methods and advanced statistical methods in education and provided an introduction to statistics. Organized by Dr. Ahmad Oueini, chair of LAU’s Department of Education, the event was vital in helping instructors gain insight into theories and methods necessary to meet research expectations set by the university.

In mid-June, LAU faculty members from the English language unit attended a one-day workshop on the Byblos campus. Guest speaker Dr. Ann Johns, a professor of linguistics at San Diego State University in California, introduced the faculty to new methods and strategies to enhance student learning and examined course rubrics and international teaching trends. The workshop was part of an ongoing effort to enhance LAU’s English program and provide students with the necessary skills to succeed in their future careers.

page 40 Center Stage Center On Display Cultural Exchange rjcs nldd euiy lr sses epoe ognzr ad whistle- and melody-recognizing programs. organizers employee systems, alarm 12. security June included on campus Projects Beirut the on lab computer brand-new the at projects also sang modern hitsandBrazilianalso sangmodern folksongs. choir Hall.The campus’Irwin Beirut in 10–11 June on concert spring annual Graduating The L The AU Choir performed pieces from Mozart, Handel and Schneider at its at Schneider and Handel Mozart,from pieces performed Choir computer science students displayed their end-of-year end-of-year their displayed students science computer ozart, Handel and Schneider at its at Schneider and Handel ozart, Lebanon’s MinistryofTourism inBeirut, aswellinDubai, Cairo andParis. as themes such on at focuses exhibited previously has artist nature,politics.Beirut-born and The work emotion Her mid-August. in week one for campus ie y the the by by time time IrI IrI across from musicians group inFaqra alsoperformed andthe ensemble, violin and viola, cello and bass, and theater, hip-hop and street dance, jazz music, classical piano, voice and vocal in backgrounds,diverse at students,have together trainedthe who weeks A Lebanon group inFaqra alsoperformed andtheUn ensemble, violin and viola, cello and bass, and theater, hip-hop and street dance, jazz music, classical piano, voice and vocal in backgrounds,diverse at students,have together trainedthe who weeks Am Lebanon r r Emirati artist artist Emirati aq and aq win Hall win On Be erican Community School and the irut with nine leading teachers fromteachers the leading nine with irut workshop participants English language unit uut 4 mr ta 20 aetd on dnes atr and actors dancers, young talented 200 than more 14, August Eg . ut 4 mr ta 20 aetd on dnes atr and actors dancers, young talented 200 than more 14, gust Au Th ypt for the last three years and was held in held was and years three last the for ypt ditorium as part of the of part as ditorium Le e project has been run by the by run been has project e 0 f e wrs n h Beirut the on works her of 20 exhibited Shams Al Samar at onain n oso, ih h spot of support the with Houston, in Foundation vant he choir he Le ao promd n the in performed banon YouthExcellence AcademyStageon Am erican iversity ofBa Am Br UnitedStates, and focused on erican Voiceserican oadway musical theater. Un iversity of L lamand. AU Lebanon first forthe ert campus’s Beirut Beirut. For two Association in Association L AU , the , ACS The page 41 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 Campus Notes

Center Stage

LAU hosted Lebanon’s first workshop on Noh theatre—a form of classical Japanese musical drama in existence since the 14th century. The workshop was held August 28–September 8 in Beirut’s Glubenkian Theatre, where Noh master Dr. Naohiko Umewaka gave a lecture and demonstration, led a workshop, and rehearsed and staged his latest play, “The Italian Restaurant,” with some of the 20 professional actors and LAU performing arts students who attended. The events were organized by LAU’s Department of Arts and Communication in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Lebanon and the Arab Theater Training Center.

Arts and Culture

On June 22, seven LAU students screened their films at the annual one-day non-competitive festival in the Selina Korban Auditorium on the Byblos campus. The films were produced as part of two separate courses—an advanced TV production course and a filmmaking course—with no single theme. Organized by Khalil Zaarour, an LAU communication arts graduate and part-time instructor in filmmaking, and hosted by LAU’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences in the School of Arts and Sciences in Byblos, the goal of the event was to prepare students to present and defend their films, as they would at festivals.

Live Science

LAU’s Computer Science and Natural Sciences departments in Byblosyblos held an event June 30–July 2 entitled “Bioinformatics Workshop: Genomics, Proteomics and Statistics.” Itt was hosted by guest speaker Georges Khazen, who is currently doing his Ph.D. in computational neuroscience at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. LAU plans to integrate the interdisciplinary field of bioinformatics—the application of information technology to the study of molecular biology—into its curriculum, and this crash course combined lectures and hands-on practice for students in the departments.

Fifteen teams from nine universities across Lebanon gathered at the LAU Beirut campus July 2–3 for the first Lebanese Collegiate Programming Competition. The three-member student teams were given five hours to solve nine programming problems that were prepared by experts from Lebanon and Egypt. LAU’s Department of Computer Science and Mathematics organized the contest with the Association of Computing Machinery–International Collegiate Programming Contest. One of the three LAU student teams, the LAU Sailors, won first place; the AUB Engineers took second place. The winners were set to participate in this year’s Arab and North Africa Regional Programming Contest, an annual competition established 10 years ago.

page 42 senior vice president of presidentvice senior at DeVry span.three-dayovera Otherdaylong seminars werePhillipbyled Borzilleri, professor financial institutions at the University of Georgia, led the first seminar, which was employees. held Dr. F. engage Joseph and Sinkey, skills management of professor former executive and seminars July 6–14 on the bankers, businessmen local attracting campus, Byblos for financial institutions. financial for the MiddleEastin21 of challenges the and skills writing Arabic on available courses offeredbe at intermediate and advanced levels, with two special fall The region.program, the which is to take place 7–December 11,September in will politics and issues current and history Lebanese dialect, and talks afternoon by about experts Lebanese program of 20 well-structured hours per week of literary a Arabic Lebanon,and five hours of over all trips included 31, 22–July States, South America and Europe. United The program, the placewhich took June Canada, including world, the around from students international 112 were dialects Lebanese study and Arabic to (SINARC) Culture and Language Arabic Intensive Summer Learning Business asUsual LAU Participating in this year’s sixth L sixth year’s this in Participating ’ s Un akn ad iac Instituteorganized Finance and Banking its iversity’s Keller Graduate of School M.B.A. students. Mo st century. rin & rin The six seminars covered topics that aim to improveto aim thatcoveredseminarstopics six The As sociates,an AU

Summer Institute for Institute Summer Ma Americantraining and consulting firm nagement in St. explore Byblos SINARC participants Community Middle East Foundation and AMIDEAST, the programand in Foundationthe East HSBC Middle Community by Organized 5–22. July States United the in program,held Awareness Entrepreneurship and the Financial in HSBC UAE—participated and Oman Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. and headquarters HSBC visited Pennsylvania,and Chambersburg, in Association Washington, Bankers D.C. In addition, American they took courses at Wilson College in the and Company, Insurance Deposit Federal printed,the are U.S.Engraving,dollars where and Printing of Bureau the visited participants entrepreneurship.The and banking finance, in women Arab young to training provided 12 Three L Three th nul summer annual Lo uis, AU Missouri, and students—along with 22 other young women from women young other 22 with students—along page 43 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 Campus Notes

Summer Learning

From July 25 to August 10, six LAU undergrads attended the International Institute for Political and Economic Studies, an intensive summer academic program on the Greek island of Crete, with more than 80 students from 20 different countries. Thee program covered topics such as politics, economics, intellectual history, conflict management, and culture, and helped students sharpen their listening and debate skills. Theyey also had the opportunity to engage in social and sightseeing activities.

Thirty students from universities throughout Lebanon attended the annual Summer School on Conflict Prevention and Transformation, organized by LAU’s Institute for Peace and Justice Education, August 16–25 on the Byblos campus. Two graduates also traveled from Palestine and Egypt to participate. The education and training program, during which the students lived together and attended classes and activities, taught peace-building skills and how to confront prejudices. For the first time this year, 10 students who had previously attended the program returned for a special course.

Awards

LAU honored its best students at the 2009 Student Honor Society ceremonies held on both campuses in early June. Thee Rhoda Orme award, traditionally given to senior female students in recognition of their outstanding spirit and services at LAU, was presented to Alexandra Chreiteh and Stephanie Rayess. Everyery year, more than 300 students who complete 24 credit hours or more with a GPA above 3.5 automatically become part of the Student Honor Society. Thoseose who complete more than 60 credits and maintain a similarly high average receive awards.

Sidelines For this year’s Francophonie Games in Lebanon, LAU, along with Antonine University, was given the privilege of hosting some of the practices of all 12 women’s national basketball teams competing in the games. Practice sessions were held September 23–25, and the games started on September 27.

President Jabbra recognizes Joelle Michel Hayek, who achieved the highest GPA in the School of Engineering and Architecture this year

page 44 please visitwww.LAU.edu.lb For onLAU updates newsand events > > > > > >

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& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 From the Boardroom

LAU Board of Trustees

Ghassan Saab John Wholihan

A native of Lebanon, Ghassan Saab received his B.E. in civil A Fulbright Scholar, John Wholihan, Ph.D., grew up in engineering from AUB. He subsequently moved to Michigan, Michigan and received a bachelor’s degree from the University where he joined and later became the owner of Sorensen of Notre Dame, an M.B.A. from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. Gross Construction Services. Currently the company’s CEO, from American University. He currently serves as president of he lives in and operates the firm out of Flint, Michigan, and Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he was is founder and co-owner of two other companies in Michigan dean of the College of Business Administration for 23 years. and North Carolina. Prior to joining LMU, his administrative experience included five years as associate dean at Bradley University and serving Saab chairs or serves on boards at the University of several years as director of both its M.B.A. program and the Michigan–Flint and the American Task Force for Lebanon, Small Business Institute. among others. A product of an American education in the Middle East, Saab is an advocate and major supporter of Currently on the Board of Trustees of the Turner Funds, LAU’s mission and believes that “we should have ten more Wholihan is a former chairman of the board of Notre Dame universities like LAU and AUB in the region.” He is the former Academy in Los Angeles. He was also president of the Board chairman and a current member of LAU’s Board of Trustees, of Governors of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor but his involvement with the university dates back to the society, for AACSB International, which accredits business early 1980s. schools throughout the world. Wholihan has developed a keen interest in LAU’s School of Business, a dynamic program Impressed with President Joseph G. Jabbra’s achievements that graduates more students than any other field of study at since taking over the reins of the university, Saab is a champion the university. of LAU. He said recently, “Dr. Jabbra has taken the university forward in record time.” Having observed some of its more Wholihan has been an esteemed member of LAU’s Board difficult periods, Saab said he is now “looking at the brightest of Trustees for four years. Having known and worked with days of the university” under Jabbra’s leadership. President Joseph G. Jabbra at LMU for many years, he joined LAU’s board to further its efforts to make the university a world-class institution.

page 46 women intheregion. drawnrolepioneering the to that A secular. remaining while church the to connection a retains it that in interest Pittsburgh. ShadysidePresbyterianChurchinat elder an also 1997.issince He in Church Fifth the with relationship long-standing a has Communications Ketchum of counsel YorkNew City. Priorseniorwasthathetovice president generaland most recently as senior corporate counsel for Omnicom Group industry, communications the in years 25 than more spent he retiring, Denison yai mme of member dynamic Cruikshank has a passionCruikshankforPresbyterianaparticular has causesa and Wadih S. “Bill” Jordan of graduate a is Cruikshank Pittsburgh, Ron in raised and Born Ron Cruikshank Un L e Yr, hr h hs en n le ad trustee a and elder an been has he where York, New iversity and Duquesne and iversity AU because of its Presbyterian connection and the factPresbyterian theconnectionits and of because L AU ’ s Boa L rd of of rd AU Un has played in the education of iversity School of School iversity Inc.Pittsburgh.in Cruikshank Trustees,also is Cruikshank AvenuePresbyterian La w. Before Inc. in hraetcl in pharmaceuticals of president and of director as serving currently years, many He currently livesinNe holds a certificate in international business from Columbia graduated from also a trustee of the board ofdirectorsalso atrusteeoftheboard ofAUB. L “graduated”of newly A member Science. of Academy Lebanese the of Friends as well as Lebanon, for Lebanon, an advocacy group and foundation working for a better Act and Lebanon Free Drug as such organizations philanthropic in director from 1976 to 1993. Cyanamid of directorboardPollex ofSAL. Jordan, vicepresidentservedashe and through odn a be wrig n h pamcuia idsr for industry pharmaceutical the in working been has Jordan Jordan sees education as the hope for Lebanon and is involved is and Lebanon for hope the as education sees Jordan Wadih S. “ S. Wadih El lis Bill” Jordan’s parents immigrated to the United States United the Bill”immigratedtoparents Jordan’s Is International from 1993 to 1995 and as its managing its as and 1995 to 1993Internationalfrom land in 1907. He was raised in raised was 1907.He in land A UB Ne with a Ne arEa w Jersey, where hemovedin1993. ar st at akt, ic 19. e s lo a also is He 1996. since markets, East B.S. degree in agriculture in 1957 and also En terprises AU ’s Board of Trustees,of Board is Jordan’s L, cmay marketing company a LLC, Lebanon,however, and nieis ic 2003 since Antigenics Un page 47 page iversity.

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 The Legacy & the Promise Campaign

THE LEGACY & THE PROMISE CAMPAIGN

Ex-LAU president Riyad Nassar, James Stoltzfus, chair of the BIA Paul Boulos, BIA member Philip Stoltzfus and William Stoltzfus Jr. at the dedication ceremony of the William A. Stoltzfus Reference Library in Beirut Stoltzfus: Three Generations of Promise at LAU

For more than 70 years, the Stoltzfus name has been intertwined but noted sadly that their visits were severely restricted during with the history of Lebanese American University and deeply the civil war. In fact, Philip would graduate from Princeton before ingrained in Lebanon and the region. Today, a third generation of the finding himself back in Beirut in 1979, teaching English literature family is maintaining this relationship, with Philip Stoltzfus having and composition at International College. Terrie, his future wife, just been named chair of the Board of International Advisors. was also a professor there, teaching math and science. The Stoltzfus family’s relationship with LAU dates to 1937, Meeting future spouses in Lebanon is also something of a family when William A. Stoltzfus Sr. assumed the presidency of Beirut tradition. Before becoming president of BCW, William Stoltzfus Sr. College for Women (BCW). President Stoltzfus and his wife, Ethel met his wife, Ethel Leck, while she was a missionary working in an Leck Stoltzfus, served BCW until 1958, the second-longest tenure of orphanage in Sidon. William Jr. met his future wife, Janet, while she any president in the institution’s history. was teaching English and drama at BCW. President and Mrs. Stoltzfus had two children, William Jr. and Despite the tumult of the civil war of the 1980s and the passing James, who grew up in Lebanon. James’ life took him away from the of time, Philip has worked to nurture his family’s link to Lebanon Middle East, but William’s career in the U.S. Foreign Service brought and LAU. “The older I get, the more I realize one shouldn’t forget him back to the region in a number of capacities, culminating with the efforts of one’s family in the past and the links they forged to his serving as U.S. ambassador to Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Bahrain institutions and people,” he said. “My grandfather was genuinely and . dedicated to public service,” he continued. “I’m quite proud of his In 2004, William Jr.’s son, Philip, was approached by then- service to the university.” President Riyad Nassar to join the Board of International Advisors. In fact, it was this tie to LAU that brought nine members of Philip admitted that he agreed initially because of the “nostalgic the Stoltzfus family back to Beirut in July for the dedication of the connection, a multigenerational presence” in Lebanon. But when William A. Stoltzfus Sr. Reference Library. President Joseph G. Jabbra he met Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra and heard his “vision of what LAU joined university board members, faculty and staff at the Riyad could do in the service of Lebanon and the people in the Middle Nassar Library on the Beirut campus to celebrate the naming of East,” he became more invested. “Initially my involvement was for the eighth-floor reference library after William Stoltzfus. old-time’s sake, but what Dr. Jabbra was doing made me seriously Among those returning to Beirut for the dedication were take notice of the course he was trying to chart for LAU.” President Stoltzfus’ two sons, William Jr. and James, and his Philip was actually born in Saudi Arabia while his father was grandson, Philip. It was James’ first trip to Lebanon in 60 years. assigned there by the U.S. State Department, but he said he has The dedication was also an opportunity for all of them to reflect always had a close attachment to Lebanon. He recalled spending on the Stoltzfus legacy at LAU and what LAU and the region mean childhood summers “in the mountains visiting friends and family” to them.

page 48 in thenew library James and William Stoltzfus —PhilipStoltzfus “ Initially myinvolvementwasforold-time’s women’s education and opportunities intheregion.”women’s education andopportunities Mi the in women of education the for universities significant most the the in university women’s first the was the improvement of the status of women in the region,” he said. “ in the region. “ of him, andthatisthereason I developing women’s education is spectacular,” he said. “ library,”the-art “ name. hesaid. “Th father’s his bearing library reference the with impressed very was interest.” he Philip’s that with added He connection,”life new given Jr. been William has said connection “Our to link in these places,” he said. “ of Syria, in living diplomat a as success trying tochartforLAU.” me seriouslytake noticeofthecourse hewas sake, butwhatDr. Jabbrawasdoingmade ddle Le Philip echoed his concerning thoughts Philip uncle’s echoed education women’s Ad in Jr.upbringing William his that said banese culturebanesetheand Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, among other countries. His knowledge e Jms tlzu, “ Stoltzfus, James ded Ea L AU st as a whole. , and now they have Philip, who has regenerated the the regenerated has who Philip, have they now and , Le banon, L BC AU The Stoltzfus family has had a long-standing family The has Stoltzfus had a long-standing W and e reference sectionisspectacular.” is in the vanguard of the advancement of is of in advancement the vanguard the Arabic language “made it ideal to serve serve to ideal it “made language Arabic The contribution my father made in in made father my contribution The went back tohonorhiscontribution.”went back Li L bya,Saudi AU have a tradition of championing Lebanon was integral to his his to integral was Lebanon Mi Ar ddle It abia,Kuwait, ’s a fantastic state-of- fantastic a ’s East and is one of of one is and East I’m I’m very proud Le banon, BCW BCW RAISED GOAL $

$40,430,549 65 Million page 49 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 The Legacy & the Promise Campaign

THE LEGACY & THE PROMISE CAMPAIGN

New Grant Offerings at LAU: SBG Bridges Financial Gaps and Secures Jobs

“ We believe that if we assist starting engineers, we can help to build better potential leaders.” —Mutaz Sawwaf SBG CEO Mutaz Sawwaf

High school seniors approach their final school year with or electrical engineering branches, as well as architecture aspirations of heading off to a prestigious college, where they students. “We believe that if we assist starting engineers, we will develop into well-rounded individuals who conceive the can help to build better potential leaders,” said SBG’s CEO next revolutionary idea in their field and change the world. Mutaz Sawwaf, highlighting the importance of supporting all However, there are many instances in which these ambitions students in the departments in enhancing their educational are shot down due to economic circumstances. experience to build better futures. In today’s constantly fluctuating economy, many gaps are Scholarship recipients will receive assistance throughout created, gaps that students struggle to overcome. “The severity their college education, and upon graduation they will be of the current crisis may deprive highly qualified students offered a position within the SBG syndicate. Those engineering from receiving quality education,” Dean of LAU’s School of students interested are encouraged to apply. Engineering and Architecture Dr. George Nasr commented. “This will allow selected students to be more focused in “Consequently, it is important that other financial support is pursuing their engineering education, knowing that they are made available for students in need.” given the opportunity to gain a rich technical experience Much of the world’s wealth is consolidated and controlled at SGB as they initiate their professional careers,” said Nasr. by large corporations and organizations, many of which have Students can shift their energies to focus on furthering their seen that it is advantageous for them to give back to the academics, advancement and development without worrying communities from which they benefit. As such, it should be about financial gaps. no surprise that these businesses are major sources of support This reinvestment of wealth is beneficial not only for and funding for college-bound students. They become the students but also for the donor company. Its scholarships bridge that many underprivileged students cross to turn college provide students with a sure road to success and a secure dreams into action-oriented targets, and to find the guidance, future, while allowing the company itself to be more close-knit support and motivation they need to mature and grow. and provident. In addition, the newly assimilated team will help Saudi Binladin Group (SBG), a multinational construction drive the company to be more competitive and established in conglomerate and holding company with several branches the global marketplace. across the world, has been a pioneer in this new form of In Sawwaf’s words, dedication and diligence are the keys to support, and the company has recently established a new success: “Work hard, believe in the future, believe in yourself, fund for LAU students. Headquartered in Saudi Arabia, SBG and, finally, believe in luck.” With scholarships like these, LAU is renowned for its involvement with several developmental is determined to ensure that high-level education is available projects. for all students and that LAU graduates have the opportunity The Saudi Binladin Group Annual Scholarship Grant, which for assured success. will total up to one million dollars, aims to support at any point in time 15 engineering students, whether in civil, mechanical

page 50 Samer children,Ma three has and to married is a Sodetel, of board company.telecommunications the on serves also the for of director Cisco academicthe acting also the is now He supervisor. is at and 1989 since working center computer been M.S.’94) has (B.S.’88, Moujabber Bassam in located shop bagel As a Circle, Bread to returned recently She years. 13 for lived she where States, al Cei Do (A.A.S.’87), graduating from Daou Cheaib Carla her husband, Karim Kamel Mr with Hazmieh in living currently (B.A.’83) is Osserian Rima marketing consulting firmfor Eu Na teaching from retiredat has (B.A.’60) Salameh Khouri Aida grandchildren. nine has also She science. computer studied who Ziad, and gynecologist; a Ghassan, orthodontist; the in years Te (B.A.’60) Fanous Khouri Sumaya Alumni News akl asa (B.S.’83) is Massaad Haikal presentlyL in C estate real research; medical and science environmental at professor works asthebranch manageratBa at taught 2005.Having June in triplets had they Nada Jisr (B.S.’94, M.B.A.’97) Victor andChristopher. daughters, Ma married are t Karen to married at working Hala, is6yearsold. son,a welcomedSamir, daughter,their and M.B.A.’95) (B.S.’92,Hadid.Rima to married Masri Mazen and aboy. girls two children: three has and married is resources. Ghazi Saudi in currently is Arabia He working for 2001.Nesma & Partners as deputy in chief of human Group Habtoor Al for and PalaceRegency the forworkedHotel Lebanon and to returned Abu Dhabi for the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. in In 1995, worked graduating,he upon (B.S.’90), Ghazi Victor George AU a. h visited She xas. hrafieh. tion cy Cyrine andMa Br By uaa ih col Se a tre sons: three has She School. High oumana blos withadegree incomputer science. Ev Yo Mi L angelical Synod of Syria and Syria of Synod angelical Institute and main legal contact legal main and Institute s rsnl wrig t the at working presently is (B.S.’89) Wakim ussef AU rna By acse Clee n aiona hls P.. in Ph.D. a holds California, in College Lancaster ewrig cdm, and academy, networking ntd tts Hr he sn ae asy an Ramsey, are sons three Her States. United rie-Joe andTi Marlo Faddoul (M.B.A.’95)Faddoul Marlo blos Le l Tu Al banon; and banon; L AU Bo ak yi i Dmsu sne 05 H is He 2005. since in Syria Bank Jean Bassil (B.S.’94, been M.B.A.’05)Bassil has Jean they are asoninDecember. expecting married He Khobar,in KS working for the (A.A.S.’92) Rbeiz Adel Carl eao ti sme atr pnig 36 spending after summer this Lebanon rk Paul. , Lebanon and opened opened and Lebanon k on rk moved to the the to moved Rma ad h cul hs w sons, two has couple the and Ramia, u They have recentlyhaveThey a-Ma Ma a 2, 00 ad hy ae two have they and 2000, 21, May rdae from (B.A.’96) graduated Samer oueh, andtheirthree children. rvy married Naim Rizk in 2002, married and Ma Moujabber ria. ropean construction products. products. construction ropean A, as a regional sales manager. ya Raja on Raja ya nkmed inVerdun. Na Alfozan Hardware Company has been living in Dallas, upon upon United dine, is Lebanon in Rabieh.He in Lebanon

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{& & ALUMNIALUMNI BULLETINBULLETIN062 } - 051 VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 Alumni News

Hassan Daaboul (B.S.’00, M.B.A.’08) is Dany Nachabe (B.S.’03, M.Sc.’06, M.B.A.’09) is working for Universal Tempered Glass in the owner of Medilic, s.a.r.l., a Beirut-based company Damascus as the managing director. He has that specializes in medical and scientific laboratory three children: two boys and a girl. His second supplies. Nachabe recently married Dima El Masri son, Amr, was b orn on August 15, 2009. Chaarani (B.S.’08).

Samer Eid (M.S.’00, M.B.A.’08) is currently working Maysa Al Tannir (B.S.’03) worked for four years at as an implementation and support manager covering Semaan, Gholam & Co. as an external auditor. She now the eastern Mediterranean region for Thomson works at the Lebanese Canadian Bank as the assistant Reuters in Beirut. Eid is married to Gina Cordahi, and head of their internal audit department. they have one child, Tatiana. Fadi Abilmona (B.S.’04, M.B.A.’07) is currently Tariq Judeh (B.S.’00) recently earned a Visa working for the United Nations Development Bank Card Business School certificate from Programme (Lebanon) as project officer of the Robinson College in the United Kingdom. Strengthening Electoral Processes in Lebanon project. He serves as the vice president of the Riyadh Alumni Chapter. He and his wife recently Fadi Hammoud (M.B.A.’04), upon graduation and welcomed their son, Mustafa. completion of his military service, joined Azadea group, where he is currently employed. He is now Marie Rose Younes (B.E.’00) is currently working as a project manager working as a department manager of operations and for a Telecom company. inventory in Dubai. Hammoud plans to marry Farah Moussawi in September of this year. Ahmad Hamdan (B.S.’01), upon graduating from LAU, completed his military service and went on to Hussein Hariri (Excelsior College External Degree expand his father’s electronics and home appliances ’04) currently resides in Jeddah, where he is the business. Hamdan got married in 2007 and now has director of eight programs at Al-Resala TV and Daleel two children, Karen and Youssef. TV.

Annabella Kyriakos Matta (B.Arch.’01) is Mireille G. Aoun (B.A.’05) married Nassib Kamar on married to Mario Matta (B.S.’99), who is vice July 5, 2009, and moved to Qatar. She currently works president of Clarins in Dubai. She currently as a freelancer. resides in Lebanon with her two children, Alex and Christabel, and is pursuing a career as a Lara Klait (B.S.’05), after graduating from LAU, freelance designer and home decorator. went to Malaysia and received a certificate as a feng shui consultant. She has clients in Lebanon and Sylvana Bitar Karam (Excelsior College External abroad, and delivers regular workshops and seminars. Degree ’02) is currently working at the production She also earned a master practitioner certificate in company Intaj as a production coordinator. She is neurolinguistic programming in South Africa. married to Marc Karam, and they have a daughter, Yasha. Mohamad Noureddine (B.S.’05) worked for four years in United Arab Emirates with Transmed in the FMCG industry before recently changing employers. Assaad Matar (B.E.’02) married Nayla Azar on He joined Philip Morris International as a field May 10, 2009, in Jbeil. supervisor for the Abu Dhabi and Al Ain regions.

Joseph Saliba (B.S.’05) is currently working in Abu Dhabi as a financial controller for Citiscape, a contracting company that specializes in Khaled Shala (B.S.’02) is presently working as an landscaping and irrigation. He plans to open La Maison du Café in Jbeil account director at Memac Ogilvy, a multinational this summer. advertising agency located in Jeddah. Maya Tarabay (B.S.’05) is presently living in Dubai and working for Air Charter Service FZCO as a senior account manager. Rania Fakhoury works as a media planning manager for Zenith Optimedia. She and Khaled have a three-year-old daughter, Lea.. Lamia Arouni (B.S.’06) recently married Mohammad Kawash. They live in Athens, where she works for Mid Tarek U. Chabklo (B.S.’03) is currently working at Lab Care, his family’s East Travel as a sales coordinator. business. He also has a web design company called ST Designers and is a partner in the Couch Potato DVD rental store. He and his wife, Lamis, Christine Audi (M.B.A.’06) got married on August 8, 2008, and moved to recently welcomed a son, Adam, on August 25; they also have a daughter, Abu Dhabi. She has recently begun work at Abu Dhabi University, where Lea. she is a careers, internship and alumni coordinator.

Nahil Talal Hamdan (B.S.’03) worked for his family’s business and later moved on to work as international coordinator with Subway. He currently Hiba Bazzi (B.S.’06) became engaged to Ahmad works for Booz & Co. as an executive assistant in the Abu Dhabi offices. Hneineh. Hamdan has traveled extensively and has recently been accepted to Hult University for his M.B.A. Haytham Afifi Ghaddaf (B.S.’06, M.B.A.’09) is currently Rania Jammal (B.A.’03) moved to Qatar working for IATCO in Saudi Arabia as a sales manager. in 2006, and she currently works there as a producer and presenter for Al-Jazeera’s Nader Itani (B.S.’06) is currently living in Jeddah and working at children’s channel. She won a UNICEF award Landmark PR & Events as an account manager. Itani got married in 2006 last year for her work. Jammal is engaged to Kais and has one daughter. Sharif, and they plan to marry in April 2010.

page 52 Ali Natout (B.S.’06) is now working in Nathalie Maalouf (B.S.’08) is currently working in system Riyadh at the Saudi Oger Ltd. Co. as a senior support in the information systems department of Banque analyst. In December 2008, he married Libano-Francaise. Dana Hachach (B.S.’06). Khaled al Mawla (B.S.’08) has been working Amer Wahoud (B.S.’06) was featured in the September 2009 in Riyadh with Saudi Oger for the past four issue of Time Out magazine. months.

Tarek F. Younis (Excelsior College Maran Toufic Mezher (B.E.’08) is currently working in United External Degree ’06) married Faten Arab Republic as a business/system analyst. Saeed (B.S.’06) on March 28, 2009. He is the owner of Advanced Car, s.a.r.l., a rental- Rola Assi (M.A.’09) obtained a master’s in car business that is one of the five leading private international law and international companies in Lebanon. commercial law from the University Pantheon- Assas Paris II and is currently a Ph.D. candidate Ali Hajj Ahmad (B.S.’07) is currently working as a financial in international investment law at the consultant for Consulting Group Holdings. Université Paul Cézanne Aix-Marseille III, in Aix- en-Provence, France. Samar Issa (M.B.A.’07) has been living in the United States for three years and Ahmad M. Ghalayini (B.S.’09) is presently presently works at the U.N. headquarters in preparing for the CFA level one exam as well New York City, where she has a fixed term as interning and training in several banks to position. She recently gave birth to a son. enhance his field experience.

Ahmad Koumaiha (B.E.’07) became engaged on July 16, 2009, Zahi El Husseni (B.S.’09) plans to begin working at an insurance and is currently working for the Arcan Group, a construction company for which his father is the general manager. company in Riyadh. Houssam Lababidi (B.S.’09) gained his initial experience by Noor Al Kuzbari (M.B.A.’07) is currently working in Syria at working for a company on Hamra Street. Following Ramadan, Bank Bemo Saudi Fransi as a market and data analyst. She also he plans to head to Iraq and the Kurdistan area to manage the recently got married. marketing department for a Wimax project in Erbil.

Carine Raymond Kyprianos (B.Pharm.’07, Hadi Otrok (M.S.’09) is currently an assistant professor at Pharm.D.’08) opened her own pharmacy Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi. called Pharmacie Carine in Amchit. She is concurrently completing an M.S. in infectious Brothers Adnan and Rabea Ragheb (B.S.’09) both plan diseases at the University of London. to pursue master’s degrees in September 2009 at Lancaster University. Charbel Makhoul (M.B.A.’07) is engaged to Rita El Douaihy (Pharm.D.’08). Makhoul moved to the United States after Rana Shehadi (B.A.’09) plans to travel to graduating and worked for a CPA firm in Boston. He currently the United Arab Emirates for work following works in Washington, D.C., for the Embassy of the State of Qatar Ramadan. in the department of protocol and public relations. His fiancée, Rita, works for CVS Pharmacy in D.C.

Rafic Maknieh (B.S.’07) presently works as a sales and marketing representative for a IN MEMORIAM publishing firm in Beirut and as manager of his father’s drugstore. Bilal Omar Sidani Etwal Bou Raad (B.Pharm.’07, Pharm.D.’08) is presently working for the Lebanese International University as coordinator (1974-2009) and clinical assistant professor for the school of pharmacy.

Abdel Rahman Sabban (M.B.A.’07) is Bilal Omar Sidani (B.S. ’94, M.B.A ’97), a successful currently working as a credit analyst at the businessman and active LAU alumnus, passed away on July Lebanese Credit Insurer, which is part of the 30, 2009, in a tragic car accident in Turkey. His mother, Amnah Atradius Group. He is also studying in the Jumanah Merhi; his fiancé, Yeliz Duru; and several others also CEP program at LAU and plans to apply for died in the accident. CFA level one. After graduating from LAU, Sidani started an import/ export business called Tigers International. He often traveled Eman Al Ali (B.S.’08) recently began on business to Asia, Europe and Africa and spent a few working at Capital Investment Bank in months every year in Malaysia. Sidani met Duru—a Turkish Bahrain. Originally from Bahrain, she lived businesswoman with her own shipping company—on one of in Beirut for four years while completing her his trips to the country. Their wedding was set for August 1, degree and is proud to be part of the LAU days after the accident. family—so much so that she plans to come Sidani, who was a member of the Sarawak’s Lions Club in back to Beirut to start her M.B.A. degree. Malaysia, was a certified diver and also enjoyed playing chess. While at LAU, he was a member of the chess club. Fida Drouby (Pharm.D.’08) is currently a full-time faculty He was buried, along with his mother, on August 7 at the Dar member at Lebanese International University. She holds the Al Fatwa cemetery in his beloved city, Beirut. position of clinical assistant professor. Sidani is survived by his two sisters, Nada and Mirvat. He also leaves behind a large, loving family, as well as many friends Khaled Walid Itani (M.B.A.’08) welcomed a son in July 2008. around the world.

page 53 Alumni Events

Alumni Events Montreal Chapter Oriental Brunch Gathering – April 26

Members of the Montreal Alumni Chapter gathered at Al Sultan Restaurant to enjoy a delicious Sunday brunch and catch up with other alums in the area. While the adults reminisced about their days at LAU, a clown entertained the children, who also sang and played games.

Montreal Chapter Radio Appearance – May 14

As part of its promotional campaign, LAU’s Montreal Alumni Chapter appeared on Radio Canada International to introduce the chapter. Alumni Lamia Labban Jammoul and Ammar Ouwaida represented the chapter and talked about its founding, goals, future plans and elections. They also introduced the chapter’s newly launched official website and contact information: http://laualumnimontreal.com/

Jeddah Dinner – June 1

The committee members of the Jeddah Alumni Chapter organized a dinner at the Jeddah Marriott Hotel in the presence of the Lebanese Consular H.E. Ghassan Al Moalem and his wife. The evening was hosted by Michel and Joumana Labaki, with more than 70 alumni in attendance. It was an important opportunity to restrengthen the alumni network in the Jeddah area.

Alumni Association Board Meeting – July 14

The second LAU Alumni Association board meeting was called to order on July 14 at the LAU Beirut campus in the presence of representatives of chapters in Lebanon and around the world. The purpose of the daylong meeting, which was called by Leila Saleeby Dagher, the association’s board president, was to discuss issues related to the welfare of the alumni and to encourage more participation from the alumni, whose number today exceeds 30,000. Chapter representatives reported on their activities throughout the year and suggested ideas for enhancing the operations of the chapters. The meeting also included a discussion of the Alumni Association’s constitution and bylaws, as well as other alumni-related issues. Alumni Association Office Director Abdallah Al Khal reported on the office’s activities during the academic year 2008–09. He also thanked the board’s steering committee and members of chapter executive committees for their hard work and dedication to the association and to the university. He promised all the necessary support to strengthen the link between the alumni and the association. Ed Shiner, university programs manager at LAU’s New York office, reported on the organization of the first annual alumni gathering in North America in March and on his efforts to develop new chapters there.

Engineering and Architecture Chapter Lunch – August 2

The Engineering and Architecture Alumni Chapter organized its annual summer reunion at Rikky’s Restaurant in Faqra, Lebanon. More than 52 alumni and friends attended the lunch, which lasted into the late evening.

Oman Chapter Check Donation – August 6

On August 6, the Oman Chapter committee members presented LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra a check donation in the amount of $25,000 in support of the Scholarship Fund at the university.

page 54 secretary; andRaniaHammoudLe chance totake abreak from theirbusyschedules. in Times Square, New York City. It was a welcome respite from the August heat and afforded many alumni a Reina Hallab, president; president; Hallab, Reina Toronto ChapterPicnic– August 9 150 alumni and friends of both universities attended.150 alumniandfriendsofboth Hotel’s Intercontinentalthan Moreraffles. and Regency music,games Tent,live Ramadan included the Manama at 2 September on held event, The Ghabqa.a organized jointly Bahrain in chapters alumni Beirut of University oftheholymonthRamadan,On theoccasion theLAU Bahrain ChapterGathering–September2 of 30valuableprizesthatwere distributedduringtheevening. RestaurantDamascus.event,Old the in attended friends and raffles alumni included 100 Morewhich than Haretna at 30,Sunday, August on Suhour Ramadan annual its organized Chapter Alumni Damascus The Damascus ChapterRamadanSuhour– August 30 Th Montreal Elections– August 16 L of more daylongeventsfor thenearfuture. itsmembers group a when planning Saturday is chapter nightclubbing.The and fun-filled movie,dinner lunch,bowling,a for gathered a had Chapter Alumni Florida The Florida ChapterBennigan’s Channelside– August 15 Hotel Marquis hour”Marriott happy the “summer at a enjoyed Chapter Alumni York/NewJersey New The New York/New Jersey Alumni ChapterGathering– August 10 the dancing games, Apple-on-a-rope piñata. a and Lebanese dabkeh andmore prizesaddedmore than60raffle funfor everyone. games racing painting, face with Chapter picnic. Attendees gathered to enjoy lunch together,Toronto and children were entertained the attended people 100 than event,more the threatening weather bad Despite e Mo ntreal Al umni Chapter held elections at the Centre des Centre the at elections held Chapter umni La mia La on theBeirutcampus. generous donations, leaving their mark on the business building Recently the Riyadh and the Abu Dhabi alumni chapters gave the chance to keep a lasting connection with their alma mater. maintain and update its facilities, while giving former students after their respective cities. This initiative will help the university LAU alumni chapters are now naming parts of the university Following atraditionlongpracticedatAmericanuniversities, bban Jammoul,Georgespresident; bban vice ila Is sa, activemembers. andtheAmerican Lo isirs St- La isirs Ma di,treasurer; urent. AU alumni The committee elected committee The Am mar Ouwaida,mar page 55 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 11 | issue nº 4 Why I Give Back Mary Elyousef, ’71

Why I Give Back Mary Elyousef, ’71

DEGREE B.S. mathematics Mary and Saba Elyousef CAMPUS Beirut

WHERE SHE LIVES NOW Upland, California “ Education is the most important OCCUPATION thing you can give to anybody. Homemaker, former mathematics teacher To give an LAU education to HOW SHE’D LIKE HER DONATION USED someone is an even greater My first preference is to scholarships, because I received a full- tuition honors scholarship for the four years I spent at LAU. privilege.” WHY GIVE BACK TO LAU? I give to other organizations, but LAU is where my heart is. My years there were the best of my life. Although I have lived in the United States for a long time, I always think back fondly on my days in Lebanon. Lebanon is my home country. LAU gave me a lot, and I would like to give back to the students who are there now. It is always good to give back.

page 56 Sheikh Ayman Abudawood, a prominent Saudi businessman and well-known philanthropist, is strongly committed to LAU.

LAU University Medical Center-Rizk Hospital: Health for Lebanon Sheikh Ayman Abudawood ! is the Legacy and the PRomise.

In 2009 he established a Scholarship Endowment Fund that will provide financial support to Business Administration students. Through his belief in the noble cause of education, Sheikh Ayman is helping to build a better and stronger community for all of us.

For more information, please contact: Beirut Development Office New York Development Office Tel (961) 1 786456 Ext: 1323 Tel (212) 870 2592 Fax (961) 1 803658 Fax (212) 870 2762 P.O.Box 13-5053 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1846 Chouran Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon New York, NY 10115-0065 - USA Only at LAU E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Orme-Gray Hall was named in honor of BCW presidents Rhoda Orme and Frances Gray, March 1965

Beirut Campus P.O.Box 13-5053 Chouran Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon Tel. +961 1 786456 / 64 Fax. +961 1 867098

Byblos Campus P.O.Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon Tel. +961 9 547254 / 63 Fax. +961 9 944851

New York Office 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1846 New York, N.Y. 10115 0065 USA Tel. +1 212 870 2592 Fax. +1 212 870 2762

www.lau.edu.lb