World Water Day – Major Challenges in the Lebanese water sector

For the occasion of the World Water Day, the University of Balamand and the Ibrahim AbdelAl Foundation for sustainable development organized a seminar as a part of the Engineering Seminar Series. The seminar featured a panel discussion highlighting the major challenges in the Lebanese water sector and many initiatives in this respect. The panelists drew attention on the importance of access to freshwater advocating for the Sustainable management of Lebanon’s freshwater resources.

Acting Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Dr. Elie Karam gave a welcoming address. Dr. Marianne Saba introduced World Water Day and highlighted the cooperation between the University and the Foundation in this context. Mrs. Iman Abdel-Al, the foundation's treasurer, gave a speech in which she stressed the awareness of the challenges faced by Lebanon's water resources underlining the contributions of the late Ibrahim Abdel-Aal in the formulation of water policies and projects in Lebanon. The President of the Foundation, former MP Nasser Nasrallah, spoke about the need to face the challenges facing the water sector in Lebanon with awareness and prudent policies in this respect. The Director of the North Lebanon Water Authority, Mr. Khalid Obaid, addressed the reality of water projects in the North Governorate and the role of water in the future of Lebanon.

The seminar was an opportunity to discuss future collaboration projects among the foundation, the El-Mina Municipality, and the University (Faculty of Engineering and Académie Libanaise des Beaux Arts - Alba) aiming to raise local awareness on water usage rationalization and the right of every person to clean water. The talks linked the Day to the UN SDGs in this respect, and it opened room for a fruitful discussion with students and faculty members.