BEIRUT (Enmaeya News) — September 22, 2025
Lebanon’s AI Career Fair, organized by ZAKA, BDD, and Forward MENA took center stage Friday, September 19, at Beirut Digital District, bringing together local companies, emerging talent, and policymakers to explore opportunities in the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence.
The event featured interactive booths, real-world AI demonstrations, speed interviews, and networking zones designed to create direct pathways between employers and job seekers.
Lebanon’s Minister of AI and Technology, H.E. Kamal Shehadeh, addressing the 400 attendees, reinforced the country’s commitment to fostering a digital future. “Lebanese talent has excelled in almost everything that it has touched. We have succeeded in healthcare, we've succeeded in higher education, we've succeeded in the creator economy, and those are areas of economic activity that are based on technology and AI is at the center of it,” he said.
The minister stressed the importance of preparing a supportive ecosystem, noting that “it takes having the proper laws and regulations in place, it takes having the institutions to drive this change… but it also takes a change in the mindset.” He encouraged students to “learn the language of AI… think about data and AI first and think of solutions as you go along. Be creative, but always focus on solving a problem, on relieving a pain point, on helping solve a problem that many of us face.”
For businesses, he emphasized the need to adopt AI boldly despite organizational resistance. “Every survey you read about the introduction of AI in businesses, there are challenges and the biggest challenge is organizational resistance… So it also takes understanding of these organizations.” He called on universities to make AI literacy universal and policymakers to modernize laws, protect data privacy, and empower the creator economy.
“Our shared mission is to change the country. It is to change the laws, improve them. But I see this as an opportunity because this is building the Lebanon of the 21st century… a nation that is open, inclusive, that gives people a chance to shine, to grow, and more importantly, to build their future where they choose to do so,” Shehadeh said.
He concluded with a call to action: “The dream of a country that is AI first… is a dream that we should all keep, nurture, but put into action. We have to pursue it. We have to put it into action every day. I think you are the future of this country… and we'll see you all in the field, changing the country and building the digital republic that we all aspire to.”
At the event, Forward MENA Executive Director Marwan Atallah highlighted the immediacy of AI adoption in Lebanon. “By a show of hands, how many of you have used AI in the past week? Keep your hands up if you have used it in the past 48 hours… Keep your hands up if you have used it in the last 24 hours. So as we can see, AI is no longer the future. AI is no longer tomorrow, it's today and it's happening today,” the director said.
He emphasized the need for ethical and responsible AI use and introduced Forward MENA, BDD’s educational hub. “Together, BDD and Forward MENA have one single mission, which is to skill, upskill, reskill, connect and support the future generation. Whether it's giving them opportunities, courses, skills and the right network and facility to operate,” he said.
Atallah urged attendees to take advantage of the networking opportunities: “Today, in this room, lives can be changed. Careers can be discovered. Opportunities can be seen. So make sure to network like tomorrow depends on it, because it does.”
Organizers ZAKA, BDD, and Forward MENA, highlighted the event as a key step in connecting talent with opportunities and preparing Lebanon’s workforce for the AI-driven economy of the 21st century.
