BEIRUT (Enmaeya News) - December 23, 2025
The Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development and the American University of Beirut signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 24, 2025, to advance sustainable development, evidence-informed policymaking, and youth empowerment in Lebanon.
The agreement establishes a framework for collaboration focused on capacity building, knowledge exchange, and interdisciplinary cooperation to strengthen public policy engagement and civic participation.
The signing ceremony was held at AUB and attended by the President of the Hariri Foundation, Mrs. Bahia Hariri, AUB Provost Dr. Zaher Dawy, and Senior Vice President for Advancement and Business Development Dr. Imad Baalbaki.
Mrs. Bahia Hariri emphasized the importance of investing in youth and bridging academia with community needs, particularly amid Lebanon’s ongoing challenges.
Quoting the late Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, she underscored the potential of Lebanese youth when supported by stability and opportunity.
Components of the MoU include experiential learning opportunities, joint training programs, reciprocal internships, and collaborative media initiatives, including featuring AUB research on Enmaeya, the Hariri Foundation’s dialogue and development platform.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Fadi El-Jardali, co-lead and managing director of AUB’s Government Engagement Platform, said the partnership reflects the impact of collaboration between academia and civil society in translating research into actionable policy outcomes.
Dr. Dawy noted that the MoU lays the groundwork for activating joint initiatives that position young people as future leaders and changemakers.
The partnership will focus on policy boot camps, workshops, and mentorship programs in collaboration with AUB’s Knowledge to Policy Center and the Youth of the Rise of Lebanon Forum.
It will also promote interdisciplinary research and policy dialogue through AUB entities such as the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Asfari Institute’s Good Governance and Citizenship Observatory.
This underscores a shared commitment by the Hariri Foundation and AUB to equipping youth with the knowledge, skills, and platforms needed to drive evidence-based policymaking and advance Lebanon’s long-term sustainable development.
