The Faculty of Human Sciences - Department of French Language and Literature at Beirut Arab University organized a conference about climate for two consecutive days. The conference was under the auspices of the President of the University, Professor Wael Nabil Abdel Salam and the presence of the Member of the Environment Committee at the Parliament, Deputy Professor Najat Saliba Aoun, Secretary General of BAU Dr. Omar Houri, Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences Professor Siddeeka Lasheen, Head of French Language and Literature Department at the faulty Dr. Nadia Naboulsi Iskandarani, and a crowd of academics, environmental activists, and students.
During the opening, the President of the university, Professor Wael Nabil Abdel Salam, referred to the risks of human behaviour on the nature and the climate and spoke about these activities, which have contributed to the worsening of global warming that is threatening future generations and directly affecting human health and contributing to the spread of diseases and epidemics. Professor Abdel Salam also stressed the need to scale up the global response to these challenges, calling for immediate measures to reduce these crises.
From her side, the Dean of Faculty of Human Sciences Professor Saddeeka Lasheen shed the light on the gap between developed and developing countries' responses towards the climate issue, explaining that developed countries have begun to immunize their infrastructure for decades, while developing countries have recently realized this crisis, despite being the most affected.Professor Lasheen also stressed that climate change is humanity's greatest challenge, emphasizing the role of humanities in promoting awareness and addressing these challenges through education and culture.
Then the Head of French Language and Literature Department at the faculty, Dr. Nadia Naboulsi Iskandarani, explained about the culture, climate and relationship between them. She also welcomed the efforts made to make this conference a success, which in turn represents an opportunity for positive change, and for pressuring decision makers to save the earth.
In her lecture entitled "Exploring Lebanon’s Pollution Crisis: The Ripple Effects of Climate Change", member of the Parliamentary Environment Committee, Professor Najat Saliba Aoun, presented the highlights of the figures and facts that led to the situation, to where we are today. Also, Professor Saliba demonstrated the dangers, without any controls, to human health, to environmental integrity and not to underestimate the seriousness of what we are experiencing, especially in terms of "global warming", which has left us inside a planet surrounded by a bottle and prevents it from breathing.
The Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences, Professor Siddeeka Lasheen, Head of French Language and Literature Department at the Faculty, Dr. Nadia Naboulsi Iskandarani, and Dr. Badia Mazboudi from the Lebanese University, discussed the "New Literary and Linguistic Subjects emerging from Climate Change." Dr. Abdelfettah Nacer Idrissi of Ibn Zahr University in Morocco also lectured on "Climate Change and Neologisms: Towards a Lexico-Semantic Study". Also, Dr. Soumaya Al Jarrah from Beirut Arab University also delivered a presentation entitled "A World with No End: Science, Imagination and Image facing Climate Change."
On "The Contemporary Narrative between Science Fiction and Catastrophic Reality", Dr. Roula Mazboudi, Dr. Badia Mazboudi and Dr. Hanane Abou Nasser Eddine from the Lebanese University, Dr. Christelle Stephan Hayek from Holy Spirit University-Kaslik, and the PhD student at Beirut Arab University Mireille Hajjar, discussed and dived into the issue.
The Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences Dr. Helga Alaeddine moderated a panel discussion entitled "The Psychological Repercussions of Climate Change", where Dr. Nermine Mohamad, Dr. Faten Iskafi, Dr. Yvette Nasr from Beirut Arab University, Dr. Douaa Saiid Ahmad from Alexandra University and Dr. Emilie Chammas Fiani from the University of Balamand participated in it.
"Social and Cultural Implications of Climate Transformation", was discussed by Dr. Mohamad Ali Al-Koozi, Dr. Rama Aziz Darraz, Dr. Mariam Mohamad Hussein from Beirut Arab University, and Dr. Sophie Nicolaides Salloum from the Lebanese University. The session was moderated by the representative of Mass Communication Department Dr. Imane Alaywan.
In order to develop "New Psychosocial Perceptions in the face of Climate Change", Dr. Roula Zoubiane from the Lebanese University moderated a discussion between Dr. Mariange Merhi, Dr. Wissal Halabi and Dr. Layal Al Rifai from the Lebanese University, and the Phd student from St. Joseph University Hala Chamata University.
The closing session, about "Art and Climate: A Creative Awareness", was delivered by Dr. Michel Abou Khalil, Director of Swiss Made Culture.
It is worth mentioning that the Conference has issued several recommendations, through which the Conference's organizers are pressing to achieve them and make a change for Lebanon and the future of people around the world.
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