At the invitation of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO)* Education and Opportunities for Lebanon (EOL) participated in an educational event in Philadelphia in December, 2019.
YPO members who attended Changing the Trajectory of the Middle East through Education, learned how education has the power to change the Middle East from an area of eternal conflict to one with a future of peace. The focus was on educational initiatives in Lebanon—a country bordering Israel and Syria. It has a small yet diverse population—approximately six million: four million Lebanese and two million refugees. The number of school-age children is estimated to be 1.5 million, making it feasible to educate the majority of children and to reap the rewards.
Adam Eiseman (CEO, Lloyd) championed the event held at the center-city home of Farid Naib (CEO, Lime Brokerage). The panel discussion was moderated by Rich Phillips (Fellow, Yale Divinity School) and included Daniel C. Kurtzer (Former U.S. ambassador) Paul Salem (President, The Middle East Institute) Kathy Feghali (Chairperson, EOL) and Massa Mufti (Chairperson, SONBOLA). Ambassador Kurtzer gave a broad view of the region. Paul Salem focused on the situation in Lebanon. Kathy Feghali discussed the goals and accomplishments of EOL. Massa Mufti spoke about the education of Syrian refugee children in Lebanon.
The goal was to create awareness in the YPO community and see how members might use their networks and resources to improve the prospects for children in Lebanon and consequently the region.
*YPO is a global leadership community of chief executives whose mission is to make a meaningful impact on lives, businesses and the world.