SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Public Access to Buildings and Cultural Heritage

Beirut Arab University

THE Impact Rankings Evidence Report Indicator 11 2 1

Question Does the University as a body provide public access to buildings, monuments or natural heritage landscapes that are of cultural significance

Recommended response Yes Free access

Evidence period Current institutional pages and dated implementation evidence from 2021 to 2025, including the 2022 opening of the BAU Museum

Core finding BAU provides permanent free public access to its Museum at the Beirut Campus. The Museum is a purpose-built cultural facility containing rare books and manuscripts associated with major civilizations and is supported by public contact details and weekday visitor arrangements.

Executive Assessment

Beirut Arab University can answer this indicator affirmatively and select Free access. The decisive evidence is BAU's current Museum page, which states that the Beirut Arab University Museum is open to the public and free of charge. This is not an inference from an event announcement: it is an explicit, current institutional access statement attached to a named cultural facility at the Beirut Campus.

Original evidence BAU Museum current access page

Prominent Museum Collections

The cultural significance of the facility is also documented. BAU describes a collection of approximately 200 rare books and manuscripts spanning the eighth to nineteenth centuries and representing Egyptian-Pharaonic, Assyrian, Phoenician, Byzantine, Persian, Roman, Babylonian, Aramaic, Arab-Islamic and Ottoman heritage. Several works are described as unique copies unavailable elsewhere. The Museum therefore functions as a public building through which material documentary heritage is preserved, interpreted and made accessible.

On 1 November 2022, Lebanon's Minister of Culture inaugurated the Museum. BAU's official account states that the Museum was included in the national museums list and records attendance by political, diplomatic and educational representatives. This gives institutional and national-level recognition to the cultural importance of the building and its collections.

Original evidence Official report of the Museum opening

Recommended Classification

Opening of The Museum at Beirut Arab University

Earlier today, Judge Mohammad Wissam Al-Murtada, Minister of Culture, inaugurated the opening event of The Museum at Beirut Arab University, which is officially listed in the list of national museums as per the minister’s speech. The event was held in the presence of BAU President Professor Amr Galal El-Adawi, members of the Board of Trustees, as well as a crowd of political, diplomatic and educational representatives.

The Museum contains some 200 rare books and manuscripts, and the collections entail civilizations that have existed throughout history, particularly the Pharaonic-Egyptian civilization, Assyrian civilization, Phoenician civilization, Byzantine civilization, Persian civilization, Roman civilization, Babylonian civilization, Aramaic civilization, Arab & Islamic civilization, and Ottoman civilization.

These rare collections date back to the eighth century AD until the nineteenth century, noting that the rare books and manuscripts are unique copies that are not available elsewhere.

In celebration of the opening, Minister Al-Murtada delivered a speech, highlighting the importance of the role of universities as research centres as dynamic drivers in the development and evolution of knowledge.

In his speech, Minister Al-Murtada discussed the need for an Arab Union, pointing to the importance of Arab League Summit in Algeria. He said, "As we are gathering here today at the opening of this museum at the Beirut Arab University, Arab leaders are meeting with at the Arab League summit, endorsing the mere hope of reunion. Our hope for this summit is that Arab leaders can work hard on developing synergies among one another, successfully bringing Arab countries together in union. This reunion between Arabs will prove of great interest in culture, education and university research and will vastly impact the youth of these countries.”

Minister Al-Murtada continued, “Beirut Arab University is not just a university, and its museum is not only a display of historical ornaments but also an essential reminder of how this university shapes the future of education and culture. If museums are created to honor the past, universities are created to build the future. "

Minister Al-Murtada praised in his speech Beirut Arab University, saying, “BAU is an ambassador of education and knowledge enriching brain forces in the land of Cedars all the way from the Nile River. Today, the establishment of The Museum reminds us of Egypt’s richness lying in its history and culture and spread from the Valley of the Kings to the Delta, from Alexandria to Cairo, and from Sinai to the Upper Nile.”

In his speech, Minister Al-Murtada shed light on the importance of an educational development plan, where he said, “I make use of this occasion to emphasize that some Arab countries lack educational justice, because of many circumstances. Educational justice is a term that means securing the means of knowledge, especially modern ones, for every individual in Arab terretories. This requires national action through an inclusive educational and cultural development plan, which all our states should collaborate in writing, approving, funding and implementing. Will that take place in the near future? It is worth noting that the abundance of schools, institutes and universities alone does not secure such justice, unless accompanied by developing curricula and a deep understanding of the university's role as a research centre primarily, not only as a teaching centre, as well as of the role of education in the preparation of brains not only distribution of certificates.”

Concluding his speech, Minister Al-Murtada congratulated BAU for the opening of its museum, which he described as a cultural bridge between the past and the future.

In his speech, BAU President Professor Amr Galal El-Adawi, thanked Minister Al-Murtada for supporting this initiative, highlighting the university’s cultural and pioneering role in society. He said, “For the establishment of this museum, we complied and restored scarce manuscripts and books according to special heritage standards. These manuscripts are attributed to 17 civilizations and will be displayed alternately with respective electronic copies to allow researchers and students to discover their contents."

The ceremony host, Ms. Rima Chehab, mentioned that after long anticipation and delay due to the health and economic crises in the past years, the university’s museum of rare books and ancient manuscripts is finally ready for display, highlighting the fundamental role of the President in the founding of this historical and cultural project.

After the opening, Professor El-Adawi presented the university honorary shield to Minister Al-Murtada as a token of appreciation. At the end, attendees toured around The Museum.

Evidence Hierarchy

Core Qualifying Asset Beirut Arab University Museum

Current Public Access Statement

The current BAU Museum page gives the clearest possible access classification: the Museum is open to the public and free of charge. Because this wording appears on BAU's own dedicated Museum page, it demonstrates a University-level commitment rather than a one-off invitation. The same page gives a physical location at the Beirut Campus in Tarik El Jadida, a telephone extension and a dedicated museum email address, allowing members of the public to make practical contact.

Original evidence BAU Museum access and visitor contact details

A Building Dedicated to Cultural Heritage

The Museum is not merely a room used occasionally for an exhibition. BAU's official opening account describes a dedicated cultural facility established to conserve and present rare books and manuscripts. Its public role combines preservation, interpretation and research access. BAU's SDG 11 page further states that the Museum is open on weekdays for students and visitors and that an employee assists researchers and visitors in consulting digitized material through electronic screens.

Original evidence BAU SDG 11 Museum operation evidence

Institutional and National Recognition

The Museum was inaugurated on 1 November 2022 by Lebanon's Minister of Culture in the presence of BAU's President and representatives from public, diplomatic and educational bodies. BAU's official report records the Minister's statement that the facility was included among national museums. The inauguration therefore provides recent, dated evidence that the University created a culturally significant building and positioned it as part of Lebanon's public heritage infrastructure.

Original evidence Museum inauguration on 1 November 2022

Earlier today, Judge Mohammad Wissam Al-Murtada, Minister of Culture, inaugurated the opening event of The Museum at Beirut Arab University, which is officially listed in the list of national museums as per the minister’s speech. The event was held in the presence of BAU President Professor Amr Galal El-Adawi, members of the Board of Trustees, as well as a crowd of political, diplomatic and educational representatives.

The Museum contains some 200 rare books and manuscripts, and the collections entail civilizations that have existed throughout history, particularly the Pharaonic-Egyptian civilization, Assyrian civilization, Phoenician civilization, Byzantine civilization, Persian civilization, Roman civilization, Babylonian civilization, Aramaic civilization, Arab & Islamic civilization, and Ottoman civilization.

These rare collections date back to the eighth century AD until the nineteenth century, noting that the rare books and manuscripts are unique copies that are not available elsewhere.

In celebration of the opening, Minister Al-Murtada delivered a speech, highlighting the importance of the role of universities as research centres as dynamic drivers in the development and evolution of knowledge.

In his speech, Minister Al-Murtada discussed the need for an Arab Union, pointing to the importance of Arab League Summit in Algeria. He said, "As we are gathering here today at the opening of this museum at the Beirut Arab University, Arab leaders are meeting with at the Arab League summit, endorsing the mere hope of reunion. Our hope for this summit is that Arab leaders can work hard on developing synergies among one another, successfully bringing Arab countries together in union. This reunion between Arabs will prove of great interest in culture, education and university research and will vastly impact the youth of these countries.”

Minister Al-Murtada continued, “Beirut Arab University is not just a university, and its museum is not only a display of historical ornaments but also an essential reminder of how this university shapes the future of education and culture. If museums are created to honor the past, universities are created to build the future. "

Minister Al-Murtada praised in his speech Beirut Arab University, saying, “BAU is an ambassador of education and knowledge enriching brain forces in the land of Cedars all the way from the Nile River. Today, the establishment of The Museum reminds us of Egypt’s richness lying in its history and culture and spread from the Valley of the Kings to the Delta, from Alexandria to Cairo, and from Sinai to the Upper Nile.”

In his speech, Minister Al-Murtada shed light on the importance of an educational development plan, where he said, “I make use of this occasion to emphasize that some Arab countries lack educational justice, because of many circumstances. Educational justice is a term that means securing the means of knowledge, especially modern ones, for every individual in Arab terretories. This requires national action through an inclusive educational and cultural development plan, which all our states should collaborate in writing, approving, funding and implementing. Will that take place in the near future? It is worth noting that the abundance of schools, institutes and universities alone does not secure such justice, unless accompanied by developing curricula and a deep understanding of the university's role as a research centre primarily, not only as a teaching centre, as well as of the role of education in the preparation of brains not only distribution of certificates.”

Concluding his speech, Minister Al-Murtada congratulated BAU for the opening of its museum, which he described as a cultural bridge between the past and the future.

In his speech, BAU President Professor Amr Galal El-Adawi, thanked Minister Al-Murtada for supporting this initiative, highlighting the university’s cultural and pioneering role in society. He said, “For the establishment of this museum, we complied and restored scarce manuscripts and books according to special heritage standards. These manuscripts are attributed to 17 civilizations and will be displayed alternately with respective electronic copies to allow researchers and students to discover their contents."

The ceremony host, Ms. Rima Chehab, mentioned that after long anticipation and delay due to the health and economic crises in the past years, the university’s museum of rare books and ancient manuscripts is finally ready for display, highlighting the fundamental role of the President in the founding of this historical and cultural project.

After the opening, Professor El-Adawi presented the university honorary shield to Minister Al-Murtada as a token of appreciation. At the end, attendees toured around The Museum.

Access Facts

Cultural Significance of the Museum and Collections

The cultural significance required by the indicator is demonstrated by the age, rarity, breadth and subject matter of the Museum's holdings. BAU identifies approximately 200 rare books and manuscripts dating from the eighth through nineteenth centuries. The collection connects Lebanon and the Arab region to a wider history of civilizations, including Egyptian, Phoenician, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab-Islamic and Ottoman traditions.

Selected Heritage Collections

Original evidence BAU Museum collections catalogue

Preservation and Interpretation

BAU reports that scarce books and manuscripts were restored according to heritage standards before the Museum opened. The SDG 11 page describes climate and humidity controls, protected display cases, uninterrupted power arrangements and digital scanning. These measures show that access is accompanied by conservation rather than being provided at the expense of fragile material.

The combination of free admission, professional conservation and mediated digital consultation is particularly relevant to SDG 11.4. It allows the public to benefit from heritage while limiting physical handling of rare originals.

Original evidence BAU SDG 11 preservation and visitor access account

Heritage Preservation and Urban Renewal:

Lebanon is known for its rich cultural heritage, which is often threatened by unregulated urban expansion and development. Many historic neighborhoods, particularly in Beirut, have been demolished to make way for new construction, leading to the loss of cultural identity. The government, alongside the General Directorate of Antiquities, is working to balance urban development with heritage preservation by promoting the restoration of historic buildings and implementing heritage protection laws.

The urban renewal of older neighborhoods, while preserving their cultural and historical significance, is a key aspect of the government’s approach to SDG 11. These initiatives aim to foster a sense of community while ensuring that historic areas are revitalized in a sustainable and inclusive way.

How BAU Makes Access Meaningful

Physical Access

Public access is tied to a named and reachable place. BAU publishes the Museum's Beirut Campus address and contact channels. The Museum's weekday visitor arrangements provide a recurring access mechanism rather than an isolated annual opening. Managed entry or prior contact may be appropriate for campus security and collection protection, but neither changes the published free-admission classification.

Interpretive and Research Access

The Museum provides more than visual display. BAU describes assistance for researchers and visitors and electronic screens for browsing digitized books and images. This approach broadens the usefulness of the collections to school groups, researchers, external students and members of the public interested in the history of civilizations.

Communication and External Engagement

BAU's Public Relations and Communications Department defines its role as connecting the University with the external community. Its Events Unit coordinates conferences, workshops, seminars and exhibitions for internal and external audiences, while the communications units publicize activities and support registration. This organizational structure helps convert campus cultural facilities into accessible public venues.

Original evidence BAU Public Relations and Communications mandate

Access Pathway

Public Relations and Communications

Cultural Buildings and Campus Venues

Al Multaqa Cultural and Art Center

BAU's campus description identifies Al Multaqa as a purpose-designed Center for cultural and art activities at the Beirut Campus. The same campus includes a 300-seat festivities hall and seminar rooms. These facilities provide the institutional infrastructure needed to host exhibitions, lectures and cultural gatherings for external as well as internal audiences.

Original evidence BAU campus facilities and Al Multaqa

“Al Multaqa” Art and Cultural Center: The Beirut campus features Al Multaqa, a specially designed cultural center that hosts art exhibitions, literary events, and other cultural activities. This center, whose name means “The Gathering Place,” is open to the BAU community and often to the general public for events. It has become a hub for art shows, book signings, and musical performances on campus. While the Al Multaqa center itself is a modern facility (established in the late 2000s), it significantly enhances public cultural access by providing a dedicated space for the arts in the heart of Beirutbau.edu.lb. Exhibitions held here are frequently advertised to the public in advance, inviting art enthusiasts in Beirut to engage with works by students, faculty, and guest artists.

Regional Campus Infrastructure

BAU's Debbieh Campus includes an open theater and large campus grounds, and its Tripoli Campus contains teaching and gathering facilities. These spaces support public cultural and heritage programming across regions. However, BAU does not identify the Debbieh landscape as a protected natural heritage landscape. It is therefore more accurate to present these locations as programme venues, not as qualifying natural heritage assets.

Original evidence BAU campus descriptions

Recent Evidence Public Heritage Access in 2021

Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition

On 25 June 2021, BAU's Faculty of Architecture Design and Built Environment issued a public invitation to the opening of the Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition at the Saint Nicolas Stairs in Gemmayzeh. The event formed part of youth-led rehabilitation efforts after the Beirut Port explosion and was organized with UNESCO, UNFPA and UNODC. The venue was a prominent public urban space within a historic Beirut neighborhood.

Original evidence BAU public invitation to the exhibition

Invitation to the opening ceremony of Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition to introduce Cultural Heritage to Children

Within the framework of “Youth-Led rehabilitation efforts to support local communities affected by the Beirut Blast" initiative, BAU – Faculty of Architecture, Design & Built Environment in partnership with UNESCO, UNFPA, and UNODC is pleased to invite you to attend the opening ceremony of “Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition to introduce Cultural Heritage to Children” on Friday, June 25 at 3:00 pm at ST Nicholas Stairs, Gemmayzeh.

BAU's follow-up report dated 9 July 2021 states that the three-day exhibition presented detailed student-produced models of Beirut heritage buildings. Faculty members and students accompanied visitors, explained the architectural details of the displayed buildings and provided children with hands-on facade models. This is direct evidence that BAU used academic expertise to help the public understand and engage with the city's built heritage.

Original evidence BAU report on the three-day exhibition

Faculty of Architecture Design and Built Environment Inaugurated Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition

The President of Beirut Arab University Prof. Amr Galal El – Adawi inaugurated “Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition to introduce Cultural Heritage to Children» that was launched by the Faculty of Architecture - Design and Built Environment in partnership with UNESCO, the United Nations Population Fund and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, at Saint Nicolas Stairs in Gemmayzeh Area.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prof. Ibtihal El Bastawissi, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture - Design and Built Environment, Ms. Rony Sabbagh, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Lebanon, Dr. Seiko Sugita, Programme specialist in social and human sciences at UNESCO Beirut, in addition to faculty deans and representatives of the United Nations Organizations, university professors and faculty students.

The three day exhibition took place after the great efforts performed by the Faculty of Architecture- Design and Built Environment team for a period of six months to provide a large number of architectural miniatures of heritage buildings in Beirut with the contribution of the Urban Laboratory. These models were in high quality and accurate showing the architectural details of these buildings.

The faculty students and professors supervising the exhibition accompanied visitors in their tours, introduced them to the displayed models and explained the architectural details that characterize the heritage buildings of Beirut. They also gave souvenirs to children inspired by the main objective of the exhibition. Souvenirs consist from collections of facades in which the child can assemble by himself to recreate one of the models of heritage buildings for the identity of Beirut City.

Professor Amr Galal El- Adawi, President of Beirut Arab University, congratulated the working group under the supervision of Professor Ibtihal El Bastawissi, the Dean of the Faculty, in preparing for this exhibition, which embodies the real message of the University and its pioneering role in serving the Lebanese society in general and the people of Beirut in particular, through this project that enhances the social role of the architect in spreading the culture of preserving the architectural and urban heritage of the city.

External Corroboration

UNESCO separately documented the exhibition as part of the Li Beirut recovery initiative. The external account describes the event as reviving damaged architecture for Lebanese children and records participation by children, families, partners, NGOs, teachers and parents. This corroboration is valuable because it confirms the public and collaborative character of BAU's heritage work beyond the University's own reporting.

Original evidence UNESCO account of the BAU heritage exhibition

In Beirut, a BAU exhibition revives damaged architecture for Lebanese children

At the heart of a historic area damaged by the Beirut blasts, the “Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition” of the Beirut Arab University has revived the Lebanese capital by reimagining its colors and memories over the course of 3 days, at the Saint Nicolas stairs in Gemmayze. It allowed children to enhance awareness to their cultural heritage and develop their emotional attachment to the territory of Beirut, by exposing them to miniature Beirut buildings developed by BAU students, and through the construction of cognitive maps and the use of spatial maps designed in a game environment.

The exhibition is an outcome of the initiative led by the BAU faculty of Architecture-Design & Built Environment to develop children's emotional attachment to the city of Beirut following the blasts, and is supported by UNODC, UNESCO and UNFPA, as part of UNODC’s Education4Justice programme and UNESCO's Li Beirut initiative.

Partners, NGOs, students, teachers and parents gathered in Gemmayze to discover the colorful displays which restore Beirut to its former beauty. A Ribbon Cutting celebration was also held in presence of the BAU president Dr. Amr Galal El-Adawi and representatives from UNODC and UNESCO.

During the exhibition, more than 70 children from the affected area explored the models and interacted with a creative game board with 3D physical models for specific neighborhoods and historic damaged buildings in Beirut, that was designed to stimulate the spatial thinking of children as a coping strategy after the traumatic event. Children also colored an illustration that depicts the Beirut blasts, solidarity and resilience to convey positive and empowering messages.

As part of the project, 45 children had also been invited to a workshop at the BAU lab and Karantina garden in Beirut, in collaboration with NGO “Himaya Daeem Aataa”, and were engaged in different activities. Each child created his/her own neighborhood using the materials of the game board including folded papers and landscape elements. The children also explored the large-scale model of selected heritage buildings in Beirut.

Earlier in April, 225 teachers of art and sciences had attended an online webinar and were trained on how to use the designed maps and models with students to improve the pedagogical practice, by integrating spatial thinking in their classes.

Relevance to Indicator 11 2 1

The 2021 exhibition does not replace the Museum as the core qualifying facility. Instead, it demonstrates that BAU's concept of public access extends beyond opening a building: the University also takes cultural heritage into a public urban setting, interprets historic architecture and creates inclusive activities for children and families.

Recent Evidence in 2023 and 2025

Public Lecture on the Rashid Karami International Fair

On 13 November 2023, BAU's Tripoli Branch hosted a public lecture titled Rashid Karami International Fair Modern World Heritage in Danger What's Next. The speaker was the President of the Niemeyer Foundation for Heritage in Tripoli and a professor of architecture at the Lebanese University. The lecture addressed the history and cultural value of the Fair, its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in January 2023 and the need for preservation and sustainable development.

Original evidence BAU report on the 13 November 2023 public lecture

Rashid Karami International Fair Modern World Heritage in Danger What s Next Public Lecture at Beirut Arab University

The Faculty of Architecture - Design and the Built Environment at Beirut Arab University, Tripoli Branch, held a lecture on the Rashid Karami International Fair - Modern World Heritage in Danger - What Next!, by the President of the Niemeyer Foundation for Heritage in Tripoli and Professor of Architecture at the Lebanese University, Dr. Wassim Naghi, and organized by Dr. Khaled El-Daghar, Associate Professor of Architecture at the Faculty, within the “Cooperation Project in the Field of Urban Management and Regional Development”, in partnership with the United Cities Association of Lebanon / Technical Office of Lebanese Municipalities, the Municipality of Tripoli, the Municipality of Zgharta/Ehden, and in cooperation with the Union of Municipalities of Dunkirk and the Agency for Urban Planning and Development for the Flanders Region - Dunkirk (AGUR) - France, the French National Union of Urban Planning Agencies (FNAU), and the Port of Dunkirk with support of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

At the beginning, the Associate Professor at the Faculty, Dr. Khaled Al-Daghar, welcomed the audience, emphasizing the joint cooperation between universities, municipalities, governmental and non-governmental institutions and civil society organizations to support and build a common strategic vision for development plans and manage the development of new local development projects.

The Director of Tripoli Branch, Dr. Hani Shaarani, also noted that the University works with all local and international partners to achieve social, economic, cultural and urban development. The Rachid Karami International Fair complex is a national and global wealth that shall be preserved and continuously developed because it is a unique investment opportunity. It can also play an active role in the development of the region if is exploited effectively.”

The Mayor of Tripoli, Engineer Ahmed Kamareddine, spoke about the framework of the Rachid Karami International Fair Competition, which is part of the Tripoli Municipality's cooperation project with the Municipality of Zgharta/Ehden and French partners through the establishment of the Urban Planning and Regional development Agency for Abou Ali River Basin(AUDETA).

Mr. Ghassan Tayoun, a member and representative of the Zgharta/ Ehden Municipality Council, then reviewed the Agency's plan and objectives, which began in 2017 with the assistance of French planning agencies, taking into account all the development capabilities of the areas on the Abou Ali River Basin, which has an umbrella symbol and expands along 480 square kilometers.

Dr. Wasim Nagy started his lecture with a historical overview and brief definitions about the idea of Lebanon's permanent international exhibition in Tripoli, which began at the end of the 1950s. He, then, followed it by a comprehensive explanation of all stages and the impact of the civil war on the fair in general and the subsequent disruption of Lebanon's decision makers during the attempt to reinvigorate what has become known since the mid-1990s as the Rashid Karami International Fair in Tripoli.

Dr. Nagy continued that the death of architect Oscar Niemeyer in 2012 was the starting point for ongoing outreach and awareness activities and campaigns with a group of heritage professionals and activists to demonstrate the cultural value of the fair and its economic role, culminating in its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in January 2023.

At the end, a discussion was moderated with attendees about their vision for the Rashid Karami International Fair as a promising facility for Tripoli in specific and for Lebanon and the region in general.

The event brought together universities, municipalities, governmental and non-governmental institutions and civil society. It concluded with a moderated discussion in which attendees considered the Fair's future. This is relevant supporting evidence because BAU opened a campus-based cultural learning activity to a wider public and used the facility to connect heritage with urban policy and community participation.

Urban Co Production and Old Saida Heritage

On 10 September 2025, the Hariri Foundation and BAU's Faculty of Architecture Design and Built Environment held an Urban Co-Production session within a strategic urban planning programme. The official report records a longstanding partnership that includes studies and heritage restoration projects in Old Saida. Municipal leaders, civil society, academics and students participated, and the session ended with an open discussion.

Original evidence BAU report on the 2025 Urban Co-Production session

Urban Co Production A Joint Session between the Hariri Foundation and Beirut Arab University

The Hariri Foundation – National State Academy, in partnership with Beirut Arab University’s Faculty of Architecture – Design and Built Environment, organized a joint session under the title “Urban Co-Production” at the Academy’s headquarters in Saida. The event was held within the framework of the program “Strategic Urban Planning and Local Policies.”

The session explored avenues of collaboration between academic, research, private, and civil society institutions with local authorities and the public sector in the field of Urban Co-Production, aiming to develop participatory and innovative development solutions that respond to ongoing urban transformations.

Participants included Mrs. Bahia Hariri, President of the Hariri Foundation, and Professor Hassan Abdel Salam, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture – Design and Built Environment at BAU, along with Saida’s Mayor, Engineer Mostafa Hijazi, members of the municipal council, local stakeholders, Dr. Rouba Abou Zainab, Executive Director of the Hariri Foundation, and the Foundation’s team. From BAU, attendees included Professor Sobhi Abou Shahine, Dean of Academic Affairs and International Relations, Professor Hania Al Nakkash, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Projects, Mrs. Zina Ariss, Director of Public Relations and Communications, as well as faculty members and students from the Faculty of Architecture.

Speaking on behalf of the National State Academy, Engineer Mohammad Hariri, Director of Research and Development at the Hariri Foundation, emphasized that the program reflects the Academy’s mission to strengthen active citizenship by developing participatory mechanisms that place academic and civic work at the core of urban governance.

In her remarks, Mrs. Bahia Hariri highlighted the Foundation’s longstanding commitment since its establishment to empowering Lebanese citizens in achieving sustainable human development and fostering national identity through partnerships among civil society, academia, and modern state institutions. She traced the Foundation’s decades-long collaboration with BAU, including scholarships, dialogue platforms, and applied research exchange, in addition to joint initiatives with the Faculty of Architecture on studies and heritage restoration projects in Old Saida. Hariri affirmed that this session marks the beginning of a renewed path of cooperation serving the city’s present and future.

Professor Hassan Abdel Salam, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture – Design and Built Environment at BAU, described the partnership with the Hariri Foundation as one that has yielded tangible outcomes reflecting collaboration, innovation, knowledge-sharing, and a shared commitment to shaping forward-looking policies for cities and urban communities.

The session also featured presentations by Dr. Hiba Mohsen, Assistant Dean of the Faculty, who showcased the capabilities and initiatives of the Faculty’s Urban Lab, and Engineer Jihad Al-Akkoum, Coordinator of the Strategic Urban Planning and Local Policies program at the National State Academy, who outlined the program’s goals, training components, and the Urban Sustainability Workshop held with the participation of 15 students.

Concluding the event, BAU students presented proposed design projects for several neighborhoods and streets in Saida, focusing on three themes: inclusive and smart cities, nature-positive cities, and active and vibrant cities. The presentations were followed by an open discussion with attendees and contributions from participants.

Recent Evidence Timeline

Free Access Classification

The correct THE selection is Free access. BAU's official Museum page uses two unambiguous statements: the Museum is open to the public and it is free of charge. No admission fee is stated, and the University publishes direct contact information for visitors. This evidence is stronger than relying on attendance photographs, general community language or an event page that does not mention cost.

Original evidence Current BAU Museum access statement

Evidence Matrix

Indicator Mapping

Submission Conclusion

Beirut Arab University provides free public access to a building of cultural significance through the Beirut Arab University Museum at its Beirut Campus. BAU's current Museum page explicitly states that the facility is open to the public and free of charge. It publishes a physical address, telephone extension and dedicated email for visitors. The Museum preserves and presents approximately 200 rare books and manuscripts associated with major civilizations and dating from the eighth through nineteenth centuries, including unique materials not available elsewhere.

The Museum was inaugurated on 1 November 2022 by Lebanon's Minister of Culture, and BAU's official account records its inclusion among national museums. The University also reports weekday visitor access, staff assistance, digitized consultation and specialist preservation measures. These features demonstrate that public access is current, recurring, institutionally managed and compatible with the conservation of fragile heritage.

Recent implementation strengthens the core evidence. In 2021, BAU invited the public to a three-day exhibition at the Saint Nicolas Stairs in Gemmayzeh, where children and families engaged with models of Beirut's heritage buildings; UNESCO externally corroborated the initiative. In 2023, BAU's Tripoli Branch hosted a public lecture and discussion on the UNESCO-listed Rashid Karami International Fair. In 2025, BAU and the Hariri Foundation documented continued urban and heritage collaboration connected to Old Saida.

Recommended Submission Narrative

Beirut Arab University provides free public access to culturally significant heritage through the Beirut Arab University Museum at the Beirut Campus. BAU's current Museum page explicitly states Open for public and Free of charge and provides a public address, telephone extension and dedicated museum email. The Museum contains approximately 200 rare books and manuscripts dating from the eighth to nineteenth centuries and representing Egyptian-Pharaonic, Assyrian, Phoenician, Byzantine, Persian, Roman, Babylonian, Aramaic, Arab-Islamic and Ottoman heritage. It was inaugurated on 1 November 2022 by Lebanon's Minister of Culture, and BAU's official report records its inclusion among national museums. BAU further reports that the Museum is open on weekdays for students and visitors, with staff support and electronic access to digitized books and images. The University extends this commitment through public heritage activities, including the 2021 Beirut Miniature Model Art Exhibition at the Saint Nicolas Stairs in partnership with UNESCO, UNFPA and UNODC, and the 2023 public lecture at BAU Tripoli on the UNESCO-listed Rashid Karami International Fair. Together, these sources support a Yes response under Free access.

Final Response

Recommended selection Yes Free access

Original Evidence Register

The following original University, United Nations and institutional pages support the report and are provided for direct reviewer verification.