Haigazian University, represented by President Paul Haidostian and Drs. Rola Balaa and Rita Merhej from the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, took part at the celebratory event marking the International Day of People with Disabilities and the National Day for Inclusion, which took place at the Mövenpick Hotel, Beirut, on December 4, 2025. This national ceremony was organized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), represented by H.E. Minister Rima Karameh and under the patronage of H.E. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
The event convened a broad spectrum of stakeholders committed to advancing inclusive education in Lebanon, including governmental representatives, delegates from the European Union and UNICEF – the principal supporters of the program -, university and school leaders, multidisciplinary professionals, and learners with special needs who shared testimonies of their positive experiences in inclusive school environments.
Haigazian University underscores a longstanding engagement in MEHE’s Inclusive Education Program, which has begun in 2018 and has since encompassed a series of consultancy missions. These missions include three comprehensive research projects aimed at assessing the needs of inclusive public schools and documenting both exemplary practices and persistent challenges within Lebanon’s inclusive education landscape.
During the ceremony, Dr. Hilda Khoury, Director of the Counseling and Guidance Department at MEHE, delivered an address highlighting the Ministry’s strategic vision for inclusive education. She presented the 2030 Plan of Action, designed in alignment with the National Policy for Inclusive Education, outlining a coordinated framework for strengthening accessibility, equity, and quality across the public education sector. Dr. Khoury offered special acknowledgment of Haigazian University’s “professional and research-driven contribution” to the program, emphasizing the rigor and significance of its collaborative studies conducted in partnership with UNICEF.
MEHE’s event reaffirmed Lebanon’s national commitment to fostering inclusive learning environments that uphold the rights, dignity, and full participation of learners with disabilities. By bringing together national and international partners, the ceremony served as a platform for sharing evidence-based insights, celebrating progress, and reinforcing the collective responsibility to ensure that every learner is meaningfully included in the country’s educational system.