The National Initiative for Protecting Lebanon’s built Heritage and the Memory of the Place
Launch date: Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 11:00 AM
Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut
The Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut is launching its national initiative entitled:
“Protecting Lebanon’s Urban and Heritage Memory”
In fulfillment of its national and professional role, and in response to the threats and Israeli attacks affecting Lebanese cities and villages, particularly the historic cities and urban centers of South Lebanon, the Order of Engineers and Architects of Beirut, in partnership with Lebanese universities, is launching a comprehensive national initiative entitled “Protecting Lebanon’s Urban and Heritage Memory.”
The initiative aims to move beyond observation and condemnation toward effective, organized professional action through the Urban Affairs Observatory at the Order of Engineers and Architects. It seeks to establish a national framework bringing together engineering, academic, legal, and cultural expertise in order to:
1. Develop a national vision for the reconstruction of affected areas, based on protecting the urban, social, and cultural identity of Lebanese regions, while supporting their urban, economic, and social regeneration.
2. Build national and international partnerships with universities, municipalities, engineering and architectural bodies, UNESCO, and relevant international organizations to protect Lebanon’s cultural heritage.
3. Establish a national digital database containing maps, photographs, and technical and engineering reports on threatened or damaged sites, thereby preserving Lebanon’s urban memory for future generations.
4. Document damage and violations affecting Lebanese cities, villages, heritage sites, urban areas, and archaeological sites in accordance with recognized international standards.
5. Form specialized working groups composed of engineers, experts, and universities to prepare the technical studies and reports required for the protection and rehabilitation of heritage, in partnership with municipalities.
6. Prepare international legal and technical files documenting damage and violations affecting heritage, cultural, and urban sites, with the aim of making them available to the relevant Lebanese and international authorities.
David Aouad was selected to participate in this national initiative as a representative of the Lebanese American University (LAU), serving on the Methodologies and Urban Analysis Committee.
In this capacity, he will contribute to the development of analytical frameworks and methodological approaches supporting the documentation, assessment, and urban analysis of affected areas, within the broader objectives of protecting Lebanon’s urban and heritage memory.
