Civic Awareness & Eco-sustainable Development
On June 8, 2026, Fondation Diane hosted the 15th edition of its Citizen Café series at Fondation Charles Corm, bringing together experts, practitioners, and engaged citizens to tackle one of Lebanon’s most pressing post-war challenges: what do we do with the rubble?
Moderated by Dr. Maya Nehme, Executive Director of the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative, the evening sparked a rich, multidisciplinary conversation at the intersection of policy, science, and environmental responsibility. Three leading voices took the floor:
- Antoine Kallab — Advisor to the Minister of Industry, Policy Consultant, and University Instructor — framed the issue through a legislative and economic lens, exploring the regulatory frameworks needed to turn destruction into opportunity.
- Charbel Afif — Technical Director of the Center for Analysis and Research at Saint Joseph University of Beirut — brought scientific depth to the conversation, examining the technical feasibility of recycling war-generated construction waste at scale.
- Marwan Georges Rizkallah — Lebanese civil and environmental engineering executive with over two decades of experience in waste management, environmental policy, and corporate sustainability — grounded the discussion in field reality, sharing insights on what systemic change in rubble management actually looks like on the ground.
Together, the speakers painted a picture not of despair, but of possibility — a Lebanon that can rebuild smarter, greener, and more deliberately than before.