The Faculty of Fine Arts & Architecture, through its Dean Prof. Mohammad Al-Hajj and a large number of professors, participated in the drafting of the "Beirut Urban Declaration" for the reconstruction of the areas affected by the Beirut Port blast. The initiative was launched by Architect Jad Tabet, Head of the Order of Engineers & Architects, Beirut, on 9 October 2020, at the invitation of the Committee of Faculties of Architecture in the Order and the Urban Planners Association (UPA) and in partnership with “Chaderji Foundation for Architecture and Society”.

The discussion was opened in the presence of Dean Al-Hajj and moderated by Architect Firas Mourtada, President of the Urban Planners Association (UPA), with the participation of colleagues from Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates via Zoom.

Mourtada announced that the Lebanese University initiated the launch of the “Urban Observatory” after its participation in developing its program, and that the work will kick-off with a team of sixty students from the Faculty of Fine Arts & Architecture, to be joined by teams from other universities according to a program run by a group of volunteers from scientific associations and university professors.

The Declaration includes an overview of ways to reconfigure the area affected by the blast. It also reviews a set of ideas related to the work structure for reconstruction, heritage rehabilitation, protection of the social fabric, and reformulating the port's relationship with its urban surroundings.

It is noteworthy that the participants in preparing the Declaration are:

·         Order of Engineers & Architects, Beirut

·         Association of Architects, Beirut

·         Urban Planners Association (UPA)

·         Chaderji Foundation for Architecture and Society

·         Committee of Faculties of Architecture in the Order of Engineers & Architects, Beirut

·         Lebanese University - Faculty of Fine Arts & Architecture

·         American University of Beirut (AUB)

·         Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA) - University of Balamand

·         Beirut Arab University (BAU)

·         Lebanese American University (LAU)

·         Notre Dame University (NDU)

·         Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK)