Former Minister of Education Bahia Hariri was appointed UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in November 2000, in light of her support for UNESCO's programmes for women and girls in the Arab States.
Ms Hariri participated in many cultural and educational activities for the development of the living conditions of Arab women and the promotion of their roles in community life in Arab countries. In 2012, she signed a cooperation agreement with UNESCO for the joint organization of events and activities related to culture in the Arab world.
Deeply concerned about the preservation of historical heritage, she has campaigned for the inscription of the temple of Echmoun in the ancient city of Saïda as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Through the Hariri Foundation, which aims to promote sustainable human development in Lebanon, she also funded the restoration of the Great Mosque and Khan el-Franj (Caravanserai of the French), which are part of the Historic Center of Saïda.
Find out more