Dear FHS family,
A very warm welcome to this new academic year. I cannot here but express my sincere appreciation for the tremendous agility with which you have all adapted last year, a year that has been challenging on all levels, to say the least. We have shifted in no time to technology-enhanced teaching and e-learning while we were all struggling with COVID19 and trying to find our way through the pandemic, the lockdown, and home schooling (for some of us). And of course, 2020 did not stop there challenging us Lebanese in an unprecedented manner with financial collapse, the social and political turmoil and then the disaster that hit our beloved Beirut and shook our lives. Yet, we continued with determination, hard work and ingenuity providing quality teaching, engaging in research and attracting grants. We also remained engaged as activists in our struggle for justice, for equity, for better life, and more recently in relief efforts reaching out to the community hit by the Aug 4 blast. Our commitment to public health teaching, research and outreach continues.
I am assuming this new role as Interim Dean in very troubled times. A tough ride ahead of us, but I remain hopeful and optimistic. Being Lebanese means that we can and must oscillate repeatedly between crises and rebuilding and between despair and hope.
It remains our collective responsibility to serve our community and to make sure that FHS fulfills its mission. Together we are stronger, together we made it last year and together we will always make it.
My very good wishes for a safe, good and productive year ahead.
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Dean Abla Sibai
September 2020