The University of Sciences and Arts in Lebanon (USAL) organized a national educational forum dedicated to presenting and discussing the latest developments in the design of the developed history curriculum, in light of the approaching implementation of the curriculum in Lebanon during the upcoming academic year. The forum was held in recognition of the pivotal role of history education in building active citizenship, reinforcing national identity, and fostering critical thinking among learners.
The forum provided an open platform for dialogue that brought together experts involved in the development of the history curriculum at the Center for Educational Research and Development, alongside practitioners, educators, and decision-makers in the Lebanese educational community. Discussions focused on the key transformations introduced to the field of history within the new curriculum and on the challenges associated with teaching history in the context of Lebanon’s plural memory and the sensitivities of the past.
The event opened with a keynote address by the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Dr. Walid Hammoud, who stated: “This forum comes at a pivotal moment as Lebanon prepares to implement the developed curriculum. We intended it to be a national and inclusive space that brings together experts, practitioners, and decision-makers to reflect collectively on the future of history education—not merely as a school subject, but as a field directly connected to managing collective memory and building critical historical thinking, thereby strengthening citizenship and national identity.”
He added that the forum is part of a series of national meetings and workshops organized by the Faculty of Education at the university, aimed at accompanying the transformations proposed by the new curriculum in terms of the place of history within the educational ladder, the organization of its content, and its pedagogical approach, which seeks to move from the mere narration of events toward the development of historical thinking.
The forum extended over two sessions chaired by Ms. Leila Zahwi, President of the Lebanese Association for History, and featured the participation of a group of experts and members of the History Curriculum Development Committee at the Center for Educational Research and Development. The sessions addressed issues related to reforming the history curriculum, teaching history in contexts of conflict and Lebanese sensitivities, as well as the pedagogical challenges associated with implementing the developed curriculum.
This forum reflects the University of Sciences and Arts in Lebanon commitment to actively contributing to the national educational dialogue and to promoting constructive discussion on educational reform, in a manner that contributes to building a unified national identity and reinforces the role of schools in shaping citizens capable of critical and informed thinking.
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