Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development

The Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development is a Lebanese Non- Governmental Organization that was established in 1979 by HE Premier Rafik Hariri. In its early days of inception, the foundation focused primarily on the educational sector, reaching out and providing financial support for nearly 34,000 students; thus, rendering investing in people synonymous with investing in Lebanon’s future. Whilst such a focus constituted a direct response to the needs of the war-afflicted population, the foundation has since expanded its scope of coverage, shifting towards a more diversified portfolio of interventions aimed at attaining a sustainable state of human development. To-date, the foundation has  implemented over 450 projects that are in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in partnership with more than 110 local, regional and international partners. The foundation currently works across eight fields of intervention, including Education & Information Technology, Civic Engagement & Good Governance, Cultural Heritage & Tourism, Women Empowerment, Agriculture, Environment, Crisis Management & Relief Services and Urban Development. Working within a Public-Private-Civil Society partnership framework, the foundation believes in the correlation between adopting a participatory approach to development and the sustainability of initiatives undertaken, as such a methodology is best suited for aggregating, reconciling and creating synergies amongst various interventions that tackle the challenges imposed by the rising trend of urbanization.