Under the high patronage and in the presence of Her Excellency the Minister of Environment, Dr. Tamara El Zein, and in partnership with the Institut français and the National Council for Scientific Research – Lebanon (CNRS-L), the Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) organized a roundtable on Monday, September 15, 2025, titled “Oceans and Seas Filled with Plastic.” The event, held at the André Masse, SJ Auditorium of the South Lebanon Campus – Rev. Fr. André Masse, SJ (CLS), drew a diverse audience of political, diplomatic, religious, academic, and civil society figures to discuss one of today’s most pressing issues: the growing threat of plastic pollution to seas and oceans.

Among the attendees were H.E. Hervé Magro, Ambassador of France to Lebanon; Monsignor Elie Haddad, Bishop of Saida and Deir El Qamar; MPs Mr. Ali Osseiran and Ms. Bahia Hariri; Prof. Salim Daccache, SJ, Rector of USJ; Dr. Chadi Abdallah, Secretary General of CNRS-L; Ms. Sabine Sciortino, Director of the Institut français du Liban; Ms. Laurence Cossart, Scientific and Academic Cooperation Attaché; Prof. Richard Maroun, Vice-Rector for Research at USJ; and Prof. Dina Sidani, Director of the South Lebanon Campus – Rev Fr. André Masse, SJ. Representatives of NGOs, universities, municipalities, and students added a strong scientific, civic, and educational dimension to the gathering.

In her opening speech, Prof. Dina Sidani expressed her pride and emotion at welcoming such an important initiative. She emphasized how the roundtable’s theme echoed a global ecological crisis in which oceans and seas, “true climate regulators and reservoirs of biodiversity,” are threatened by human activity. She pointed to the multiple dangers facing marine environments – plastic waste, overfishing, and acidification – and stressed the urgency of collective awareness.

She reminded the audience that this initiative, supported by the French Embassy, the Institut français, CNRS, Fondation Diane, the Faculty of Science, and USJ’s Vice-Rectorate for Research, aimed to create a space for interdisciplinary dialogue. “In a world where environmental issues transcend borders and disciplines, only a collaborative approach can pave the way to solutions,” she said. She added that the objective was to provide a platform to a wide range of stakeholders, including scientists, municipalities, NGOs, businesses, associations, and citizens.

Prof. Sidani also highlighted the event’s ambition: to promote good environmental practices across key sectors such as energy, agriculture, transport, and education. According to her, every institution – schools, universities, or municipalities – has the capacity to take action at its own level, in the short or medium term, to preserve the environment and promote a sustainable development model.

The Vice-Rector for Research, Prof. Richard Maroun, then emphasized the Mediterranean’s vital importance, calling it “the nurturing sea of our civilizations.” He reminded the audience that this sea, now gravely threatened by plastic waste, was seeing its ecosystems and populations weakened. “Plastic pollution affects the health of our populations, the economy of our regions, and the future of our youth,” he warned, stressing that only a combined effort from researchers, decision-makers, local authorities, and citizens could address this challenge.

He further noted that scientific research must extend beyond laboratories to inform public debate and inspire sustainable policy. For Prof. Maroun, USJ’s mission is to build bridges between science and action by placing knowledge and education at the service of society. This approach is exemplified by the traveling exhibition on marine plastic pollution, inaugurated in Beirut before moving to CLS and then to USJ’s campuses in Zahle and Tripoli.

In closing, he underscored the collective responsibility in this environmental crisis: “The plastics polluting our seas are the result of our choices. Because they are our choices, we can also limit and replace them.” Saving the Mediterranean, he said, depends on research, collective action, and everyone’s commitment.

CNRS-L Secretary General, Dr. Chadi Abdallah, took a global view, reminding attendees that oceans cover over 70 percent of the planet, regulate the climate, and provide vital resources – particularly for Lebanon, whose identity and economy are closely tied to the Mediterranean. However, he warned, this natural treasure faces an “unprecedented crisis” of plastic pollution.

He shared alarming figures: more than four million tons of plastic produced each year, much of it designed for single use, and about fifteen tons entering the ocean every minute. As these plastics break down into micro-debris, they contaminate marine life, soil, air, and human food. With its semi-enclosed geography, the Mediterranean is one of the most polluted seas in the world, and Lebanon directly suffers the consequences on its beaches, biodiversity, fishing, and tourism.

Dr. Abdallah called for broad mobilization at both international and national levels. He stressed the roles of governments in legislating, industries in innovating, municipalities in enforcement, scientists in providing evidence, and citizens in adopting new habits. “What is thrown into the water today will return tomorrow in our food, our air, and our health,” he warned, calling for efforts to protect the Mediterranean and transform it into “a sea of life, not a sea of plastic.”

USJ Rector, Prof. Salim Daccache, SJ, then delivered a speech imbued with gravity. He noted that the Mediterranean ranks among the world’s most polluted seas and that Lebanon’s densely populated coastline suffers especially. Fishermen, he lamented, “sometimes bring back more plastic than fish in their nets.” Beyond image and tourism, he stressed, this is a serious public health issue as microplastics infiltrate the food chain.

Prof. Daccache emphasized the economic dimension of the crisis, which destabilizes families who live from fishing and discourages tourism. He called for bold public policies to limit plastic use and strengthen waste sorting, but also for citizen mobilization. “The preservation of our coastline and our Mediterranean is a national duty and a condition for survival,” he said.

He also stressed the international nature of this struggle, pointing out that the Mediterranean connects Lebanon to France, Europe, the Arab world, Africa, and Asia. “Saving the Mediterranean is a call for scientific, economic, and cultural cooperation,” he declared, quoting an author to conclude: “The sea is the beginning and the end of life.”

In his turn, French Ambassador Hervé Magro paid tribute to the instructors and researchers who, despite difficult circumstances, continue their mission. He recalled the journey of the “Oceans and Seas Filled with Plastic” exhibition, first launched in Beirut in February, followed by an artistic and scientific competition in June, and now hosted at the South Lebanon Campus – Rev. Fr. André Masse, SJ. Designed by the French organization Expédition Med, the exhibition was enriched in Lebanon thanks to CNRS’ expertise and illustrator Ralph Doumit’s talent. He also stressed the importance of taking awareness efforts beyond the capital to give voice to scientists, associations, and especially youth.

Noting that the Mediterranean, an almost enclosed sea, is particularly exposed to the dangers of plastics, the ambassador regretted that “this issue is not a national priority, and that Lebanese people continue to live, in some areas, amid garbage dumps.” He emphasized that this responsibility falls equally on political and religious leaders and the media.

Finally, he placed France’s commitment in an international context, recalling that France hosted the third UN Ocean Conference in Nice, where 96 countries pledged to eliminate plastics by 2040 – though “there is still no international consensus.” He stressed the role of young generations, saying “the future belongs to them” and urging their mobilization to help transform society.

As for the Minister of Environment, Dr. Tamara El Zein concluded the series of speeches with a scientific and political analysis of the challenges ahead. She identified three “battles” to restore ocean health: turning international commitments into concrete action, urgently acting before crises erupt, and promoting an interdisciplinary approach to research. She expressed regret over the recent failure of international negotiations in Geneva, marked by “the selfishness of some countries and economic short-termism.”

She also warned of a potential “plasticization of research,” drawing a parallel with the “COVIDization” of funding during the pandemic, which diverted resources away from fundamental sciences. It is urgent, she argued, to restore the place of all disciplines and encourage cross-fertilization of knowledge. “In Lebanon, we continue to compartmentalize research into silos. Yet only interdisciplinarity can produce sustainable solutions,” she said.

Finally, Dr. El Zein emphasized the need for an ideological and cultural shift: rethinking our relationship with nature, revisiting our economic model, and moving beyond a vision of human domination over the environment. She announced that Lebanon would sign the Nice call for an ambitious plastics treaty and revealed plans for the forthcoming creation of a ministerial department dedicated to the sea. “Today’s exhibition and roundtable are a sign of this collective awakening,” she concluded.

The exchanges then continued in a panel moderated by journalist Suzanne Baaklini, featuring Mr. Youssef Tohmé, representing Mr. Moustapha Hijazi, President of the Union of Municipalities of Saida-Zahrani; Dr. Milad Fakhry (CNRS-L); Mr. Malek Ghandour (Amwaj el-Baher NGO); Ms. Nabigha Dakik (Tyre Nature Reserve and USJ alumna); and Ms. Nour Mansour, a third-year Life and Earth Sciences – Biochemistry student at CLS. The participants shared field experiences, proposed concrete actions, and underscored the importance of citizen engagement and educating younger generations.

The roundtable was followed by the inauguration of the “Oceans and Seas Filled with Plastic” exhibition, which will run until October 24 at the South Lebanon Campus – Rev Fr. André Masse, SJ.

Participants then gathered for a convivial reception, where lively discussions took place on implementing good environmental practices at both municipal and citizen levels in the short and medium term.

Read also: 
Table ronde « Océans et mers plastifiés » au Campus Liban Sud - R.P. André Masse s.j. de l’USJ
طاولة مستديرة بعنوان «المحيطات والبحار الملوّثة باللدائن» في حرم لبنان الجنوبي- الأب أندريه ماس اليسوعيّ

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