Judge Abbas Salim Halabi is from Ras el Matn (Baabda District), born in Beirut in 1948. He is married to Randa Tawfiq Assaf, and they have three children. He was appointed Minister of Education and Higher Education in Prime Minister Najib Mikati's government in 2022.

 

He holds a law degree in Lebanese law and a law degree in French law from “Saint Joseph University” in Beirut, a diploma from the European University Institute in Nancy, France, a degree in Comparative Law (IIIème Cycle) from the International Faculty of Comparative Law, and a postgraduate diploma in Private Law from the University of Paris Nanterre.

 

Professional Experience

 

He holds several positions, including:

 

Legal Advisor at Bank of Beirut and the Arab Countries (BBAC)

Member of the National Islamic-Christian Dialogue Committee, representing the Druze community

Chair of the Culture Commission at the 40th session of the UNESCO General Conference

Vice President of the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO

Coordinator of the Culture and Education Committee at the National Commission for UNESCO

President of the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law and Political and Administrative Sciences at Saint Joseph University

Head of the Arab Team for Islamic-Christian Dialogue

Founding member of the Health Foundation of the Druze community, Chairman of its Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Executive Body

Founding member of the Administrative Body of the Culture, Development, and Dialogue Forum

Member of the Board of Trustees of the Adyan Foundation

Member of the Lebanese Dialogue Initiative

Member of the Islamic-Christian Research Group

Member of the Permanent General Secretariat of the Islamic Spiritual Summit

Member of the President Elias Hrawi Award Committee

Member of the President Fouad Chehab Foundation

Member of the President Bechara El Khoury Foundation

Member of the National Committee for Following Up on the Case of the Disappeared Imam Sayyed Musa al-Sadr

Member of the committee following up on the resolutions of the Al-Azhar conference

 

Historical positions held:

Former Judge

President of the Social Action League – League of Druze University Graduates from 1969 to 1977

President of Safa Sporting Club from 1977 to 1982

Founding member of the Druze Council for Research and Development and its Executive Secretary General

Founding member of the Walid Jumblatt Foundation for University Studies and its Secretary for several years

Founding member of the Beit el-Dine Gathering and member of its Secretariat

Founding member of the Permanent Office of Druze Institutions in Beirut and General Coordinator for two years

Advisor delegated by the Beit el-Dine Gathering to MP Tawfiq Assaf at the National Dialogue Conference (Taif)

Member of the liquidation committee of the Al-Mashrek Bank

Representative of the Druze community at the Special Assembly for Lebanon (Vatican)

Head of the Anti-Money Laundering Committee at the Association of Banks in Lebanon

Member of the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Administration

Member of the Board of Directors of Intra Investment Company S.A.L.

Member of the Board of Directors of Casino du Liban S.A.L.

Head of the Endowments Committee of the Druze Community Council for 12 years

Member of the Lebanese-Russian Business Council

Member of the Cadmus Award Committee for works published in French, affiliated with the French Embassy

Member of the Lebanese Economic Forum

Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at the Lebanese University

Professor at Saint Joseph University

Member of the Board of Trustees of Al-Hikmat University

Participated in the IVP program organized by the US Embassy in Beirut and the US Department of State

Participated in the cultural workshop invited by the French Presidency

Participated in international conferences on dialogue

 

Books and Publications

 

He has published articles and studies on intellectual and national topics, including the book “Dialogue, Reconciliation, and Civil Peace” published by the Institute of Islamic-Christian Studies at Saint Joseph University in 2001, the book “Interfaith Dialogue: The Arab Situation and the Lebanese Model” published by the same institute in 2007, and a book on combating money laundering and the financing of “terrorism,” a banking legal study published by the Bank of Beirut and the Arab Countries in 2002.

 

Also, the book ” Les Druzes: Vivre avec l'avenir” by Dar An-Nahar in 2005, the book “The Druze: Culture, History, and Message” in 2008, the book “Interfaith Dialogue and State Building” in 2009, both published by Dar An-Nahar, the book “The Druze, a new Cultural and Historical Appreciation” published in English by Ithaka Press in London, the book “For Lebanon, the Message” published by Dar Nelson – Beirut in 2017, and studies in public affairs, politics, thought, economics, law, and banking published in dozens of joint publications.