MARIANA RAMADAN

Mariana Ramadan was born and raised in Beirut Lebanon. She holds a B.A in Political and Administrative Sciences from Saint Joseph University and a Master’s degree in Migration management from Pompeu Fabra Universitat. She is currently working as a Senior Program Officer for professional development component in QITABI a USAID funded project that aims to increase enrollment and retention in the formal education system by improving the school environment in 300 public schools located across various regions in Lebanon, affecting 60,000 students.

“A better world is when peace and sustainability flourish”

Q: TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY, AND ALSO YOUR LIFE'S STORY!

I was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon in the Middle East. Whenever I think of Lebanon, I think of a beautiful chaos. Small in size (10.452 km²), Lebanon is one of those countries rich with an interesting history, culture and landscapes. Famous for being home for more than 16 different religious sects and political affiliations, it suffered from a devastating civil war (1975-1990) that led its nationals to preserve resilience, strength and determination to move forward and rebuild it all over again. It is also famous for its outstanding fresh cuisine and Mezza, its wild and prominent nightlife and the many excellent international hotels and restaurants with the finest services. Like any other country, it combines poverty and wealth, extreme traffic and pollution due to poorly designed recycling systems, high prices and taxes, and political and economic instability due to its geopolitical position in the Middle East.

As a Lebanese woman, I inherited the art of generosity and adaptability from my ancestors, and always worked on improving my knowledge in Human rights and women empowerment. I come from a middle-class family that always invested in Education, cultural exposure and languages as a source of prosperity and success. I hold a B.A in Administrative and Political Sciences from University Saint Joseph (USJ) and in 2012, I earned my Master’s degree in Migration Studies “Immigration Management” from Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona (UPF) and returned to Lebanon to contribute to the field of development and education. Since then, I worked as a Program Officer and Senior Program Officer on education development and research projects in the Lebanese public sector.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD AS IT IS TODAY? AND HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE CONCEPT OF A BETTER WORLD?

I personally think that the world today is suffering from a global disease in terms of terrorism, political instability and greed of men in power. Media and Social Media are still playing a major role in amplifying a virtual reality, impacting people negatively (even more than positively). Anyone has access to information, whether it was fake or real, anyone can become a journalist, influencer, political adviser, even an idol without having the right skills and manners, affecting other peoples’ lives. We are witnessing increased hatred speeches, fanatic actions, phobias against minorities…etc. There are those who fight for more wealth and power while others who thrive for peace and harmony, for a world full of equal opportunities and fairness.

A better world is when peace and sustainability flourish among all these hurdles, when young people start taking chances in equity and can apply to jobs anywhere in the world not being limited to their passports or visa and work permit hurdles, when youth start playing major roles in governmental issues instead of letting the same faces control nations since ages, when vulnerable groups get access to better education and cultural exposure to increase their success chances in life instead of monopolizing exclusively the best schools and universities for elite groups, when men in power stop using poverty as a way to enslave other men.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY CHALLENGES IN YOUR SOCIETY?

The list of key challenges in my society is long and diverse, yet I will mention a few main challenges affecting youth.

- Unemployment and lack of governmental initiatives to find jobs for graduates or to help youth get the right life and work skills to find a job. There is no complete platform or data showing new universities majors, local and global market jobs needs, no free guidance about training sessions for professional development… etc., any person in Lebanon needs to look for all these details by himself.

- Lack of equal opportunities in the job market and the limited job market access the Lebanese passport holder has.

- The Syrian crisis since 2011 with its major impact on the Lebanese educational, economic, social and demographic status.

- Men in power and politicians have long failed to build Lebanon again, yet they are still in their places and have control over its territory.

Q: AS A YOUNG INDIVIDUAL WHAT ARE A FEW OF THE HURDLES THAT YOU HAD TO OVERCOME UP UNTIL TODAY?

I had to look and work for everything alone and with the help of my parents. No one was trained to ask me what I wanted to do when I grow older but my parents; no one informed me “how” will I do it and “why” would I want to do it? No one came and taught me how to be curious and self-motivated but myself and again my parents. Unfortunately, back in the day, Lebanon (getting out of a severe civil war) was not equipped to answer all 90’s kids’ needs and concerns. Sadly, we were taught to dream big but not big enough to build something sustainable in Lebanon.

Yes, this built resilience in some of us who decided to risk their lives to stay and have a professional career here in Lebanon yet it also pushed thousands and thousands of amazing minds to leave and find opportunities elsewhere. You have to overcome your fear of political instability in Lebanon, you have to face the risks on a daily basis that your company might one day shut down without prior notice, you have to work hard and excel in what you do to compete with a lot of professional peers, you have to be open minded that sometimes you’d be the best candidate for a job opportunity yet someone else gets it only because they pulled strong strings on personal levels…etc.

Q: WHY IS THE ROLE OF A MENTOR IMPORTANT FOR YOU?

The role of my mentor is crucial because I can learn from their experiences, past failures and mistakes and compare our ways of reaction and manners in some situations. I can learn the "why, how and when" to achieve professional goals and plans I was seeking.

Q: DO YOU HAVE A LESSON THAT LIFE HAS TAUGHT YOU AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?

I always say "you only live once so you better live it right" and a lot of people do not understand the real meaning behind it. After a personal incident a few years ago, I have decided to follow the Japanese Kaizen process (creating continuous improvement based on the idea that small, ongoing positive changes can reap major improvements) and seek knowledge every day like any lifelong learner.

I believe in its 5 elements and I live by it (innovation and willingness to change, teamwork and communication, personal discipline and effort, improved morale and motivation while keeping a quality circle and life).

Q: NAME A PROJECT, A FOUNDATION OR A PERSON IN YOUR COUNTRY THAT YOU THINK IS DOING GREAT WORK IN HELPING IMPROVE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES!

I do admire Sarah Baydoun, also famous for " Sarah's Bag". She launched Sarah’s Bag in 2000, bringing together her love of fashion and design with the mission to empower underprivileged women, women at risk, women prisoners and ex-prisoners and gave them the opportunity to earn a living. Sarah’s exuberant persona shines through luxuriously handcrafted creations all made by 150 artisans. In 2016, the Oslo-based Business for Peace Foundation awarded Sarah its annual prize in recognition of her work as a global business leader who is positively changing the face of business.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WOMEN IN YOUR COUNTRY FACE AND WHAT EFFORTS ARE MADE TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY?

Lebanese women do not have the right to give their nationality to their children if they marry a foreigner, and this is somehow a huge glitch in our system.

Q: ATHENA40 IS THE FIRST EVER GLOBAL SELECTION OF THE TOP 40 WOMEN FORWARD THINKERS, COMMENTATORS, ACTIVISTS, AUTHORS, ACADEMICS, ENTREPRENEURS, EXECUTIVES, INNOVATORS. CAN YOU THINK OF A TRULY INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD-THINKING WOMAN FROM YOUR COUNTRY THAT YOU WISH TO NOMINATE FOR THE ATHENA40 GLOBAL LIST?

There are many thriving Lebanese women who live to empower other women... If I want to think of a forward thinking woman from my country, I would think of a woman called Dr. Wafa Kotob (Country Representative of World Learning Inc. in Lebanon).

Q: SHARE WITH US A PHRASE, A POEM OR A STORY THAT YOU LOVE OR YOU FIND INTERESTING!

"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand". - Confucius

Q: TELL US ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR MENTOR.

Be very open-minded, very witty, do not react instantly but take your time in deciding on your next move. Be very patient with your plans and be very positive that there are always better days and better opportunities.