Co-founder

Lara Hanna Debs

Green Cedar Lebanon is an NGO founded in December 2007, and it was conceived as a private initiative in response to the massive loss of forest cover following the war of July 2006, the forest fires of 2007 and general long-term neglect over the decades in Lebanon. https://greencedarlebanon.org

Bio

Lara Hanna Debs has long been dedicated to philanthropic work in Lebanon. After the devastating forest fires that swept through her country in 2007, Mrs. Debs co-founded the environmental NGO Green Cedar Lebanon with Pascale Choueiry Saad. Together, they launched the initiative to sell bracelets on MEA flight routes, raising enough funds to help purchase two fire-fighting helicopters. She also worked with Saad to create special army bracelets in response to the martyrdom of Lebanese soldiers in conflicts. Proceeds went to provide financial support to the bereaved families of the fallen heroes. In March 2015, Debs worked with fourteen Event Marketing and Planning students from the USJ-affiliated ‘Université Pour Tous’ to plan and host the “J’invite Maman au Music Hall” event, which raised USD 63,000 to assist single mothers with their children’s university fees. Mrs. Debs has also organized fundraising drives for other charities, including the humanitarian organization Caritas and the Children Against Cancer Association to fund cancer treatment for children. Lara holds an MBA in finance from the Lebanese American University.

Education

Master in Business Administration
Lebanese American University, Lebanon 1997

Skills

Entrepreneur
Philanthropist

Languages

Arabic – French – English