This year marks a special milestone: LebNet’s 25th anniversary. For a quarter of a century, we’ve been committed to empowering Lebanese technologists, fostering innovation, and building a global community rooted in our shared heritage.
In this landmark year, Lebanon faced some of its toughest challenges yet, from severe economic and social crises to a devastating war. At LebNet, we refused to stand by. Instead, we transformed this collective challenge into action by teaming up with diaspora organizations such as LIFE and ILMA, and NGOs on the ground in Lebanon, fundraising for critical education initiatives, and mobilizing our global community in support of our homeland. We also stayed active globally—launching new regional chapters, hosting multiple networking events, and expanding our Tech Fellows program from 25 participants last year to 100 fellows representing 13 universities in 2024.
But numbers alone don’t capture the full story of our community’s impact. One particularly inspiring example comes from our Internship Program. When Omar Yamak, a recent graduate from San Francisco State University, expressed uncertainty about his career prospects, LebNet introduced him to a senior executive of Lebanese heritage at Synopsys. That single connection opened the door to a life-changing role. Today, Omar is thriving at Synopsys, has been there for over two years, and is on track toward securing permanent residency—a testament to what can happen when we rally together to support one another.
These achievements belong to every volunteer, partner, donor, and community member who contributed to LebNet’s work. Whether you mentored a student, offered an internship, or shared expertise at one of our events, your dedication helped us make a genuine difference. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary and look ahead to 2025, we remain committed to creating opportunities that uplift Lebanese technologists and spark innovative solutions for our beloved homeland. Together, let’s make the next 25 years even more impactful.
Thank you for standing with us, for believing in Lebanon’s future, and for being a vital part of our ever-growing global network. We wish you a fulfilling new year and look forward to collaborating for even greater impact in 2025.
Warm regards, Habib Haddad
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