​The Department of Public Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences proudly participated in the joint regional conference “The 1st Climate Change and Health in the Arab Region (CCHAR) Conference” and “The 10th International Conference on Ethics in the Middle East and North Africa Region (ICE-MENA), held from July 5 to 9, 2025, in Amman, Jordan. The event was organized under the GeoHealth Hub for Climate Change and Health in the MENA region, and it convened researchers, policymakers, and educators from across the Arab world to address pressing issues at the intersection of health, climate change, and ethics.

The University of Balamand delegation included MPH students and faculty members, and fellows from the Climate Change and Health Program. The Lebanese delegation also comprised representatives from various ministries and organizations engaged in the climate and health sectors. Throughout the five-day conference, the delegation participated in interdisciplinary workshops and contributed to the scientific program with the presentation of several research studies and projects:

• Dr. Nivine Abbas delivered a keynote address on The Intersection of Environmental Justice and Public Health.

• Dr. Emile Whaibeh presented findings from the Environmental Exposures in Lebanese Infants (EELI) Study, focusing on Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Exposure in Newborns’ Cord Blood Two Decades After the Ban.

• Ms. Jowy Abi Hanna shared research on Heavy Metal Exposure in Lebanese Infants: Cord Blood Analysis and Predictors of Prenatal Contamination, also part of the EELI study.

• Ms. Alicia Abi Nader presented her work on The Short-term Effects of Ambient Particulate Matter on Mortality in Lebanon from 2017 to 2019: A Time-series Analysis.

• Mrs. Lina Jaalouk discussed the Influence of Social and Built Environment Factors on the Mental Health of Women with Infertility.

• Dr. George Mitri, director of Land and Natural Resources Program, showcased a GIS-based study titled War, Climate, and Land Degradation in Lebanon: An Assessment of Population Vulnerability.

• Dr. Myriam Mrad, who co-chaired one of the scientific sessions, highlighted the achievements of the Climate Change Fellowship Program led by the University of Balamand in collaboration with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).