Leila Al Solh

Leila Al Solh (Arabic: ليلى الصلح; born 1946) is the vice president of Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation and a former Lebanese minister of industry.

Leila Al Solh
Born1946 (age 76–77)
Beirut, Lebanon
NationalityLebanese
Alma materSaint Joseph University
SpouseMajid Hamadeh
ParentRiad Al Solh

Early life and education

Born in Beirut in 1946, Leila Al Solh is the youngest daughter of the late former Lebanese Prime Minister Riad Al Solh.[1] She is the aunt of Al Waleed bin Talal.[2][3] She studied at the department of oriental studies of Saint Joseph University, Beirut.[4]

Career

Leila Al Solh served as the minister of industry in the cabinet led by Prime Minister Omar Karami from 2004 to 2005,[1][5] making her one of the early woman ministers in Lebanon.[6] Al Solh is the vice president of Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation in Lebanon since its establishment in August 2003.[4] Under her management, the foundation realized many activities to support for education, health and social organisations throughout the country.[7]

Political views

Leila Al Solh published an article in the Lebanese daily An Nahar on 20 March 2001, criticising the Syrian government.[8] She argued that Bashar Assad shares his father's (Hafez Assad's) ambition to control Lebanon.[9] She further claimed that the differences between Bashar and Hafez Assad are that Bashar Assad is much more interested in "the investments of Lebanon's tycoons" than the land of Lebanon itself and that he attempts to eliminate foreign criticism by changing the locus of Syrian control from the "army to the [security] agencies."[9] On the other hand, Solh announced her support for the extension of president Emile Lahoud's term in 2004.[10]

Publications

Leila Al Solh published two books on Lebanon as follows:[4]

(2009). Les élections de 2009, les enjeux culturels (The 2009 Elections, Cultural Issues), L’Orient – Le Jour (Special Edition)
(2008). Un Liban à retrouver (A Return to Lebanon), L’Orient – Le Jour (Special Edition)

Awards

On 12 March 2008, Leila Al Solh was awarded the Pontifical Medal by Pope Benedict XVI for the efforts of the Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation to encourage religious tolerance.[1][11]

Al Solh has been regarded as one of the most powerful women in the Middle East. She was named as one of the most powerful three women in 2008.[12] She was considered to be the 4th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women in 2011.[13] In 2012, she was nominated by Arabian Business as the 17th most powerful woman among 100 Arab women.[1] She was named as the world's most influential 39th Arab in 2012 by Arabian Business.[7]

In 2009, Al Solh was awarded with an honorary doctorate from the American University of Science and Technology.

Personal life

Leila Al Solh was married to former Lebanese education minister Majid Hamadeh.[12] She has two daughters and one son.[14] One of her daughters, Haya Majid Hamadeh, graduated from the faculty of medicine at American University of Beirut in 2005.[15]

References
  1. "Leila Al Solh". Arabian Business. 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  2. "The Republic of Lebanon". Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  3. Nada Raad; Nafez Kawas (27 October 2004). "Karami unveils final Cabinet lineup". The Daily Star. Beirut. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  4. "Vice President of Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation". Alwaleed Foundation. Archived from the original on 21 June 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  5. Rola el Husseini (2012). Pax Syriana: Elite Politics in Postwar Lebanon. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. p. 250. ISBN 978-0-8156-3304-4.
  6. David S. Sorenson (2009). Global Security Watch—Lebanon: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-313-36579-9.
  7. "Leila El Solh". Arabian Business. 2012. Archived from the original on 18 June 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  8. William Harris (Summer 2005). "Bashar al-Assad's Lebanon Gamble". Middle East Quarterly. XII (3): 33–44.
  9. Gary C. Gambill; Daniel Nassif (April 2001). "Syria's Campaign to Silence Lebanese Muslims". Middle East Intelligence Bulletin. 3 (4).
  10. "Hezbollah ignored as Lebanon's top three leaders get major government shares". Lebanonwire. 27 October 2004. Archived from the original on 21 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  11. "Pope Benedict XVI Awards Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation in Lebanon & Ms. Leila El Solh, Vice Chairman of the Foundation Pontifical Medal at Vatican". Zawya. 14 March 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  12. "Leila Al Solh Hamadeh". Fanoos Encyclopedia. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
  13. "Leila Al Solh". Arabian Business. 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  14. Bassam Za'Za. "'Responsibility is going to be a tough challenge'". Gulf News. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  15. "AUB in the news". American University of Beirut. Archived from the original on 1 September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
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