May Arida
Who Is She
Personal information
President
May Arida
Contact information / Work
Baalbeck International Festival
Phone:
373151 1 961 و 373150 1 961
Fax:
373153 1 961
Mobile:
739701 3 961 و 041006 3 961
Education
Education:
- Baccalaureate, Philosophy, Collège Protestant Français, Lebanon.
Areas of expertise
Expertise:
- Organizing International Festivals
- Philanthropic Initiatives
- Professional Skiing
Languages:
- Arabic
- English
- French
Work history
Jobs:
- President, 1973 - present, Baalbeck International Festival.
- Vice President, 1969 - 1973, Baalbeck International Festival.
- President, 1953 - 1961, Lebanese Water Skiing Federation.
Honorary office and memberships
- Member of the The National Heritage Foudation, 1996 - present.
- Vice President of the South Lebanon support committee (Aita Chaab), 1960.
- Member of the founding committee of the Baalbeck International Festivals created by President of the Republic Camille Chamoun, 1956.
- Member of the executive committee of the Lebanese National Conservatory, 1952.
- Member of the Lebanese Musical Youth, 1950.
Productions
Publications highlights:
- Aractingi, P. (Producer).The Baalbeck International Festival 50 years (1956 - 2006)[DVD]. (2006). Beirut: Baalbeck International Festival.
- Said, K. (1998). Al Haraka Al-massrahiya fi loubnan [The theater movement in Lebanon]. Beirut: Baalbeck International Festival.
- Baalbeck International Festival. (1994). Baalbeck: Les riches heures du festival[Baalbeck: The rich hours of the festival]. Beirut: Dar An-Nahar.
Major achievements:
- Supervising the organization of the Baalbeck International Festival for more than 50 years.
- Designated among the top 100 European and Arab Women managers by the EPAM Media group, Women Chief ExecutiveOfficers of Belgium, and BE press agency.
- Winner of Lebanese championship in skiing.
- Organizing the first world championship of water skiing in Lebanon, in collaboration with the Lebanese Water Skiing Federation Committee.
- Establishing with members of the Baalbeck Committee the Theater of Baalbeck Festival to give students an opportunity to perform on stage, 1968.
- Founding the first acting school in Lebanon with Mounir Abou Debs, 1960.
Awards and Distinctions
Distinctions:
- Honorary trophy from the EPAM Media group, Women Chief Executive Officers of Belgium and BE press agency, 2010.
- Shield of Appreciation from the Arab Administrative Association on the occasion of the 1st Forum on Festivals in the Arab Countries, 2009.
- Commander of the Isabelle la Catholique Order from the King of Spain, 2009.
- Commander of the Star rank of the Italian Solidarity from President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, 2005.
- Commander of National Order of Cedars from President Emile Lahoud, 2000.
- Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur from President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, 1978.
- Gold Medal of Lebanese Merit from President Suleiman Franjié, 1976.