May Arida

Who Is She
Organisations: 
Cultural Organization
Professions: 
President
Areas of expertise: 
Cultural Events
Festivals
Philanthropy
Memory: 
In the memory of

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
baalbeck@baalbeck.org.lb
http://www.baalbeck.org.lb

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.