APJ

Philippe Jabre, Patron of the Class of 2026 at Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour

An alumnus and patron of the Class of 2026 at Collège Notre-Dame de Jamhour, Philippe Jabre returned to address the graduates. The man who had left Lebanon in 1975, at the outbreak of the war, with no celebration to mark his departure, now speaks to a class he sees "shining over the next fifty years, in Lebanon and abroad."

"In our country, it is hard to speak of the future with certainty," he acknowledges. "But it is precisely in such difficult times that deep convictions take on their full meaning." His address was built around five ideas.

1. "No great dream has ever begun anywhere but on a school bench." Jamhour is not merely a school - it is a lifelong fellowship, an experience, a way of being, one felt all the more keenly once you are far from it. On leaving its benches, the graduates carry with them an education, a method, values and a remarkable human network. That bond is a rare strength.

2. "Expect the unexpected." Quoting Edgar Morin, Jabre recalls that his generation changed careers two or three times in a lifetime - theirs will do so far more often. What matters, then, is to have learned how to learn, and to stay that way: to become lifelong learners, to surround oneself with curious people - curiosity is contagious - and to remain humble before knowledge. "Whoever believes they have finished learning has already begun to fall behind."

3. "True abundance is measured not by what we possess, but by what we bring to others." Success does not rest on intelligence and knowledge alone. It also depends on courtesy, humility, integrity, and the ability to work together and honour one's commitments: "We work with reliable people, people we trust, whose word carries weight." Helping someone back to their feet, supporting a friend, opening a door: these are acts that shape a life more deeply than material things.

4. "Mastering it is a game changer; dismissing it, a game over." Technology must be made an ally - accompanied, questioned, turned into a tool in the service of one's judgement. Jabre has watched the revolutions follow one another: chemical engineering in his early days, the telephone in the 1990s, the internet and computing, coding, today artificial intelligence and robotics, tomorrow quantum computing. His conviction: human capital remains the primary engine of the prosperity that AI generates.

5. "Your value will lie in your ability to ask the right questions." From this follows a cardinal quality: agility in the face of change. Many of the careers these graduates will pursue most likely do not yet exist; they will live in a world that changes faster than anything previous generations have known. They will need to adapt, to reinvent themselves, to take risks, and to cultivate their critical thinking in a world where machines will provide more and more of the answers.

He closes his address with a call to solidarity and commitment: that each of them make a difference for their country. "A sense of belonging brought me back, and it will bring all of you back, to Lebanon."

As part of our ongoing commitment to community resilience, the Philippe Jabre Association recently completed a targeted relief mission in the border villages of Rmeich, Ain Ebel, and Debel.

In close coordination with the Lebanese Army, 12 tons of essential food supplies (300 parcels) were delivered to support families remaining in their homes during these challenging times. This operation was made possible through the logistical support of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the cooperation of local municipalities.

Transparency and trust are at the heart of our mission. We are pleased to share the official letters of acknowledgment from the local authorities below, documenting the impact of this solidarity on the ground.

L’Association Philippe Jabre est heureuse de partager l'entretien récent de son fondateur, Philippe Jabre, avec Ricardo Karam. Dans cet échange sincère, il revient sur les étapes marquantes de sa vie, de l’exil à la réussite, et sur les convictions qui portent aujourd'hui ses actions philanthropiques.

Voici les thèmes majeurs abordés :

🔹 La réussite comme héritage : pour Philippe Jabre, la réussite ne réside pas dans l'accumulation, mais dans la capacité à laisser une marque durable de son passage - à travers des institutions et le soutien aux individus. La philanthropie est une mission de transmission de valeurs et d'espoir.

🔹 L'éducation, moteur de liberté : son message aux jeunes générations est encourageant : nul besoin d'être premier de classe pour réussir ; l'essentiel est de trouver sa passion et de faire preuve de patience et de résilience. C’est pourquoi l’association Philippe Jabre s'efforce de soutenir les jeunes dans leur parcours scolaire, notamment à travers l’octroi de bourses d'études.

🔹 Trois piliers pour le Liban de demain : pour que le Liban conserve son identité culturelle et sa stabilité, Philippe Jabre souligne la nécessité absolue d'une justice indépendante, d'une presse indépendante et d'élections indépendantes. Un Liban libre, c’est un Liban aux institutions stables et à la liberté d’expression garantie.

Depuis sa création, l'Association Philippe Jabre agit pour donner accès à l'éducation et aux soins, convaincue que chaque opportunité créée est un pas de plus vers un Liban souverain et prospère.