Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais

Established	1909
Type	Private school
Affiliations	Mission Laïque Francaise
Principal	Jean-Michel Herz
Founder	Mission Laïque Française
Faculty	120
Students	3002 (2005-2006)
Grades	1 - 12
Location	Rue Beni Assaf, Achrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon
Newspaper	'Echos Lycée'
Languages	French, Arabic, English, Spanish, German, Italian
Website	http://www.glfl.edu.lb

The Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais (GLFL), is a French lycée in the Ashrafieh district of Beirut, Lebanon founded in 1909 by the Mission Laïque Française, an organization which also helped found other lycées all over the world.^[1] It is also an active member of the AEFE. ^[2] It was initially situated in the Sodeco neighborhood near the Central Beirut District and later moved to Rue Beni Assaf near the French Embassy in the Mathaf neighborhood. The institution has approximately 10 buildings among which five were conceived by the famous French planner Ecochard, and a newly refurbished athletic stadium on Damascus Road: Le Stade du Chayla.

1 Background
2 Current Situation
3 Notable alumni
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Background

Achrafieh buildings by Ecochard in 1961.

As it is almost a century old, the Grand Lycée has made its way through the French mandate, independence and war. The conflict which began in 1975 marks the most serious crisis the Grand Lycée had ever faced. The buildings were badly damaged and due to their proximity to the Green-Line, access was never easy. From 1996 to 2003, the Lycée undertook comprehensive renovations where all the "Ecochard" buildings were rehabilitated and new structures were constructed. The Stade du Chayla was inaugurated in 2005.

[edit] Current Situation

The school is fully operational and offers classes to more than 3000 students. It remains the flagship institution of the Mission Laïque Française organization and leads the organization's eight established schools in Lebanon.

School departments include a 350 square meter library in which students can find a network of over sixteen PCs intended for educational resources, as well as 10,000 books and literary archives including newspapers, novels, and magazines. A secondary library known as the BCD is also available to younger students. Six (6) Computer Labs are available for students throughout the school and new laboratories were also fitted for junior and high school students.

Sports are highly regarded by the school. On the school premises there are two basketball courts, a soccer field, and a gymnasium. Across the street, the brand new Stade du Chayla comprises an authentic track-and-field playground, along with tennis, badminton, basketball and mini-soccer courts. The building itself includes ping-pong and squash halls as well as an indoor swimming pool.

A handball match at the lycée, 1978.

The school offers diverse extra-curricular activities throughout the year including during Christmas and Easter vacations.

A large cafeteria caters for the needs of most students and a three snacks are spread out throughout the recess grounds, including the "forn" - "oven" in Lebanese Arabic - where students can purchase Manaeesh, the traditional Lebanese snack.

The French Baccalaureate is prepared throughout the three sophomore years and students can choose the Lebanese baccalaureate as an option.

[edit] Notable alumni

Samir Kassir, an outspoken and prominent anti-Syrian reporter who was assassinated in Beirut in June 2005, was a student at the Grand Lycée in the 1960s and 1970s.
Gibran Tueni, MP and editor in chief of An-Nahar, assassinated in December 2005. He spent his early years at the Grand Lycée.
Marwan Hamadeh, MP and Minister of Telecommunications,Economy,Trade and Health in successive governments.
Fares Bouez, MP and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Environment in successive governments.