USJ (Saint Joseph University of Beirut) is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Read More Here. To mark the occasion, we welcome Jesuit Father François Boëdec, former provincial of the Jesuit Province of French-speaking Western Europe and new vice-rector of USJ, for an intimate interview. He talks about his experience in the heart of a wounded Lebanon but also evokes the joy of celebrating the 150th anniversary of an institution.

He also shares with us his experience following the inauguration of the exhibition "Photographing Lebanon's Heritage," which will be on display at the Arab World Institute until next January.

What do you remember from your first six months in Lebanon, in a difficult context?

I arrived in Lebanon on the day of the great pager explosion organized by the Israelis. As I got off the plane, I saw the chaos the country had been plunged into… I won't soon forget that! The weeks that followed were terrible for the country, with a lot of bombing of urban areas, and then all the refugees who came from southern Lebanon to flee the fighting. It was a very difficult period when the university stopped, like many institutions in the country. I was especially struck by the feeling of great weariness, even despair. The last few years have been particularly hard on the life of the country with, of course, the political developments, the major economic crisis, the explosion at the port of Beirut, etc. Finally, the political situation has evolved, allowing for a stabilization of the security situation and the appointment of a head of government who is trying to rebuild the country. Institutions, schools, and universities have resumed their activities. And I was able to find my place a little better at USJ. I was very well received within this institution. The Rector asked me to follow human resources issues within the university, which is a good way to get to know it from the inside.

How is Saint Joseph University celebrating its 150th anniversary?

Numerous celebrations and conferences are being organized throughout 2025. It is essential to remember the founding project, and then the successive stages. 150 years is an extraordinary story, a human, intellectual, and spiritual adventure. The challenge is to draw from this past elements that will allow us to invent the future. The Superior General of the Society, Father Arturo Sosa, came to blow out the candles with us. It was a moment of joy and pride, seeing how our work fits into a longer history and how much this university has served the country. He encouraged us in this mission and met with the different groups that make up the university: students, teachers, alumni, all the staff—hundreds of people who serve the institution. We discussed the expectations, fears, and sometimes anxieties of all those who bring the university to life. In return, we understood how much the Society believed in this university, how committed the Jesuits were to this project, and how meaningful it is to be able to serve the education of young people. We know that many Lebanese go abroad; the challenge is also to ensure that there are young Lebanese who continue to believe in their country, who can exercise their professional activity in a dignified and normal manner and support their families in a stabilized country. The university serves this stability, serves a country that still believes in its future.

What drives and inspires you today at USJ?

There is a very special spirit at the university, a certain music specific to this institution of people who believe in their country. The challenge is that this spirit can continue. There are many universities in Lebanon: many of them are often mercantile places, for making money. Saint Joseph University tries to have another ambition: to train men and women who stand up, who are aware of what they have received so that they can give it to others, serve their country. That this spirit can continue is surely the wish we can make on the occasion of this anniversary.