Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais

Infobox Secondary school

name = Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais
native_name =
motto =
established = 1909
type = Private school
affiliations = Mission Laïque Francaise
president =
chairman =
principal = Jean-Michel Herz
founder = Mission Laïque Française
faculty = 120
enrolment = 3002 "(2005–2006)"
grades = 1 - 12
address = Rue Beni Assaf, Achrafieh
city = Beirut
state =
province =
country = Lebanon
colours =
athletics =
mascot =
emblem =
yearbook =
newspaper = "Echos Lycée"
free_label_1 = Languages
free_1 = French, Arabic, English, Spanish, German, Italian
National_ranking =
website = http://www.glfl.edu.lb
footnotes =
picture =

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. [cite web | title = Le site de la Mission laique francaise et de l'OSUI - les etablissements - ecoles et lycees | url = http://www.mission-laique.asso.fr/reseaux/continents.html | publisher = Mission Laique Francaise | accessdate = 2008-06-13] It is also an active member of the AEFE. [ cite web | title = Agence pour l'Enseignement Français à l'Etranger | url = http://www.aefe.diplomatie.fr/ | publisher = Mission Laique Francaise | accessdate = 2008-06-13] 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.

Background

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.

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.

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.

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.

External links

* [http://www.glfl.edu.lb/ Grand Lycée] website (French)
* [http://ancienslyceens.org/ Online community of Lycée students]
* [http://www.howard.edu/library/lebanon/AnotherTime/default.htm Copy of the school's 1956 newsletter]

References