The American University of Beirut (AUB) is proud to name one of its most prominent conferencing facilities the Basile Antoine Meguerdiche Conference Hall.
Basile Antoine Meguerdiche was an AUB student who passed away on May 17, 2011 shortly before his 19th birthday. “We wanted to do something to permanently memorialize our son at the university that he loved - and also to support AUB at this critical period,” explained Basile’s parents, Antoine Meguerdiche and Samia Jambart Meguerdiche.
The Basile Antoine Meguerdiche Conference Hall is in the iconic Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs building on upper campus, which was designed by renowned architect and former AUB alumna, the late Dame Zaha Hadid. The conference hall is on the lowest level of the building and has a separate entrance. It includes a 100-seat auditorium, reception area, and an outdoor courtyard. The facility covers an area of around 275 square meters and is heavily used throughout the year.
“We are deeply touched that Basile’s parents have chosen to honor the memory of their late son at our university,” said AUB President Fadlo R. Khuri. “Their philanthropy is also providing important support to AUB at an especially critical time.”