Lama Salam


Lama Badreddine Salam is a Lebanese activist and is married to Tammam Saeb Salam, former Prime Minister of Lebanon, and served as Acting First Lady of Lebanon while her husband served as Acting President of Lebanon. She is also an educational counselor and activist for several non-governmental organizations in Lebanon.

Early life and education

Daughter of Dr. Malek Badreddine and Salwa Diab, she is the eldest of her two brothers and sister. Salam graduated in 1979 from Collège Louise Wegmann, a private high school in Beirut. She holds a BA in Education Science from Université de Rouen in Rouen, France.

Career

She has been a member of the board of trustees of Collège Louise Wegmann, her alma mater, since 1993. Between 1987 and 1993, she worked at Collège Louise Wegmann both as a teacher and as a French language coordinator for elementary classes. In 1991-1992 she was elected president of the association of Collège Louise Wegmann alumni.
Her dedication to contribute to the improvement of the Lebanese society led her to become a founding member of the Board of Himaya in 2009. She played a key role in raising funds for Himaya and creating awareness of the issue on numerous occasions. She has actively contributed to common projects between the two highly related NGOs Himaya and Arc en Ciel Foundation widening accordingly the efforts to fight against children abuse.
In 2011, she became a member of the Council of the National Heritage Foundation. As a member of the Council of National Heritage Foundation for safeguarding national heritage she is responsible for La Boutique at the Museum where all revenues generated by La Boutique are used to fund Beirut National Museum. Salam contributes to the Nocturnal evenings of the National Museum of Beirut event organized every Christmas season.
Lama Salam is also the chair of Beirut Cultural Festival Association.

Events at the Grand Serail

Mrs. Salam launched the initiative "Date at the Serail" to steer specialists and NGOs to raise important social, cultural, medical, environmental and educational topics, using the premises of the Grand Serail as a national platform for significant issues related to the life of all Lebanese citizens. Salam chose to organize a kermes for orphans to launch the weekly initiative. On a weekly basis, starting in April 2014, different topics were discussed such as, women empowerment, the inclusion of special needs children in schools, the active aging of the elderly, the environment and the exhibition of young talent for Lebanese artists. Under the title Angels of Compassion, Lama Salam held an honorary ceremony for senior nurses.

Date at the Serail Events

She also organizes a yearly Christmas Lunch Celebration for the Orphans at the Grand Serail and yearly mothers' day lunch at the Grand Serail.

Personal life

Lama Badreddine Salam is married to Tammam Saeb Salam and has two children from her first marriage.