NNA - In a country facing multifaceted challenges, where focus naturally falls on economic and humanitarian imperatives, Banque BEMO makes a deliberate and determined choice: to place culture at the heart of its institutional mission — because culture is the soul of a living society.
For several years, Banque BEMO has developed a series of initiatives rooted in a long-term vision: preserving memory, encouraging creativity, empowering youth, and deepening the bond between citizens and their heritage. This approach is woven into the very identity of the Bank, true to its conviction that ethics and civic responsibility are the only foundations upon which a sustainable future for Lebanon can be built.
Seven Initiatives. One Commitment.
The Wounded Art — Honoring Memory, Transforming Pain Born in the aftermath of the August 4, 2020 tragedy, this initiative — in partnership with Fondation Audi — brought to light artworks damaged by the Beirut port explosion — treating them through light, music, and poetry. Inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi — that ancestral practice which sublimates wounds rather than concealing them. Brilliantly realized by Frà-Jean-Louis Mainguy — This project established itself as far more than a simple exhibition: it opened a space of collective memory, reflection, and strength, asserting art’s irreplaceable role in times of reconstruction.
Back to Our Cedar Roots — Planting Belonging, Growing Through the planting of cedar seedlings in the names of children born to Lebanese mothers and non-Lebanese fathers, this campaign carries a double message: giving roots to these children through the planting of cedar seedlings in their names, and recognising the Lebanese women’s fundamental and inalienable right to pass her nationality on to her children. Every seedling becomes a living testament to the bond between these children and Lebanon — a quiet promise that the homeland sees them, claims them, and welcomes them, regardless of the borders of their birth. In doing so, Banque BEMO reaffirms its broader commitment to women’s rights in Lebanon, holding that full equality between men and women being a cornerstone of any just and sustainable society. It is worth noting that this initiative is carried out in collaboration with the association "Jouzour Loubnan."
Dreaming Lebanon — Giving Voice to the Next Generation Organized in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the French Institute in Lebanon, the Lebanese National Commission for UNESCO, Librairie Antoine, L’Orient-Le Jour, and the Assabil Association, this writing competition invites students to imagine the Lebanon of tomorrow through themes that probe the future, the challenges, and the hopes of a new generation. Now in its fourth edition titled "Let the Walls Speak", Dreaming Lebanon is a space of intergenerational dialogue and an act of confidence in the creativity of Lebanese youth.
Rotating Art — Bringing Art into Everyday Life In partnership with the "Commercial Insurance" company, the Rotating Art program brings Lebanese contemporary artists’ works into living and working spaces, creating natural encounters between people and creativity. This continuous circulation of artworks provides concrete support to the local arts scene while embedding culture in the everyday — not as an exceptional event, but as an ordinary and necessary presence. The ambition is twofold: to bring emerging artists into the spotlight, and to make art genuinely accessible. The program unfolds through periodic draws, offering winners the opportunity to host these artists’ works free of charge — in their homes or offices — for a defined period of time.
BEMO Mini Forest — City, Nature, and the Living World Conceived as a micro-biodiversity space within an urban environment, the BEMO Mini Forest, created in partnership with the architecture firm "theOtherDada", reflects the Bank’s commitment to rethinking our relationship with the city and raising awareness around the importance of living nature in shared everyday spaces. Every species welcomed, proves that a humble gesture can transform a patch of concrete into a living ecosystem — and that nature, even in the city, always has the last word.
Béchara and Carmen Obegi Prize — Honoring Excellence, Passing the Torch Through the Béchara and Carmen Obegi Prize, organized by The Competencies and Entrepreneurship Center (EC²) at Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ), Banque BEMO sustains its support for entrepreneurship, knowledge transmission, and innovation, distinguishing pathways that generate intellectual, economic, and social impact. This prize is a tribute to those who build, invent, and pass on — born of the conviction that individual excellence is the foundation of collective progress.
BEMO Alumni — A Community Rooted in Family Spirit Anchored in the family value that defines Banque BEMO, this initiative builds a lasting community connecting former members of the Bank — whether retired or pursuing new professional horizons in Lebanon and abroad. BEMO Alumni keeps alive the bond between the Bank and all those who were part of its story, with a commitment to deepening this community in the months ahead.
Banque BEMO firmly believes that culture, education, environment, and creativity are essential pillars in building a sustainable future for Lebanon. In a particularly difficult context, this commitment is a deliberate choice of continuity, responsibility, and absolute confidence in a Lebanese society that continues to create, transmit, and reinvent itself.
