Tarek Mitri ( ar, طارق متري; born 16 September 1950) is a Lebanese university professor, independent politician and former government minister.

Early life and education

Mitri was born on 16 September 1950. He has a PhD. in political science from the University of Paris X.

Career

Mitri served as a visiting professor in several international institutions. He has extensive experience promoting Christian-Muslim relations and has published on the subject. Mitri was environment and administrative development minister in 2005. He was minister of culture and foreign minister in the cabinet formed by

Fouad Siniora Fouad Siniora ( ar, فؤاد السنيورة, translit=Fu'ād as-Sanyūrah; born 19 July 1943) is a Lebanese politician, a former Prime Minister of Lebanon, a position he held from 19 July 2005 to 25 May 2008. He stepped down on 9 November 2009 ...

in 2005. He was appointed information minister to the cabinet led by then prime minister Fouad Siniora on 11 July 2008 and the following government of Saad Hariri in 2009. On 12 September 2012, he was appointed by the

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as his special representative and head of the

United Nations Support Mission in Libya The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) is a United Nations (UN) advanced mission in Libya, created in the aftermath of the Libyan Civil War. UNSMIL is a political mission, not a military mission. The main elements of its mandate def ...

(UNSMIL). He was appointed director of the

Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) is located at the American University of Beirut (AUB). This independent institute develops policy research in the Arab region and provides a space for the exchange of ideas ...

at the

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB) ( ar, الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, aut ...

on 16 October 2014. He also chairs the board of the distinguished

Sursock Museum The Sursock Museum ( ar, قصر سرسق), which is officially known as the Nicolas Ibrahim Sursock Museum, is a modern art and contemporary art museum in Beirut, Lebanon. History In 1912, the wealthy and prominent Lebanese aristocrat Nicolas Ib ...

in Beirut and that of the

Institute of Palestine Studies The Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS) is the oldest independent nonprofit public service research institute in the Arab world. It was established and incorporated in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1963 and has since served as a model for other such ins ...

. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the

Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (can also be referred to by its acronyms as the ACRPS) is an Arab research institute with particular interest in the social sciences, applied social sciences, regional history and geostrategic affair ...

Views

Mitri states his role is more as an advocate for the intellectuals and the artists along with their freedom of expression and thought. He has also known to be a staunch advocater for Lebanese unity.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitri, Tarek 1950 births Living people Culture ministers of Lebanon Environment ministers of Lebanon Foreign ministers of Lebanon Information ministers of Lebanon Greek Orthodox Christians from Lebanon Eastern Orthodox Christians from Lebanon Saint Joseph University faculty American University of Beirut alumni University of Paris alumni Special Representatives of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Special Envoys of the Secretary-General of the United Nations