I’ve known Ziad since my AUB years, he was fun, kind and always smiling whenever we’d bump into him on campus. After graduating, I’d see him in events but only learned in recent years about his outstanding work with the IUCN and his dedication to the marine life.
Prior to joining the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), Ziad founded the Purple Reef, a local marine conservation and social Non-governmental Organization in Lebanon. Between 2013 and 2022, he was working as the IUCN Marine and Coastal Zone Management Programme Manager for the Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA) and worked mainly on Sustainable Fisheries and Livelihood Support in South Lebanon.
Ziad was also an experienced scuba diver as he started at age 15, and he later became Dive Master and instructor. He tragically passed away following a diving accident near the island of Giannutri in Italy.
