Maria Saadeh

Maria Saadeh
Born (1974-07-16) 16 July 1974 (age 50)
Education
  • Architecture in the Faculty of Architecture in Aleppo University (1997)
  • Diploma in historical advancement of Syrian Churches Architecture (1998)
  • DESS in Conservation and Restoration of Old Monuments and Sites in Paris, France
Occupations
  • Consultant architect
  • conceptual designer
  • business developer
  • politician
  • former Member of the Syrian Parliament
  • chair of the board (COB) of a non-profit association
  • designer
Years active1999–present
Organization(s)Pure Architecture and Art (PAA)
Board member ofChair of board of Houna Hawyati Foundation
Spouse
Antoine Lakah
(m. 2002)
ChildrenPerla Lakah Roland Lakah
ParentJamil Saadeh Laila Farah
Honours
  • Architectural Award (2006) by the Syrian Ministry of Electricity
  • YCE Design Award (2011) by the British Council
  • Architectural Award (2011) by the Qunaytra Governorate
People's Council of Syria
In office
2012–2016

Maria Saadeh (Arabic: ماريا سعادة, romanizedMāriyā Saʿādah; born 16 July 1974) is a Syrian architect, politician, and developer. She has worked as a designer.[1]

Life

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Saadeh was born in Damascus, Syria.[2] Her father died in 1980, when she was aged 6.[citation needed]

In 1997, she was awarded a diploma in Architecture from University of Aleppo. In 1998, she got a diploma in Architectural Design, specializing in the "historical advancement of Syrian Churches Architecture". In 1999, she was awarded a DESS in Conservation and Restoration of Old Monuments and Sites from École de Chaillot [fr] in Paris and the University of Tripoli Lebanon in Tripoli.[citation needed]

In 1999–2000, she established her firm PAA for architecture, interior design and restoration and conservation studies. Between 2001–2011 she taught Architectural Design at the University of Damascus. Between 2006–2010 Saadeh prepared her doctorate study in Contemporary Interventions in Historical Monuments and Sites at the University of Geneva. She worked as an expert in the field of restoration and conservation. She won several local and international competitions and was elected as member of the parliament of Syria from 2012 until 2016. In 2013 she spoke up as a Greek Catholic for the rights of christians in an appeal to the pope.[3] In 2013 she was interviewed by the UK's Channel 4 over the Siege of Eastern Ghouta.[4]

In 2020, she founded her Nonprofit Association for Social Development "Houna Hawyati", focusing on enhancing the Syrian identity on social, economic and cultural levels.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "MARIA SAADEH". RIVA 1920. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  2. ^ السوري, مجلس الشعب. "عضو مجلس الشعب: ماريا سعادة". مجلس الشعب السوري. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  3. ^ "ASIA/SYRIA - The Christian MP Maria Saadeh: "Stop the attacks: we join the Pope for peace" - Agenzia Fides". www.fides.org. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Former Syrian MP Maria Saadeh on Eastern Ghouta". Channel 4 News. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2023.