The Qannoubine Valley, a natural and heritage treasure. (Credit: Michel Hallak/L'Orient-Le Jour/Archives)
A decision by former Culture Minister Mohammad Mortada on Jan. 28, 2025 — just days before the formation of Nawaf Salam's new government on Feb. 8 — to approve the construction of a road in northern Lebanon’s Qadisha Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has sparked an outcry from environmentalists, heritage advocates and local community members.
The valley, which stretches across the districts of Bsharri and Zgharta, is accessible only by foot and is considered both an ecological sanctuary and a cultural landmark. Home to centuries-old monasteries that reflect the history of Lebanon’s early Christians, it has long been at the center of debate over road access, particularly towards (or in) the inhabited village of Wadi Qannoubine in the Bsharri district.
In a statement on Feb. 9, Mortada said the decision responded to "a need of the residents of this region" and was made "in harmony with the prevailing rules at a protected site."
However, sources familiar with the matter told L'Orient-Le Jour that neither the Directorate General of Antiquities — an agency within the Culture Ministry — nor UNESCO had been informed of the decision.
As a result, neither institution was able to assess the conditions under which the road was planned or whether it complies with the site's classification criteria. According to the aforementioned sources, no map, heritage or ecological impact study was submitted.
Under existing regulations, any project within a UNESCO-listed site must be reviewed by the World Heritage Committee at the organization's headquarters. The stakes are significant: if unauthorized work is detected and found to violate World Heritage criteria, the site could face removal from the list.
Attempts to reach the new culture minister, Ghassan Salameh, for comment before publication were unsuccessful.
Favorable opinion from the Maronite Patriarchate
The Maronite Patriarchate, which owns the land where the road is to be built, expressed support for the project in a statement by its spokesperson, Walid Ghayad, relayed by the National News Agency (NNA) on Feb. 12. Attempts to reach the Patriarchate for comment before publication were unsuccessful.
It is "obvious that the Maronite Patriarch naturally supports the demands of his parish and seeks to fulfill them, especially when this parish has long suffered from neglect," Ghayad said. He added that the Patriarchate has repeatedly called for "the inhabitants of Wadi Qannoubine to regain a normal life like all other villages," including road access.
Speaking to NNA the same day, Father Tony Agha, who oversees the Patriarchate’s lands in the valley, said the agricultural road, which would connect the power station to the Our Lady of Qannoubine Monastery, had been legally, administratively and technically finalized since 2018. He noted that an agricultural road had existed at the site for centuries and that the new route would follow the same path, as outlined in Mortada's decision.
Downplaying the significance of the ministerial decision, Father Agha insisted that "there is no new road construction and that the rehabilitation will be carried out by local labor." He said the route would "be used only in cases of medical emergencies, fires or for residents returning home, in compliance with laws and rules governing the site." He also noted that this request had previously been submitted by the Patriarchal Committee handling the case, the Federation of Bsharri Municipalities and residents of Wadi Qannoubine.
Law violations
However, Elie Makhlouf, president of the Federation of Bsharri Municipalities, offers a different perspective. "It is clear that we understand the residents' demands, but why make a decision without the approval of the concerned institutions?" he told L'Orient-Le Jour.
Makhlouf explained that a meeting was held last summer at the Maronite Patriarchate’s summer residence in Dimane, northern Lebanon, bringing together all parties involved in the matter. "We simply requested that a study already conducted and approved by all parties be considered, concerning road rehabilitation in the village," he recalled. Yet, the minister's recent decision surprised the municipalities, "who heard about it in the media," he said.
"All we ask is that the DGA be in charge of the project," the official stressed.
Environmentalists, for their part, are condemning the project as a violation of legal requirements. "The project was not subjected to an environmental impact study, which is against the law," Paul Abi Rached, president of Terre-Liban, told L'Orient-Le Jour. He added that "the Environment Ministry can, therefore, halt this project, which is based solely on a ministerial decision."
Youssef Tok, a doctor and prominent ecological activist from Bsharri, also expressed concerns. He noted that "Wadi Qannoubine is a small village that has long been deserted by the majority of its residents." Tok, who frequently visits the area "on foot, without any problem, to care for elderly residents," fears that "this enthusiasm for the road project may conceal other ambitions, involving inappropriate development for a valley so rich in heritage."
Loss of heritage and spiritual character
Besides the legal and ecological aspects, critics of the project fear that the site will lose its unique heritage and spiritual character.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites of Lebanon (ICOMOS) published a statement on Feb. 26 expressing "great concern" over the minister's decision, made "in the absence of feasibility, heritage, and environmental impact studies and without consultation with the DGA and the local community."
The text highlights the potential negative impacts of widening the road by 2.5 meters in such a sensitive area and distinctive landscape. "This jeopardizes the unique character of the site, an example of ancient Christian monastic life," it read, stressing the importance "of the rugged and isolated landscape that is integral to its spiritual and meditative function."
More than a month after the former minister's decision, work has yet to begin. Civil society remains mobilized, and meetings continue in efforts to find a compromise, according to Aoun Abi Aoun, a local environmentalist from Bsharri.
"It is necessary to demonstrate that there is a way to promote the site and increase visitors while preserving its ecotourism and religious tourism characteristics," he said.
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient Le-Jour.
