The LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital marked a historic milestone on December 9, 2025, with a Centennial Gala Dinner at AVA Venue in Beirut.

Commemorating 100 years of medical service and academic advancement, the culminating event of a yearlong centennial celebration brought together the hospital’s extended community to honor its legacy and reaffirm its direction for the years ahead.

The evening gathered a broad cross-section of national and institutional stakeholders, including LAU Trustee Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Kamal Shehadi, Member of Parliament Fadi Alameh, ambassadors, consuls general, former ministers and MPs, donors, trustees, alumni, LAU leadership, LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital physicians, nurses and supporting staff, and senior executives from Lebanon’s major medical institutions, reflecting the hospital’s enduring national and academic standing.

At the event, Chief Executive Officer of the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital Sami Rizk reflected on a century of growth anchored in continuity. He paid tribute to the Rizk family’s vision and stewardship, and acknowledged the dedication of the generations of physicians, nurses and staff who shaped the hospital’s reputation and its impact on its community.

“From its beginnings in 1925 as a 12-bed clinic founded by Dr. Toufic Rizk, the medical center has grown into a leading academic institution, driven by a spirit of excellence and a dedication to advancing healthcare in Lebanon,” he said, situating the centennial within a longer trajectory of resilience and progress.

Mr. Rizk also extended his gratitude to the medical center’s “patients for their trust, to our partners for their support and to every member of our hospital community for their steadfast commitment to our mission.”

LAU President Chaouki T. Abdallah positioned the milestone within the university’s broader purpose. “As we celebrate the centennial of the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital, we honor not only a hundred years of medical service but also a century of shared purpose that lies at the heart of the LAU’s mission,” he said. He noted that the hospital’s development mirrors LAU’s sustained commitment to academic excellence, research, civic engagement, and leadership formation.

Dr. Abdallah also paid tribute to the Rizk family, whose legacy was formally recognized during the evening. “Their pioneering spirit and devotion to service laid the foundation for what this institution has become,” he said, highlighting the lasting influence of that legacy on both institutional values and practice.

Looking ahead, he emphasized LAU’s responsibility to shape the future of healthcare through education and innovation, adding, “Our vision is to prepare the next generation of leaders in medicine and the health sciences, individuals who will combine knowledge with empathy and innovation to serve humanity with dignity and hope.”

The evening was emceed by Mrs. Nehmat Azoury Oussi, who spoke of her own experience at the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital when, under the vigilant care of Dr. Zeina Tannous, chief of dermatology, her melanoma was diagnosed and treated just in time.

Complementing the formal program were select artistic elements, including a ballet performance and a live musical performance by Manal Mallat and her band, offering moments of reflection while reinforcing the human dimension of healthcare.

The evening concluded with a symbolic gesture aligned with sustainability and national identity. A cedar tree was planted in Hrajel on behalf of the guests, representing resilience, continuity, and stewardship—values that have guided the LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital for a century.

A special moment honored the Rizk Family with the Legacy Trophy, presented to Mrs. Colette Rizk, the wife of the late Dr. Assaad Rizk, and her family by President Abdallah, commemorating their foundational role in the medical center’s century-long journey.

The evening was made possible by the support of major donors and friends of the medical center.