FIRST LEGO LEAGUE 2019 Open International @ LAU Byblos

May 29, 2019

May 25, 2019.

Between June 14 and 16, Lebanon will witness its first international robotics championship: FIRST LEGO League Open International 2019, co-hosted by Education & Technology Center (ETC), FIRST LEGO League Operational Partners in Lebanon, and the Lebanese American University (LAU) at the LAU Byblos campus, under the Patronage of the President of the Council of Ministers, His Excellency Mr. Saad Hariri.

This major youth-centered innovation event is part of the FIRST and LEGO Education collaboration, which started in 1997, and has since grown to become one of the most widespread robotics events on the globe.

The FIRST LEGO League Open International is the culmination of the season for all FIRST LEGO League teams, providing the ultimate Sport for the Mind™. More than 34,000 teams from 100 countries across the globe have been working in their local competitions to qualify for this event in Lebanon, and today out of the 34,000, only 74 teams from the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America will be representing their nations on the global stage, where fun, excitement, and a friendly atmosphere are the main concern for everyone involved.

”This event brings the East and West to a central location in the world to bridge the gap between nations and to celebrate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, something we have been looking forward to do since we started ” ETC Founder, Ghazi Mtaweh said when asked about the importance of the event to Lebanon. “We want the students to create the best memories, and we want our values to be reflected through them. Innovation has been central to our success in this region, and our collaboration with ETC is key in adding to our values locally and globally with the FIRST LEGO League Open 2019 being organized on our premises at Byblos” added Dr. Raymond Ghajjar, Dean of the School of Engineering at LAU on his welcoming note during the National Education Robotics Day; a local youth centered innovation initiative that ETC and LAU are collaborating on, including NERD Open and NERD National competitions.

For 3 days in June, FIRST LEGO League teams will be able to enjoy their stay at Byblos, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city dating back to 8800 BC, by visiting its ancient ruins, its magnificent seaside and its Phoenician port, while experiencing the traditional Lebanese cuisine in the city’s beautiful restaurants.  Before all teams get busy with their robots and start showcasing their projects, they will get a chance to tour the city with Dr. Antoine Lahhoud, Senior Practice Lecture at LAU and a member of Forum UNESCO – Universities and Heritage network, who specializes in the restoration and conservation of historic sites and has been involved in several excavation projects in Byblos particularly. “Byblos has been inhabited throughout human history, and every major culture had something to do with this city when global trade channels were established. This is evident in the city’s remaining architecture and its ruins. We want the youth to see Byblos and know that despite our differences, we all have a common heritage.”

The event is sponsored by the Lebanese Chamber of Industry, Commerce, and Agriculture, the Municipality of Byblos, and Shtrumpf, and is technically sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Lebanon Section.

To review the teams participating in this event, please see below

Sponsored by Bloomberg since 2004, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), challenges high school students to build and design robots for a global competition providing accessibility for students to pursue STEAM as a viable career path.

Hundreds of Bloomberg employees have volunteered at FIRST events, and Bloomberg has sponsored a number of teams at FIRST competitions in the United States. Since 2015, 11 FIRST Robotics students have secured internships at Bloomberg.

The closing ceremony will be on Sunday June 16 at 7 p.m.

Click here to register.