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Open Data Lebanon
[edit]Open Data Lebanon (ODL) is a Lebanese civic technology initiative that centralizes open-access data resources about Lebanon.[1] Described as “Lebanon’s Open Data Platform,”[2] it is a citizen initiative aiming to make public data and information accessible, searchable, and available for all. The platform serves researchers, journalists, civil society organizations, academics, and the general public seeking data on Lebanese social, economic, health, and environmental conditions.[3]
History
[edit]Open Data Lebanon was founded and curated by Lebanese academic Wissam Sammouri in 2020. The initiative emerged from a frustration with the fragmentation of Lebanese public data. As Dr. Sammouri noted in an interview with Le Commerce du Levant: “In the absence of centralized access to information, everyone retreats into their preconceptions, to the detriment of facts and critical thinking.”
Mission
[edit]According to its website, ODL’s stated mission is to make Lebanese public data and information accessible, searchable, and available for all.[4] Its guiding principle, “By sharing data, we unify our knowledge and empower each other and the country”, reflects a civic commitment to transparency and collective empowerment through open information.
Platform
[edit]ODL provides access to datasets and resources from Lebanese government ministries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions. The platform organizes resources into thematic categories, including:[5]
- Social: demographic data, refugee statistics, gender indicators
- Economy: budgets, investment data, financial indicators
- Health: public health statistics and epidemiological data
- Education: research from universities and educational bodies
- Agriculture and food security: FAO datasets and food security assessments
- Environment: nature conservation and ecological studies
- Conflict and Security: event-level conflict data
Resources are available in formats such as PDF, Excel, CSV, and web applications, and are organized by theme, geography, and contributing organization. According to the platform, contributors and institutions may submit data resources directly through the website.[6]
Significance for Lebanon
[edit]According to the 2015 Global Open Data Index, Lebanon ranked 98th out of 122 countries, with an index score of 16%.[7] Government data in the country has historically been described as scattered, outdated, or unavailable in machine-readable formats. Analysts have characterized the Lebanese state as a tightly-locked "black box" that releases little information about public decisions, spending, or the data it holds.
Open Data Lebanon emerged as part of a nascent civic response to this opacity, alongside other local initiatives. The platform was launched amid overlapping national crises, including a severe economic collapse, the August 2020 Beirut port explosion, and prolonged political instability.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Maucourant Atallah, Nada (5 June 2020). "Open Data Lebanon, une plate-forme de données ouvertes". Le Commerce du Levant.
- ^ "Data Resources – Open Data Lebanon". Open Data Lebanon.
- ^ Merhej, Karim (15 January 2021). "The Promise of Open Data in Lebanon". The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP). Retrieved 11 June 2026.
- ^ "About – Open Data Lebanon". Retrieved 11 June 2026.
- ^ "Data – Open Data Lebanon". Retrieved 11 June 2026.
- ^ "Submit Data – Open Data Lebanon". Retrieved 11 June 2026.
- ^ "Global Open Data Index 2015". Open Knowledge Foundation. Retrieved 11 June 2026.