The Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED) mourns the passing of Lebanese environmental activist Mona Khalil, who was killed after being injured in the shelling that targeted her home on the coast of Mansouri, south of the Tyre Coast Nature Reserve. Over many years, that home became a symbol of commitment to protecting nature and defending life.

With the passing of Mona Khalil, Lebanon has not merely lost an environmental activist, nor has the Arab environmental movement lost only one of its most dedicated figures. We have all lost a rare humanitarian model who embodied loyalty to the land and a deep belief that protecting nature is neither a profession nor a hobby, but a life mission and a cause worthy of sacrifice.

The late Mona Khalil dedicated years of her life to protecting sea turtles. She was the guardian of their nests, their defending voice, and their safe refuge in the face of threats, violations, and risks. Through her tireless efforts, Mansouri Beach became an environmental success story that inspired generations of activists, volunteers, and researchers, and established a model to be followed in field-based environmental work rooted in passion, science, and commitment.

In a time of war and destruction, when many left areas of danger, Mona Khalil chose to remain faithful to the place she loved and served. She stayed beside her mission, and beside the nature to which she had devoted herself, writing through her resilience and courage the final chapter of an exceptional life story entitled: “Dedication Until the Last Moment.”

The killing of Mona Khalil reminds us that environmental defenders are not immune to the tragedies of wars and conflicts, and that nature itself becomes a victim when the flames of conflict reach it. Yet it also reminds us that there are those who choose to stand on the front lines in defence of life in all its forms, believing that protecting living creatures and natural habitats is, in essence, a defence of humanity, its future, and its dignity.

The late Mona Khalil leaves behind a legacy that will remain alive in every sea turtle that found its way to the sea thanks to her efforts, in every young woman and man inspired by her experience and her sense of environmental commitment, and in every initiative that seeks to preserve nature and protect biodiversity in Lebanon and across the Arab world.

As RAED extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, to her colleagues and companions at the Lebanese Environment Forum, and to environmental activists in Lebanon and the Arab countries, it bows in deep respect to her journey and sacrifices. RAED also calls for honoring her memory and continuing the mission she carried with sincerity and courage.

Mona Khalil will be absent from the shores of Mansouri that she loved, but her name will remain present in the memory of Arab environmental action, as a symbol of commitment, courage, and giving, and as a testament to the fact that a person can leave an impact that outlives them and turn the defence of nature into an everlasting mission.