In a region where the past is often argued over rather than taught, a Beirut newspaper has turned its own eight decades of reporting into the history lesson a generation of Lebanese students never received. The London International Awards, through its new Democracy and Human Rights category, has now recognised that effort, and with it IMPACT BBDO, named MEA Agency of the Year. What makes the moment resonate is less the trophy than the quiet proposition beneath it: that a daily record of a nation can serve as the nation's memory when its schools have not yet agreed on one.
IMPACT BBDO Named MEA Agency of the Year at LIA 2026 as AnNahar Takes Brand of the Year
The newspaper itself as the country's first independently verified history volume
Mark
Agency awards are common. Why does this one stand out?
Mimi
Because of the category. The Untaught History Edition won the first Grand LIA in Democracy and Human Rights, a category that is new this year. Whatever follows will be measured against it.
Mark
What was the campaign actually doing?
Mimi
Lebanon's school curriculum lacks a unified, truthful account of the country's modern history. The campaign used more than eight decades of AnNahar's archives and presented the newspaper as the first independently verified history volume.
Luke
"Independently verified" is the campaign's framing. The reporting doesn't say who did the verifying or how.
Mimi
Fair. The source states it as the campaign's claim and doesn't detail the process.
Mark
And the wider haul?
Mimi
Several Gold and Silver awards on top of the Grand LIA, and AnNahar was named MEA Brand of the Year. The agency's third Agency of the Year title in five years.
Luke
Worth noting that the praise comes from the agency's own executive and the festival's president. Nothing here measures whether students or schools have actually used the edition.
Mark
So the impact beyond the awards is unknown?
Luke
In this reporting, yes. The recognition is confirmed. The educational effect isn't addressed.
Mimi
And Limitless Learning for Google Gemini gets only a brief mention, with no detail on the work itself.
Il Polso
- Lebanon's curriculum offers no unified, truthful account of its modern history, leaving a gap students feel every day.
- AnNahar's 'Untaught History Edition' presents eight decades of archives as a verified history volume, placing a contested past in front of readers.
- The campaign took the first-ever Grand LIA in Democracy and Human Rights and was joined by several Gold and Silver awards.
- AnNahar was also named MEA Brand of the Year, and IMPACT BBDO earned its third MEA Agency of the Year title at LIA in five years.
- The win sets the first benchmark for a new category, with the industry now measured against work that stands for more than a brand.
In a region where the past is often argued over rather than taught, a Beirut newspaper has turned its own eight decades of reporting into the history lesson a generation of Lebanese students never received. The London International Awards, through its new Democracy and Human Rights category, has now recognised that effort, and with it IMPACT BBDO, named MEA Agency of the Year. What makes the moment resonate is less the trophy than the quiet proposition beneath it: that a daily record of a nation can serve as the nation's memory when its schools have not yet agreed on one.
IMPACT BBDO has been named MEA Agency of the Year at the 2026 London International Awards, and the work behind the honor is a newspaper edition made to fill a gap in Lebanese classrooms. The campaign, The Untaught History Edition, was created for the Lebanese newspaper AnNahar and won the first-ever Grand LIA in the Democracy and Human Rights category, a prize the festival introduced this year.
The problem it addressed is specific. Lebanon's schools have no unified, truthful account of the country's modern history. The answer drew on more than eight decades of AnNahar's journalistic archives, presenting the paper itself as the country's first independently verified history volume, so that a new generation could reach material that had been out of their reach.
The campaign's success also carried AnNahar to the title of MEA Brand of the Year. The agency's other recognised work, Limitless Learning for Google Gemini, was praised for turning technology into culturally relevant ideas, though no performance details were given.
Ali Rez, Regional Chief Creative Officer at IMPACT BBDO, framed the award as proof that the agency's work can compete at the highest level while solving business problems and creating cultural impact. Barbara Levy, President of London International Awards, called the campaign an example of creativity that stands for something bigger than a brand. The title is IMPACT BBDO's third MEA Agency of the Year at LIA in five years, and it arrives in a year the agency has also led the region at D&AD, One Show, AdFest and WARC Effectiveness.
IMPACT BBDO has been named MEA Agency of the Year at the 2026 London International Awards, and the work that carried it there is a newspaper edition built to fill a gap in Lebanese classrooms.
The campaign is The Untaught History Edition, created for the Lebanese newspaper AnNahar. It won the first-ever Grand LIA in the Democracy and Human Rights category, which the festival established this year. The Grand LIA was joined by several Gold and Silver awards, making the campaign the most celebrated piece of work from the MEA region at this year's festival.
The problem it took on is specific. Lebanon's school curriculum has no unified, truthful account of the country's modern history. The campaign answered by drawing on more than eight decades of AnNahar's journalistic archives and presenting the newspaper itself as the country's first independently verified history volume. For the first time, that material was made accessible to a new generation of Lebanese.
The campaign's success also fed into a second honor: AnNahar was named MEA Brand of the Year at the festival.
The agency's other recognised campaign was Limitless Learning, made for Google Gemini. The source describes it as an example of IMPACT BBDO turning technology and product innovation into creative ideas with cultural relevance, though it gives no details on how the work performed beyond the recognition.
Ali Rez, Regional Chief Creative Officer at IMPACT BBDO, said the title reflects the agency's commitment to making work that competes at the highest level. He said the agency continues to champion creativity that solves business problems while delivering cultural impact, as shown in its work for AnNahar and Google Gemini. He said he was proud of his people and of the client partners who trust the agency to think big.
Barbara Levy, President of London International Awards, called the result a testament to ambitious, meaningful and impactful creativity. She singled out The Untaught History Edition as especially significant because it embodies the spirit of the new Democracy and Human Rights category. In her words, it is work that uses creativity to stand for something bigger than a brand, and an example of how the industry can contribute to society.
The title is IMPACT BBDO's third MEA Agency of the Year at LIA in five years. It also comes in a year in which the agency has topped the region at D&AD, One Show, AdFest and WARC Effectiveness. With the Democracy and Human Rights category now on the LIA roster, the AnNahar win sets a first benchmark for the kind of work it is meant to honor.
Citazioni salienti
The Untaught History Edition represents the very spirit of the inaugural Democracy and Human Rights category, using creativity to stand for something bigger than a brand.— Barbara Levy, President, London International Awards
The title reflects the agency's commitment to creating work that competes at the highest level while delivering cultural impact.— Ali Rez, Regional Chief Creative Officer, IMPACT BBDO
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