Maria Saadeh

Saadeh was born in Damascus, Syria.^[2] Her father died in 1980, when she was aged 6.^{[citation needed]}

She earned a diploma in Architecture from the University of Aleppo in 1997. In 1998, she obtained a diploma in Architectural Design, with a specialization in the historical development of Syrian church architecture. The following year, she received a DESS in Conservation and Restoration of Old Monuments and Sites from the École de Chaillot [fr] in Paris and the University of Tripoli Lebanon. ^{[citation needed]}

In 1999–2000, Saadeh founded PAA, an architectural firm specializing in interior design and restoration and conservation studies. From 2001 to 2011, she taught architectural design at the University of Damascus. Between 2006 and 2010, she pursued doctoral studies at the University of Geneva on contemporary interventions in historical monuments and sites. She has worked as an expert in restoration and conservation and has received several local and international awards in architecture and design.

In the 2012 Syrian parliamentary election, Saadeh was elected as an independent member of the People's Assembly, serving from 2012 to 2016. She is a Melkite Greek Catholic and appealed to Pope Francis and the international community for the protection of Christian communities in Syria, stating, "We need to ask all countries to stop violence and war. We call on the United States not to promote a military action, because it is illegal and the whole world recognizes it."^[3] In February 2018 she was interviewed by Channel 4 in the United Kingdom regarding the Siege of Eastern Ghouta.^[4]

In 2020, Saadeh founded Houna Hawyati, a nonprofit association for social development focused on promoting Syrian identity through cultural, economic, and social initiatives.