To mark Lebanon’s Independence Day, the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) at Antonine University (UA) organized an exhilarating escape room experience titled “Unlock the Cedar’s Secret: Escape Room – Independence Edition,” in collaboration with NoClue Escape Room.

Held on November 20, 2025, at the Hadat–Baabda Campus, the event brought together UA students in a friendly yet competitive environment that tested their teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. Over the course of the day, 13 teams took on the challenge, racing against time to solve puzzles, decipher clues, and unlock the cedar’s secret, all while celebrating the spirit of unity and perseverance that defines Lebanon’s Independence Day.

Participating Teams

A total of 13 teams took on the Independence Edition challenge, including: “Fam Bam,” “The Codebreakers,” “Eugenie Psychos,” “Quatro,” “GREEN 4,” “Clue Crew,” “Lesgo,” “Team LEB,” “Pookies,” “Beright,” “Teletubbies Designers,” “فريق الرفيق,” and the uniquely named team “.”.

A Challenge Rooted in Lebanese Heritage

All clues, puzzles, and riddles were thoughtfully designed around Lebanon’s history, culture, geography, and traditions. From decoding symbols tied to Lebanese landmarks to uncovering facts about the coastline, governorates, cuisine, and iconic regions, every step of the escape room immersed participants in a proudly Lebanese narrative. Teams had to decipher secret alphabets, reconstruct fragments of Lebanon’s map, identify cultural symbols such as hummus, Arabic coffee, and the old bosta, and follow story-driven hints that took them from Raoucheh to Byblos and Tripoli. This thematic approach ensured that the entire experience was not only challenging and fun, but also deeply connected to the spirit of Independence Day.

Winners

The winners were announced by Fr. Jean Al Alam, Vice Rector for Integral Human Development, and Ms. Jocelyn Saab, Director of the OSA:

🏆 First Place – Beright: escaped in 10 min 52 s ($250 cash prize + $75 NoClue voucher)
🥈 Second Place – Pookies: escaped in 13 min 16 s ($150 cash prize + $50 NoClue voucher)
🥉 Third Place – Teletubbies Designers: escaped in 13 min 57 s ($50 cash prize + $30 NoClue voucher)

Through this activity, students not only celebrated Independence Day in a modern, creative way but also embodied the values of unity, responsibility, and perseverance, values deeply rooted in UA’s mission to foster holistic well-being and proactive citizenship.