Reports & Articles

Lebanon Pulls back from the Abyss
By Heiko Wimmen

The political crisis that has dragged on for nearly 18 months escalated dramatically during the second week of May. With the help of the Arab League, a process of dialogue was inaugurated and, on May 20, a temporary compromise was struck. The immediate crisis seems now resolved; however the situation remains volatile and renewed conflict possible, in particular as long as regional tension remains high. Read...

Mixed Messages and Open Friction
The Arab League Summit in Damascus, March 2008
By Sami Moubayed

Lebanon’s political crisis loomed large over the latest Arab summit in Damascus, with the Lebanese government and key Arab states accusing host Syria of fueling the festering conflict. Syrian analyst Sami Moubayed evaluates the score of the latest round in a protracted struggle. Read...

No Place Home

- Iraqi Refugees between Precarious Safety and Precipitous Return

By Layla Al-Zubaidi and Heiko Wimmen

Violence and turmoil have caused a massive stream of refugees from Iraq to seek safety in neighboring countries. This report attempts to give an overview of the origin and magnitude of the crisis, probes the likelihood of substantial numbers of refugees returning in the near future, and assesses the responsibility of international actors towards the refugees.  Read...

UNFIL – Peacemakers in the Line of Fire
By Timur Gِöksel

Since October 2006, a beefed up UN force has been deployed in Southern Lebanon to prevent new hostilities between Hizbollah and Israel. But can the ‘new’ UNIFIL really make a difference once the fragile truth in South Lebanon gets under the pressure of renewed regional tensions? Timur Gِksel, spokesperson for UNIFIL for more than 20 years, attempts an assessment.  Read...

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Activities & Events

Power, Governmentality, Resistance and State of Exception in the Arab World
Beirut, August 29-30, 2008

This conference aims to an improved understanding of the workings and interrelation of state power and resistance in the Arab World. Read More...

Voices of Lesbian Women in Lebanon
Beirut, September, 2008

A book of lesbian identities, stories and experiences and a research paper on social stigmatization and multiple marginalization of lesbian women in Lebanon by Meem.

Citizen/Online Journalism
Beirut, 21-25/07/2008

A five-day training, implemented by the Journalism Training Program at the American University of Beirut, with the purpose to provide young Arab journalists and civil society activists who rely on new media with the necessary skills, but also with journalistic and ethical standards.
Read More...

Double Jeopardy - Navigating the Space between Exile and Home
Malta, 08/07/2008

Panel discussion with Iraqis in exile on their experiences and screenings of related Iraqi short films in the course of Kinemastik Film Festival and in partnership with offline:events.

On the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, Helem held an event that included panel discussions, life testimonies, screenings of documentaries and art exhibitions.

Conflict Mitigation and Engagement through Critical Media
Tripoli March & Autumn 2008
Beirut, Summer, 2008

Two media workshops and a film festival in Tripoli involving Palestinian and Lebanese Youth from Northern Lebanon and Beirut and organized by ARCPA.

In the Framework of Home Works IV
Signs of Conflicts
Beirut, April 12 to May 1, 2008

Political Posters exhibition of Lebanese Civil war (1975-1990).

Home Works IV:
A Forum on Cultural Practices
Beirut,12-20/04/2008

Forum and interdisciplinary event featuring lectures, panels, exhibitions, film and video screenings, and publications.

What is to be Done?
Lebanon's War-Loaded Memory
Beirut, April-October, 2008

Lebanon's war memory: series of workshops and public cultural events on questions of memory, truth seeking, reconciliation, justice and accountability.

Reloading Images
Damascus, March-October, 2008

An interdisciplinary, artistic research, exchange and reflection platform for young artists and cultural scholars from Syria and abroad organized by NewYorkRioTokyo e.V. in association with Al Makan Art Association (Damascus) and PAIN/Plankton vzw (Brussels).

Consultative Seminar on Gender & Lebanon’s accession to the WTO
Towards a strategy for advocacy
Beirut, 12/03/2008

Seminar organized by CRTD.A to discuss the challenges arising from Lebanon's attempts to enter the WTO, with a special focus of the gender-specific aspects of the process.

The Life and Work of Ahmad Faris al-Shidyaq
Berlin, 6-8/03/2008

A Workshop organized by Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin to explore the life and work of Ahmad Faris ash-Shidyaq (1805-1887), author of the Lebanese Nahdah (19th Century Arab cultural renaissance), and exceptional but censored and marginalized public intellectual. Read More..

 Festival of Documentary Film
DOXBOX 08

Damascus, 15-20/02/2008
Homs, 21–23/02/2008
Tartous, 23-25/02/2008

A Documentary film festival organized by DOX BOX, an initiative of a group of filmmakers to establish a creative documentary film event in Syria.

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