Lebanon at a Crossroads: Is Real Reform Possible?

Lebanon remains a highly volatile sociopolitical and economic environment, compounded by a crippling financial crisis, a large protest movement nationwide, increasing tension among political and sectarian factions, and a large presence of Syrian refugees. Its vibrant civil society has played a leading role in pushing for reform to address the significant threats facing the country. 

While the unprecedented mass demonstrations that began in October 2019 succeeded in pressuring the government of then-prime minister Saad Hariri to resign, they have yet to lead to the radical change that many protestors are seeking. As Lebanon continues to flatten the coronavirus curve and as the country opens up again, the protest movement is largely expected to make a comeback, with protestors again voicing demands for an independent judiciary, accountability, early parliamentary elections, and financial reform—among others.

To discuss the protests’ resurgence and the prospects for real reform in the country, the European Endowment for Democracy and the Carnegie Middle East Center are jointly organizing a virtual live panel discussion on Wednesday, June 17 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. Beirut (GMT+3). The event will be held in English on the Carnegie Middle East Center’s YouTube page. Viewers may submit their questions using the live chat feature during the livestream. For more info, please contact Alex Müller at alexander.muller@carnegie-mec.org. 

SPEAKERS

Lara Bitar is the founding editor of The Public Source.

Alia Ibrahim is a founding partner and chairwoman of Daraj.

Jean Kassir is a co-founder and managing editor of Megaphone.

CHAIR

Maha Yahya is the director of the Carnegie Middle East Center.

EVENT TIMINGS

Washington (EDT): 10:00-11:00 a.m.  

Brussels (CEST): 4:00-5:00 p.m.  

Beirut, Moscow (EEST): 5:00-6:00 p.m.  

New Delhi (IST): 7:30-8:30 p.m.  

Beijing (CST): 10:00-11:00 p.m.