Podcasts about issam fares institute

In this episode of the afikra podcast, we tackle the alternative histories of Beirut, planning cities that put communities first, and rethinking public spaces. Mona Fawaz — co-founder of Beirut Urban Lab and professor of Urban Studies and Planning at the American University of Beirut (AUB) — tells us about her research into Lebanon's temporary settlements, unearthing alternative histories of Beirut, and why the city still goes by its masterplan from the 50s which puts cars first. She explains the intricacies of urban studies, what "planning" as a profession actually means, and why she considers Beirut to be a "hijacked city". Finally, Mona tells us about the fascinating work and research that Beirut Urban Lab is doing and the visions she has for the future of this city.Mona Fawaz is a Professor in Urban Studies and Planning at the American University of Beirut (AUB). She is also the co-founder of the Beirut Urban Lab at AUB, and serves as the director of the Social Justice and the City research program at the Issam Fares Institute of Public Policy (also at AUB). Mona was a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Studies at Harvard University during the 2014/15 academic year and in Summer 2017.Connect with Mona

Ali is joined by Lisa Rubin, MSNBC Legal Analyst, Andrew Kirtzman, President of Kirtzman Strategies, Amb. William B. Taylor, Fmr. U.S Ambassador to Ukraine, Steven Cook, Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for Middle East & Africa Studies at Council on Foreign Affairs, Michelle Goldberg, Pulitzer Prize-winning Columnist at The New York Times, Robin Marty, Operations Director at West Alabama Women's Center, Tara Palmeri, Senior Political Correspondent at Puck News, Melissa Redmon, Fmr. Fulton County Deputy District Attorney, Amb. Michael McFaul, Fmr. U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow at Issam Fares Institute of Public Policy & International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, and Dara Lind, Senior Fellow at American Immigration Council

A conversation with Simon Kachar - lecturer in political science at the American University of Beirut, fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and author of 'Fouad Chehab and the Political Change in a Pluralistic Society'. Click to watch: https://youtu.be/ntj65MQA9tM Discussing the buildup to cross-communal power sharing and the national pact, 1958, the legacy of Fouad Chehab and a wider look at institutional building and foreign policy during the 1960s. We also talk about the 1969 Cairo Agreement's long term implications, trying to replicate 'Chehabism' under those circumstances and 80 years of independence in retrospect. Taped live at Aaliya's Books on Lebanon's Independence Day. Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:04 Birth pangs of this country 8:20 Sectarian model 14:18 Reflective of Lebanese society 19:36 1958 27:16 Fouad Chehab's career 45:00 The system, itself 49:02 Deuxième bureau 53:51 Relations to political families 1:00:19 Post-Fouad Chehab 1:07:34 Who we are & where we are 1:11:39 The same position 1:19:19 Religious family laws 1:21:06 Palestine 1:22:47 Successors 1:25:32 'Chehabism' 1:28:14 Alternative narrative 1:30:28 Other political figures 1:40:45 Foreign policy 1:45:37 Sarkis & Frangieh dispute 1:50:21 Political reform 1:51:57 Forming a political party

From nothing to so much, from grass to grace, from facing your fears to extinguishing your worries, this is often the story of champions, those who have come to understand and appreciate their purpose here on earth, not minding the circumstances they find themselves, they take advantage of what the providence of purpose has given riding on the gift of life to fulfilling that God-given purpose.For such people, when faced with adversities or challenges, they don't give in to the suggestions of defeat, and they don't respond from a disadvantaged position; instead, they see all of these as an opportunity to confront these challenges, questioning the status quo by standing on the premise provided by the situation and having a view that is somewhat different from the norm, more like a panoramic view. These individuals often come through with answers and solutions to societal challenges, eventually lighting up our world.The Story of Carole Nakhle fits into this narrative in every way. Dr. Carole Nakhle is an international authority on global energy issues, particularly in policy, finance, market development, governance, energy taxes, and fiscal regimes, as well as geopolitics. With a unique breadth of experience spanning different stakeholders in the energy industry all around the world, Dr. Nakhle has worked with major energy companies (Eni and Statoil) at the executive level, governments, and policymakers (including Special Parliamentary Advisor in the UK), international organizations, academic institutions, and specialized think tanks on a global scale. She is active on the Governing Board of the Natural Resource Governance Institute and is a Member of its Audit and Finance Committee. She is also a Member of the Advisory Boards of the Middle East Institute and the Payne Institute at the Colorado School of Mines. She is a Lead Energy Expert with the Geopolitical Intelligence Services in Liechtenstein and Associate Fellow at Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in Beirut. She has appeared on Africa News, Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, Asharq, BBC, Bloomberg, CGTN, CNBC, CNN, DW News, France 24, and Sky News, among others. She has also been quoted in leading publications, such as Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal, and interviewed by international magazines, including Marie Claire.She has published two widely acclaimed books: Petroleum Taxation: Sharing the Wealth and Out of the Energy Labyrinth (co-authored with Lord David Howell, former Secretary of State for Energy in the UK). Dr. Nakhle has worked on projects in many countries, collaborating closely with host governments, ministries, parliaments, the private sector, and civic society. She has also been on exploratory visits to the Arctic (organized by the Norwegian Government) and the North Sea.She is fluent in Arabic, English, and French. In 2017, she gave evidence to the International Relations Committee at the UK Parliament on oil markets, the transformation of power in the Middle East, and implications for UK policy.]On this episode of the Word café podcast, I am delighted to host Dr. Carole Nakhle to share her story and experience within the energy sector.Support the showYou can support this show via the link below;https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718587/supporters/new

Marc Ayoub coordinated the energy policy and security program at AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, where he and colleagues worked on critical issues in the energy sector – which mostly remain unresolved. Now he's an Associate Fellow at IFI while mainly researching energy issues at the University of Limerick in Ireland. In this episode he looks back on attempts to engage and convince policy-makers to adopt more effective policies in fields like solar energy, electricity production, and others. He stresses that engaging with experts and citizens in all arenas is a critical step, for it allows public officials to develop trust in academic analyses that could help resolve critical issues that impact all citizens. That battle continues today, as experts in many countries try to solve the puzzle of how to translate technical knowledge into policy-relevant action.

Joe Bahout, director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (IFI) and associate professor of Political Studies and Public Administration, analyzes the stresses and weaknesses of today's Arab states that largely ignored or marginalized their societies and citizens. The resurgence of society on the national stage today, he says, gives IFI and AUB an unprecedented opportunity to impact state policies in Lebanon and the region.

Dr. Omar Sirri, affiliated scholar at AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, recently received his PhD degree at the University of Toronto. He discusses his years of research on the symbolism, roles, and fate of security checkpoints across Baghdad since the 2003 invasion, and how they link to issues of identity, sectarianism and power in Iraq and the wider region.

Dr Ali Ahmad's research career at Cambridge, Princeton, AUB and Harvard Universities now sees him focus on the complex links among energy, nuclear power, security across the Middle East. As an AUB- Issam Fares Institute senior fellow and a research scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School, he explains the positive developments in these sectors as well as the hard decisions that must be made soon on energy subsidies, sustainability, environmental protection, and other critical issues. Water stress and the expected impacts of climate change add urgency to new inter-disciplinary efforts in nuclear power and energy resilience.

This webinar was the launch of Omar Sirri's paper 'Destructive Creations: Social-Spatial Transformations in Contemporary Baghdad' published as part of the LSE Middle East Centre Paper Series. This working paper examines social-spatial transformations in contemporary Baghdad by zooming in on two of the city’s most frequented consumer districts, Karada and Mansour. By way of ethnographic fieldwork, Sirri foregrounds the entanglements between violence, property and consumption. Baghdad’s transformations over nearly two decades are not simply a product of urban violence; nor are they only a result of the privatisation of formerly public property; nor are they merely a consequence of changes in everyday consumer patterns. Rather, the city’s transformations stem from the co-constitution of all three forces. In Baghdad, violence, property and consumption are inextricably linked. Their enmeshment has in turn spawned social-spatial transformations benefitting the political-economic interests of an elite few at the expense of the urban commons. Omar Sirri is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of Toronto. His doctoral dissertation, Scarecrows of the State: Security Checkpoints in Contemporary Baghdad, is an ethnography of urban checkpoint practices in Iraq’s capital city. He is currently an Affiliated Scholar at the Issam Fares Institute for International Affairs and Public Policy at the American University of Beirut. Toby Dodge is a Professor in the Department of International Relations, where he is Deputy Head of the Department (PhD and Research). He is also Kuwait Professor and Director of the Kuwait Programme, Middle East Centre. Toby currently serves as Iraq Research Director for the DFID-funded Conflict Research Programme (CRP). From 2013–18, Toby was Director of the Middle East Centre. Toby's research concentrates on the evolution of the post-colonial state in the international system. The main focus of this work on the developing world is the state in the Middle East, specifically Iraq.

Dr Nadim Farajallah founded and has directed the Climate Change & Environment Program at AUB's Issam Fares Institute since 2008. He explains his research findings on how climate change will impact key sectors of life and economy in Lebanon, what concerns citizens most, and how local governance can play a critical role in minimizing future threats.

The status and fate of the over seven million Palestinian refugees, scattered throughout the world today as a result of Israel's creation in 1948, persists as one of the most politically contested refugee crises of our time. What rights do these refugees currently hold? What challenges and opportunities does international law present to the plight of Palestinian refugees? Can the right of return for Palestinians to return to their ancestral homeland be actualized and how do we envision the return given the fraught political forces at play in both Israel and international governing bodies? In this webinar, author and activist, Miko Peled invites the authors of the new book, Palestinian Refugees in International Law, Francesca P. Albanese and Lex Takkenberg, to share their research while providing a comprehensive analysis of the Palestinian refugee question in light of various areas of international law. The panel is rounded out by facilitator and activist, Umar al-Ghubari of Zochrot, an Israeli NGO working towards the reconceptualization of the return. The panel will provide a foundation in understanding the rights of Palestinian refugees as protected by international law, examine the role of Israel and the international community within this context, and envision what return could look like. Guest Panel: Francesca P. Albanese: Research Affiliate for the Study of International Migration (ISIM), Georgetown University and Visiting Scholar, at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Studies Policies and International Affairs, American University of Beirut. Dr. Lex Takkenberg: Worked with UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, from 1989 until late 2019 and is currently a freelance lecturer and consultant. He is the former Chief of the UNRWA Ethics Office. Umar al-Ghubari: A professional group facilitator, specializing in the Arab-Jewish conflict. He is also a coordinator in the Karev educational program. Umar works for Zochrot, an NGO that formed in 2002 to promote acknowledgement and accountability for the ongoing injustices of the Nakba and the reconceptualization of the Return as the imperative redress of the Nakba. Watch all of Miko Peled's webinars at www.mikopeled.com #FREEPALESTINE

Dr. Stellios Plainiotis is the founder and CEO of NEAPOLI, an Environmental Design & Engineering consultancy firm with offices in Kuala Lumpur and Seoul. Considered as one of Asia's leading Sustainability experts, he has spent over 20 years in academic, policy and private sectors across the Europe, South East and East Asia. He has consulted over 80 important construction projects which include Crystal Palace Park and Hoxton Square in London, Rohansky Ostrov Masterplan in Prague, Issam Fares Institute in Beirut, Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2, TRX, Menara PNB, the Petronas Cititowers in KL and the multiple award winning project PKNS HQ, reaching prestigious awards as the recipient of the Europa Award for Sustainability 2017 (Best Sustainability Leader). He will shares with our audience his expertise in designing consciously and respectfully, thinking about sustainability as a more integral whole. Tropical lifestyle and urbanism will be some of the topics he will touch, above, the problem of affordability housing crisis connected to the Green Building Movement. He is the co-author of the first Chinese Guidebook “Design for Sustainability”, which is now used as a textbook at the Tongji University, Shanghai and the University of Nottingham (UK).

0:00 Intro 2:44 The Need to Organize 25:48 From Protest to Power 36:16 The Source of the Problem 43:23 Politicians & Population 52:32 Consequences of Covid-19 Click to watch: https://youtu.be/cnnfLhJL2Jg We're back with Nasser Yassin for Episode 185 of The Beirut Banyan. We discuss the necessity for grassroots organization when it comes to transitioning the protest movement into a long-term political force; identifying the "source of the problem" when it comes to implementing much-needed reforms; population hesitancy in pushing for a new social pact; and the immediate consequences of Covid-19. Nasser is the Interim Director of the Issam Fares Institute at the American University of Beirut. Make sure to take advantage of La Bonne Soupe's generous summer offer for free house wine; a free glass of Lebanese wine with in-restaurant meals; and a $10 delivery discount off of $30+ orders when using the promo code: BANYAN. Check out La Bonne Soupe's website for online delivery options and - if you plan to visit - their contact details: www.labonnesoupe.com Help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan Watch these episodes via our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/c/thebeirutbanyan Subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: @thebeirutbanyan And check out our website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

Covid-19 has exacerbated many structural problems in the MENA region, throwing already fragile states, embattled economies, and restive societies into deeper turmoil. Reflecting the deeply rooted inequality in the region, the impact of the pandemic has not been uniform across the region, hitting vulnerable segments, including women and refugees, disproportionately harder. Gender-based marginalization and structural, economic, and physical violence endemic to many parts of the MENA region have been compounded by the invisible viral pandemic. The often strict lockdown measures it has triggered means many women are left trapped with abusers without recourse to shelter or assistance, while many others, despite already being responsible for most thankless unpaid labour as parents or carers in free-falling economies, are now struggling to cope with the added weight of the novel coronavirus. The recorded live discussion focused on the specific ways in which Covid-19 has disproportionately affected women in the Levant subregion of MENA, and what some feminist groups have been doing to improve women's resilience since the start of the pandemic. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Speakers:Lina Abou-Habib is an expert in mainstreaming gender in development policies and practices and in building capacities for gender mainstreaming in regional and international agencies as well as public institutions. She is currently a Senior Policy Fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs (American University of Beirut).  She also serves as the Chair of the Collective for Research and Training of Development-Action and is a Strategic MENA Advisor for the Global Fund for Women.  She is a member of the editorial board of the Gender and Development journal published by Oxfam and Routledge. She holds an M.A. in Public Health from American University in Beirut.Maria Al Abdeh is a feminist researcher and Executive Director of Women Now For Development (WND). Maria has a PhD in Microbiology. She joined Women Now for Development in November 2013  and since then she accompanied the growth of the organization to become the largest network of women empowerment centers inside Syria and the neighboring countries and participated in many campaigns and conferences to reach out the voices of the most vulnerable women to the media, activists and decision makers, and focuses on women and conflict and women rights in the MENA region. In March 2016 Maria received the Award of Feminine Success in France, and together with WND received in May 2016 the Award of ‘Delivering Lasting Change' for commitment to Justice and Dignity from CARE international. Soheir Asaad is a political and feminist Palestinian activist, and an organizer in the "Tal'at Movement" – a Palestinian political feminist movement. Launched in September 2019 under the slogan “There is no free homeland without free women”, Tal'at seeks to build Palestinian, de-fragmented feminist solidarity and activism across the whole of historic Palestine and the diaspora community. Asaad is also a human rights advocate and has a Masters degree in Law (LL.M.) with Honors from the Center for Civil & Human Rights at the University of Notre Dame (US), with a focus on international human rights law.Moderator:Danya Hajjaji is a journalist at The New Arab. She previously served as Patti Birch Fellow for Middle East Research at the Committee to Protect Journalists. Danya earned her MS in Journalism from Columbia University and her BA in Media and Communications from the University of Sussex.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more

We're joined by Nasser Yassin for Episode 104 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss the successes and limitations of Lebanon's ongoing revolt, as well as the dynamics at play between protestors remaining on the street and the political class still in power. Nasser is the Interim Director of Research at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and an assistant professor of policy and planning at the American University of Beirut. If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing via PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/walkbeirut Or donating through our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan And subscribe to our podcast from your preferred platform. Follow us on Instagram: thebeirutbanyan Twitter: beirut_banyan Facebook: The Beirut Banyan Website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

We're joined by Tarek Mitri for Episode 26 of The Beirut Banyan, and we discuss his childhood in Tripoli, his political evolution as a student both in Tripoli and AUB, and his career that took him from religious dialogue and understanding through academia to several ministerial portfolios in the Lebanese government. Tarek Mitri served as Minister of Environment, Minister of Culture and Minister of Information under several governments following the 2005 elections. He also served as an Acting Foreign Minister, and his role was highlighted when he represented Lebanon during the July 2006 War with Israel. Tarek Mitri most recently served as director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at AUB, and officially ends his tenure today. This conversation was recorded days prior to the uprising these past two weeks, yet the discussions are pertinent to Tripoli's important role in both the Lebanese economy and polity, as well as current demands for genuine political reform. If you're enjoying these episodes, help support The Beirut Banyan by contributing to our Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/thebeirutbanyan And subscribe to our podcast from your preferred podcast platform. Follow us on Instagram: thebeirutbanyan Twitter: beirut_banyan Facebook: The Beirut Banyan Website: www.beirutbanyan.com Music by Marc Codsi. Graphics by Sara Tarhini.

Aisha Al-Sarihi, visiting scholar at AGSIW, Nadim Farajalla, director of the Climate Change and the Environment program at AUB’s Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, and MEI’s Amal Kandeel join host Alistair Taylor to discuss how climate change is affecting the Middle East and what can be done to address the issue.

Refugee fatigue begins at 22:22. With Nizar globetrotting once again, the twenty-ninth episode of The Lebanese Politics Podcast sees regular host Benjamin Redd joined by guest Nasser Yassin, the director of research at the Issam Fares Institute, to analyse the news of the past week before diving deep into an incredibly important topic for Lebanon: refugees. We start with analysis of the sewage mess in Ramlet el-Baida, the theater of politicians blaming each other, and the oversight role Parliament should be playing, before looking at the other pollution stories, including Zahle's Berdawni river turning red for the second time this year, Nahr al-Kalb's stint as green, and the decades of pollution in the Litani. Also covered, an update on the e-transaction law we discussed in episode 26—even the politicians who helped pass it agree the law is flawed—and the latest on cabinet formation, with the ongoing issue of Sunni representation meaning there is no end in sight. With the Syrian refugee crisis in it's eight year, we look at the impacts, real and perceived, on the host communities, how the media, donors, and the refugees themselves are becoming fatigued, how populist rhetoric is not actually based on the experiences of the poor Lebanese who share their space with Syrian refugees, and why the issue of returns is more fraught than many are willing to admit. Music track: Zuhal by Elepheel, check out his other work @elepheel

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs cordially invites you to the Nadim Makdisi Memorial Fund Annual Lecture: "What's a Journalist from India Doing in an Al-Qaeda Camp? Reflections on covering the Global South from the Global South" Date: March 14 Time: 6 PM Location: IFI Auditorium For twenty-five years, Vijay Prashad has been writing for the Indian press about world affairs. He has traveled to every continent, lived in several countries and studied closely the rhythms of conflict and of possibility. In this talk, he will reflect on his experiences and what it means to cover the Global South for newspapers and magazines of the Global South. What it means - in sum - to produce news that is not refracted through the narrow and suffocating circuits of Western news media. Vijay Prashad is the Executive Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which is an inter-movement organization based in Argentina, Brazil, India and South Africa. He is also the Chief Editor of LeftWord Books, based in New Delhi. Prashad is regular columnist and reporter for Frontline (India), The Hindu (India), Newsclick (India), BirGün (Turkey) and Alternet (USA). He is the author of twenty-five books including - most recently - Red Star Over the Third World. He was the Edward Said Chair at AUB in 2013-14 and had been a Senior Research Fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs. Vijay has a PhD in History from the University of Chicago.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Open Society Foundations Held a panel discussion Civil Society Actors Influencing Policy-Making in the Arab World The Civil Society & Policy-making in the Arab World Program at the Issam Fares Institute launched a research project funded by the Open Society Foundations last year. The project consisted of three case studies and aimed to explore the effect of several internal and external factors on the role of Civil Society Actors in influencing policy-making in the Arab world. Three research papers from Lebanon, Egypt and Tunisia were prepared by Lea Bou Khater (Lebanon), Nermeen Kassem (Egypt) & Alexander Martin (Tunis) during the last months. Dr. Lea Bou Khater analyzed the 2012 wage hike in Lebanon using the Multiple Streams Framework as an instrument to consider agenda setting, and decision-making processes as well as the role of policy entrepreneurs. Dr. Nermeen Kassem conducted the research on the influence of classical and social media on the role of Egyptian Civil Society in approaching the recently issued NGO law (2017). Dr. Alexander Martin conducted the research on the Tunisian case. Martin’s research explores the role of foreign funders in influencing the civil society organizations concerned with the transparency of the management and extraction of the phosphate and natural resources in Tunisia. Note: This panel discussion will be held in English and Arabic with simultaneous interpretation. ***************************************************************************** يتشرف معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية بالتعاون مع مؤسسات المجتمع المفتوح (Open Society Foundation) بدعوتكم إلى جلسة نقاش بعنوان "كسر القوالب: الناشطون في المجتمع المدني يؤثرون في صنع السياسات في العالم العربي" الزمان: 23 كانون الثاني/يناير 2018 من الساعة الخامسة والنصف عصرًا حتى الساعة السابعة والنصف مساءً المكان: معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية‏ - قاعة الأوديتوريوم، غرين اوفل الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت‏ أجرى برنامج "الفاعلون في المجتمع المدني وصنع السياسات في العالم العربي" في معهد عصام فارس للسياسات العامة والشؤون الدولية في الجامعة الأميركية في بيروت، بتمويل من منظمة مؤسسات المجتمع المفتوح (Open Society Foundation)، ثلاث دراسات بحثية خلال العام المنصرم في أكثر من بلد عربي. تناولت الدراسات دور بعض العوامل الداخلية والخارجية في تأثير المجتمع المدني على صنع السياسات العامة في العالم العربي على مدار الأشهر الماضية، أُقيمت ثلاثة أبحاث من لبنان ومصر وتونس من إعداد كل من ليا أبو خاطر ونرمين قاسم وألكساندر مارتن الدكتورة ليا بو خاطر أجرت دراسة حول مسألة رفع الأجور في لبنان (2012) مستخدمة إطار المسارات المتعددة Multiple Strems Framework كأداة لدراسة وضع الموضوع على جدول الأعمال، لدراسة آليات صنع القرار المتعلق به كما لدراسة دور الرياديين في مجال صنع السياسات في هذه المسألة وأجرت نرمين قاسم من مصر دراسة مطوَّلة حول تأثير وسائل الإعلام الكلاسيكية ووسائل التواصل الاجتماعي على بلورة دور المجتمع المدني وتفاعله مع قانون الجمعيات الصادر حديثًا في مصر 2017 أما ألكساندر مارتن فتناول في بحثه تأثير المانحين الأجانب على دور جمعيات المجتمع المدني المعنيّة بالسياسات المتعلِّقة بشفافية إدارة واستخراج الفوسفات والموارد الطبيعية في تونس الجلسة باللغتين العربية والإنكليزية مع توفر الترجمة الفورية

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the Embassy of Finland Beirut and the Finnish Institute in the Middle East Held a lecture A Small Nation Surviving a Turbulent Era: The Finnish Experience with Jaakko Iloniemi Finnish veteran diplomat In the field of international politics, small nations can easily fall into the role of a pawn, instead of being seen as active and effective members in negotiations and operations. Drawing from the experience of Finland – 70 years ago a poor, war-torn, developing country, facing the task of relocating 420,000 refugees (12% of country's population), today a Nordic welfare state with a strong presence in regional politics and international peace-building missions – Minister Jaakko Iloniemi will discuss the possibilities of small nations in contributing to international relations and foreign policies in regions where tensions between countries have been high. Examples of supporting the multilateral systems and efforts to resolve crises include work in the United Nations and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, as well as in various peace-building missions. Jaakko Iloniemi (b. 1932) is a renowned Finnish diplomat with an extensive career in international politics and economics. In 1957 he received his degree in Political Science from University of Helsinki and entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1961. During the 1970's he became a prominent figure in foreign politics and diplomatic missions, acting as the Deputy Head of Mission to the United Nations 1971-73, Ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe 1973-75, Under-Secretary General for Political Affairs 1975-77, and Ambassador of Finland to the United States 1977-83. During the 1980's his focus turned to economics, and he served as member of the Board of the Union Bank of Finland 1983-1990, and as the Executive Director of the Center of Business and Policy Studies 1990-2000. In 2000, University of Helsinki awarded Iloniemi Honoris Causa Doctorate in Political Science. Since 2008, he has been a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations. Iloniemi has written four books on topics of international affairs. He is also an active columnist, with almost 300 writings on politics and economics.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, in collaboration with Al-Edara-BiMahala and the German Foreign Office Held a panel discussion Decentralization in a Comparative Perspective: Lessons Learnt from Arab Countries and Former Yugoslavia Panel Jinan Limam, Teaching Assistant, Faculty of Legal, Political and Social Sciences, Tunisia Ali Al-Khawaldeh, Trainer on Key Policy and Development Issues, Ministry of Parliamentary and Political Affairs in Jordan Soeren Keil, Reader in Politics and International Relations, Canterbury Christ Church University Moderator: Carmen Geha, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Studies and Public Administration, AUB The topic of decentralization has been brought to the discussion table repetitively in Lebanon. Although the concept is agreeably beneficial for the country’s various structures, no full application of it has been noted so far at the local level. Since it is believed that bringing such discussions back to light could and would help push further work on implementing it, a consortium comprising Democracy Reporting International, Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE), Partnership Center for Development and Democracy (PCDD), NAHNOO, and Beyond Reform and Development (BRD), have worked on organizing a comparative discussion showcasing the various experiences and moments of decentralization across different parts of the Arab world and former Yugoslavia where Lebanese authorities can learn more about the topic itself: notably its prerequisites and consequences on the various sectors in the country. The Consortium الإدارة بمحلها: Identity and Work The consortium consists of various civil society organizations which include Democracy Reporting International, a Berlin-based non-governmental organization catering for democratic processes and political participation, NAHNOO, Lebanese Association for Democratic Election, Beyond Reform and Development, and Partnership Center for Democracy and Development. The consortium seeks to set an Agenda for Decentralization in Lebanon. Simultaneously, Democracy Reporting International helps provide legal assistance to the Parliamentary Committee working on behalf of the Justice and Administration Committee which is currently discussing a draft decentralization law.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Media Studies Held a lecture From Political Violence to Exiting Violence in a Global Perspective with Michel Wieviorka Professor of Sociology, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales President, Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme Political violence can be instrumental but it can also be an answer to a crisis or a reaction to frustration. It is sometimes connected to cultural dimensions, including socialization in education and the family. Political violence also has a lot to do with subjectivity and processes of subjectivation and de-subjectivation. Exiting violence does not mean only putting an end to concrete expressions of violence, it means taking into account the sources of the phenomenon and its different dimensions, including eventually instrumentality, the crisis, socialization and subjectivity. Michel Wieviorka, Professor at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, is the President of the Board, Fondation Maison des sciences de l’homme (FMSH). He was Director of the Center for Sociological Analysis and Intervention (CADIS, EHESS-CNRS) between 1993 and 2009. From 2006 to 2010, he was President of the International Association of Sociology AIS / ISA, and has been a member of the ERC (European Research Council) Scientific Council since 2014. He was co-Director with Georges Balandier of the journal Cahiers Internationaux de Sociologie from 1991 to 2011, and now heads the new SOCIO magazine (with Laetitia Atlani-Duault), which he created in 2013. His research has focused on the notion of conflict, terrorism and violence, racism, anti-Semitism, social movements, democracy and the phenomena of cultural difference. After having edited the serie "Voix et Regards" collection at Balland Publishing, he is now in charge of the serie "Le monde comme il va" at Editions Robert Laffont, and with Julien Ténédos for the serie "Interventions" at Editions de la MSH. His latest book is: "The Jews, the Muslims and the Republic", Editions Robert Laffont.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Held a conference China’s Expanding Influence in the Middle East: Trade, Energy, Security, and Multipolarity with Welcoming words by Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and by Nils Wörmer, Head of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) Syria/Iraq Office Chair: Michael Winzer, Head of Office in Beijing, China, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Dr. Nadine Godehardt – German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin Dr. Christina Lin – Center for Global Peace and Conflict Studies, University of California, Irvine Dr. Bingbing Wu – Institute of International and Strategic Studies, Beijing University, Beijing Chair: Rayan El-Amine, Assistant Director, Issam Fares Institute Dr. Alessandra Cappelletti – Research Center on Contemporary China, Milan Dr. Moritz Pieper – School of Arts and Media, University of Salford, Manchester Dr. Imad Mansour – Department of International Affairs, Qatar University, Doha The conference addressed, but not exclusively, the following questions: •How does China visualize its long-term strategy of “One Belt, One Road” in the Middle East, in terms of interplay between its economic approach and goals in a multipolar world? •How do the relations between Chinese Soft Power, its trade interests and its economic vision unfold? •What are the regional security interests that reflect Chinese military build-up in terms of strategic choices and policy on the ground? •What is the nature and limit of China’s engagement in the Middle East, of its bilateral relations to regional powers (Saudi Arabia, Iran) and the resulting implications for countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq? •What are the motors of Chinese strategic choices regarding the Syrian conflict, and how may these choices vary in the future?

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the AUB4Refugees Initiative, the Institute for Global Prosperity at University College London, and the Centre for Lebanese Studies Held a lecture and panel discussion to mark the launch of the RELIEF Centre Inclusive Growth and Prosperity in Lebanon: What Does It Look Like, and How Do We Achieve It? with Professor Henrietta L. Moore, Director of the Institute for Global Prosperity, University College London Dr. Camillo Boano, Development Planning Unit, University College London Dr. Fouad Mohamed Fouad, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut Professor Diana Laurillard, Institute of Education, University College London Dr. Maha Shuayb, Centre for Lebanese Studies Chair & Moderator: Dr. Carmen Geha, Department of Political Studies and Public Administration, American University of Beirut For decades, governments have confused economic growth with prosperity. In recent years, the relationship between economic growth and the social, cultural and environmental prosperity of a country has come under scrutiny, and alternative paradigms have emerged. Prosperity and inclusive growth are gaining traction as new ideas which attempt to overcome the narrow focus on GDP. They represent new ways of organizing society that are more sustainable, related to local ideas of the good life, and more effective in directly improving the quality of people’s lives and the neighborhoods and cities where people live. About the RELIEF Centre The RELIEF Centre - a programme of research and education to improve the prosperity of urban communities in Lebanon - will launch at AUB on October 2nd. Led by Professor Henrietta L. Moore, director of the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity, the RELIEF Centre is a partnership between UCL, the American University of Beirut and the Centre for Lebanese Studies. Narrowing down its focus to Lebanon, the Centre will tackle one of the world’s most complex challenges: how to create sustainable prosperity for all in the context of large-scale displacement.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and Amnesty International Held a book launch and panel discussion Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters with Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Sir Adam Roberts, Senior Research Fellow in International Relations, Oxford University Mr. Edward Mortimer, Distinguished Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford University Ms. Elham Fakhro, PhD Candidate, St Antony’s College, Oxford University Ms. Helen Lackner, Specialist on social movements and development Dr. Michael J. Willis, King Mohammed VI Fellow in Moroccan and Mediterranean Studies, Oxford University The Arab Spring uprisings of 2011, and their often-tragic outcomes in the years since, raise some difficult questions. How unified, or diverse, were the phenomena covered by the term ‘the Arab Spring’? What are the best explanations of why they ran into difficulties in so many countries? Why in particular were peaceful demonstrations in Syria and Yemen followed by long wars? How did power politics, within and beyond the region, affect outcomes? Why was democratization so difficult to achieve in so many of these societies? Did the Arab Spring contribute unintentionally to a revival of authoritarian ideas and practices in the region and elsewhere? What lessons can be learned about the possibilities of political change, and the capacity of civil resistance to achieve it? Issam Fares Institute Director Tarek Mitri explores these issues with Adam Roberts (editor and part-author of Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters), Edward Mortimer (co-author, with Chibli Mallat, of the opening chapter of this book) and other esteemed panelists. The book Civil Resistance in the Arab Spring: Triumphs and Disasters (by Adam Roberts et al. eds, Oxford University Press 2016) was available for sale during the event, in both English and Arabic.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and The Samir Kassir Foundation, in partnership with UNESCO Held a Panel Discussion Democracy and Human Rights in the Digital Age with Claudia Wagner, ICT4Peace, UK Jazem Halioui, Webradar, Tunisia Jonne Catshoek, Elva, The Netherlands Moderator: Ayman Mhanna, Samir Kassir Foundation, Lebanon The Samir Kassir Foundation’s SKeyes Center for Media and Cultural Freedom with the support of UNESCO, launched a year ago “tech4freedom.” This project aims at empowering Arab human rights and development organizations with relevant tech tools that can help advance their causes and objectives. Likewise, the rise in the Lebanese tech scene has been gaining momentum and many of the tech developers are keen to work for human rights and development causes. It was therefore important for the two traditionally separate fields to join their efforts together. The panel gathered international experts who are developing and using tech innovation to support free speech, humanitarian aid and development initiatives, combat terrorism, and promote democratic values.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Media Studies at AUB Held a Lecture The Politics of Asylum Flows and Syrian Refugees in Turkey: A Question of Inclusion and Exclusion with Sebnem Koser Akcapar Associate Professor of Sociology, Koç University, Istanbul Since 2011, Turkey started to receive the first refugees from Syria fleeing the eruption of violence. Since then, the civil war escalated in Syria and Turkey has become the country hosting the highest number of refugees in the world, with 3 million Syrians, and half a million other nationalities mainly from Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran. There are three important factors that are usually overlooked in the flows of Syrian refugees. The first one is about the diversity of the Syrian refugee population in Turkey. They come from different socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The second point has to do with their areas of settlement as 92 percent of all Syrians in Turkey live in urban centers. This literally means that in everyday life Syrian and Turkish nationals are in close contact with each other either in these neighborhoods they reside or in the workplaces. Yet, there are no proper integration regimes in place even after six years of living together. The third one is about their legal status. Although most of them are under temporary protection regime introduced in 2013, they are still not considered as ‘refugees’ due to Turkey’s upholding of the geographical limitation clause in the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees. Taking case studies from female-headed households and traditional families with multiple children, from single women to gays, this article will focus on different strategies adopted by Syrian refugees living in various cities in Turkey and the gendered perspective in forced migration. We will also discuss evident racism, exclusion, and social problems experienced in the urban areas. Sebnem Koser Akcapar is currently working as Associate Professor at the Sociology Department, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey. She is also the founding Director of Center for Asian Studies (KUASIA) at Koç University. After completing her PhD at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium on the role of social networks in facilitating irregular migrant flows and the survival strategies in transit countries, she moved to the USA where she worked as a post-doc visiting fellow for two years at the Institute for the Study of International Migration, Georgetown University.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in collaboration with the World Bank Group Held a panel discussion The Toll of War: The Syrian Conflict Six Years On with Nasser Yassin, Director of Research, Issam Fares Institute, AUB Saroj Kumar Jha, Mashreq Regional Director, World Bank Harun Onder, Senior Economist, World Bank Maha Yahya, Director, Carnegie Middle East Center Following the launch of the World Bank report “The Toll of War”, this panel will assess the economic and social consequences of the Syrian conflict as of early 2017. The conflict has inflicted significant damage to the Syrian Arab Republic’s physical capital stock (7 percent housing stock destroyed and 20 percent partially damaged), led to large numbers of casualties and forced displacement (between 400,000 and 470,000 estimated deaths and more than half of Syria’s 2010 population forcibly displaced), while depressing and disrupting economic activity. From 2011 until the end of 2016, the cumulative losses in GDP have been estimated at $226 billion, about four times the Syrian GDP in 2010.

Assessing Solar PV’s Potential in Lebanon Report Launch with Dr. Ali Ahmad, Program Director, Energy Policy and Security in the Middle East, Issam Fares Institute, AUB Mr. Ali H. Berjawi, Researcher, Energy Policy and Security in the Middle East, Issam Fares Institute, AUB Ms. Sarah Najem, Researcher, National Center for Remote Sensing, National Council for Scientific Research This working paper presents a holistic view of the potential of solar photovoltaic (PV) in Lebanon for both distributed rooftop systems and utility-scale projects. It covers the technical and policy analysis that answers questions on the required financial and land resources, potential locations, deployment and financing mechanisms. As part of the technical analysis, a detailed solar map was produced for Beirut, Lebanon’s capital city. This map acts as a stand-alone feature that is available online to help inform residents and policy-makers about the technical feasibility of solar PV in specific areas. The paper showed that Lebanese policy-makers underestimate the role that solar power could play to improve Lebanon’s energy security, lower its energy bill and the environmental impact of using fossil fuels for electricity generation. We showed that solar PV alone could at least cover the daily peak load. Further technological improvements and additional substantial reduction in PV module prices would actually make such prospects more promising. In terms of practical steps, this analysis proposes that Lebanon build a capacity of around 1,000 MW of solar PV. This capacity can be divided between large-scale solar farms and distributed (rooftop) solar PV, with the majority of production coming from solar farms.

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and The Samir Kassir Foundation held a lecture and discussion The Global Rise of Populism, Trumpism, and the Decline of U.S. Leadership Richard Falk Professor Emeritus of International Law at Princeton University​ Moderator: Ayman Mhanna Director of the Samir Kassir Foundation The last decade has witnessed the rise of populist politics in many important states throughout the world. This has resulted in democratically elected autocrats, the most dangerous instance of which is the election of Donald Trump. Among the early effects on U.S. global leadership are the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the buildup of anti-Iran tensions in the Middle East. As disturbing as Trump is what might be called "Trumpism," a series of ultra-nationalist revolts against the failures of neoliberal globalization. Richard Falk is the Albert G. Milbank Professor of International Law Emeritus at Princeton University, where he taught for forty years (1961- 2001). He is currently Research Professor with the Global & International Studies Program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Professor Falk has been the Special Rapporteur on occupied Palestine for the United Nations Human Rights Council since 2008. He has published more than 50 books in the fields of international law, politics, and UN affairs. His most recent books are: Achieving Human Rights (2009); a co-edited volume entitled Legality and Legitimacy in Global Affairs (2012); Global Parliament (with Andrew Strauss, 2011); Path to Zero: Dialogues on Nuclear Dangers (2012). Waiting for Rainbows (poems) (2015); Power Shift: On the New Global Order (2016); co-edited, Exploring Emergent Global Thresholds: Towards 2030 (2017); Palestine's Horizons: Toward a Just Peace (2017).

Rami Khouri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy at the American University of Beirut, joined the Fares

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

National Dialogues on the Implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon The national level dialogues on the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development in Lebanon aim to raise further awareness of the Agenda at the national level, bring together key stakeholders to exchange opinions and views regarding the Agenda, identify gaps and challenges in Agenda implementation, and to propose solutions to these challenges. The dialogues will also discuss the National Report, a comprehensive national assessment that reflects on the implementation of Agenda 2030 in Lebanon and on socio-economic reform initiatives. The dialogue will focus on select sustainable development goals 1: No poverty, 8: Decent work and economic growth, 10: Reduced inequalities, and 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions. All dialogues will include a presentation from the National Report by Dr. Nasser Yassin of the Issam Fares Institute and members of the ANND team. Presentations will be followed by a discussion with key stakeholders.

The Future of the "Islamic State" Provinces and Affiliates: Decline or Continued Impact after the Fall of the "Caliphate" in Iraq and Syria? ​ Conference at the American University of Beirut Organized by AUB's Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Welcoming Remarks: Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs, American University of Beirut Nils Wörmer, Head of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Syria (KAS)/Iraq Office

Two-Day Conference in collaboration with Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice at Princeton University Social Justice in the Arab World since 2010: Changing Conditions, Mobilizations, and Policies Gender Activism: Case Studies from the Region Moderator: Leila Kabalan, Program Coordinator, Social Justice and Development Policy in the Arab World, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Queer Politics and Social Justice in Palestine Sa'ed Atshan, Professor of Politics and International Relations, Princeton University Resilience, LGBT, and Space: Tunisian and Lebanese Youth Activists' Rights and Struggles Arnaud Kurze, Assistant Professor, Montclair State University Participation in Political Protests and Young People's Views on Gender Equality in Egypt Rania Roushdy, Senior Program Manager, Poverty, Gender and Youth Program, Population Council Maia Sieverding, Assistant Professor of Public Health Practice, American University of Beirut Public Spaces and Women in Egypt: Contemplating between Constitutions Magda Shahin, Director of Prince Alwaleed Center for American Studies and Research, American University in Cairo Yasmeen Ghazaly, Research Assistant, American University in Cairo

Two-Day Conference in collaboration with Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice at Princeton University Social Justice in the Arab World since 2010: Changing Conditions, Mobilizations, and Policies Grassroots Mobilizations and Political Ideologies in Lebanon and Iraq Moderator: Rayan El-Amine, Assistant Director, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut ​ The Lebanese Power Structure and its Impact on the Effectiveness of Grassroots Mobilizations: Lessons from the Labor Movement Rossana Tufaro, PhD Candidate, Università Cà Foscari, Venice, Italy Access to Justice in a Displaced Community: The Case of a Palestinian Refugee Camp in Southern Lebanon Jaber Sleiman, Policy Adviser Lebanese Ideology as a Driver of Sectarianism Barea Sinno, PhD Candidate, The University of Texas at Austin The Sadrist Trend and the Development of Iraqi Civil Society Damian Doyle, PhD Candidate, Australian National University, Australia ​

Two-Day Conference in collaboration with Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice at Princeton University Social Justice in the Arab World since 2010: Changing Conditions, Mobilizations, and Policies Social and Political Mobilizations in Yemen and Algeria Moderator: Sarah El Jamal, Research Assistant, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut The Role of Social Movements in Achieving Social Justice in Yemen Faisal Mahboub, PhD Candidate in Political Sciences, Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia The Political Engagement of the Algerian Youth Mustapha Omrane, Researcher, Centre de recherche en économie appliquée pour le développement, Algeria "Mahgourin Fi Bled El Bitrol": Mobilizing for Social Justice in South Algeria Naoual Belakhdar, Research Associate, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany

Two-Day Conference in collaboration with Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice at Princeton University Social Justice in the Arab World since 2010: Changing Conditions, Mobilizations, and Policies Opening & Welcoming Remarks Tarek Mitri, Director, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Amaney Jamal,Director of the Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice, Princeton University Leila Kabalan,Program Coordinator, Social Justice and Development Policy in the Arab World, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut

Two-Day Conference in collaboration with Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice at Princeton University Social Justice in the Arab World since 2010: Changing Conditions, Mobilizations, and Policies Trends, Constraints, and Grievances in the Arab Region Moderator: Nasser Yassin, Director of Research, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Popular Grievances in the Arab Region: Evaluating Explanations for Discontent in the Lead-up to the Uprisings Nisreen Salti, Associate Professor of Economics, American University of Beirut Melanie Cammett, Professor of Government, Harvard University Economic Growth, Youth Unemployment, and Political and Social Instability: A Study of Policies and Outcomes in Post-Arab Spring Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, 1990-2013 Heath Prince, Research Scientist, University of Texas at Austin Amna Khan, Deputy Project Director for the Center for Advanced Studies in Energy, Islamabad, Pakistan Yara Halasa, Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University Youth-Focused Active Labor Market Programs in a Constraining Welfare Regime: A Qualitative Reading of Programs in Egypt Ghada Barsoum, Assistant Professor, American University in Cairo The Rule of Law in the Arab Gulf: Vectors of Social Change and Consolidation David Mednicoff,Director of Middle Eastern Studies, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Responsibility to Protect Civilians: International and Regional Perspectives​ Dr. Jennifer Welsh, Professor, European University Institute Dr. Bashshar Haydar, Professor, AUB Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute, AUB Dr. Coralie Hindawi, Assistant Professor, AUB

Responsibility to Protect Civilians: International and Regional Perspectives​ Dr. Jennifer Welsh, Professor, European University Institute Dr. Bashshar Haydar, Professor, AUB Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute, AUB Dr. Coralie Hindawi, Assistant Professor, AUB

“The Crime of Genocide and the MENA Region: Lessons Learnt for Prevention or Protection” Seminar On the Occasion of the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime”, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) in Collaboration with Potsdam Lepsius House, Research Center for Genocide Studies – Germany, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs – AUB, and the Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights - Lebanon (FHHRL) Opening Remarks Berge Setrakian, President of AGBU Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, Regional Representative of OHCHR Choucri Sader, President of the Judicial State Council of Lebanon Session 1 MENA and Gross HR Violations; Realities in the Past, Case Studies, Failures and Successes 1. Prior to 1948: The Armenian Genocide Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, LepsiusHaus Potsdam, Germany 2. Post 1948 (under IHRL, ICL and IHL) (Lebanon, Iraq and others) Dr. Antoine Sfeir, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon 3. Currently: Never again is happening again. Cases from Iraq (Yazidi) and Syria Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Dr. Carmen Abou Jaoudé, Researcher at the Center of Studies for the Modern Arab World at University Saint Joseph, Lebanon Session 2 The International Protection System: its contribution and shortages to prevent and punish the crime of Genocide: 1. International legal system versus political realities (International justice versus realism): What is missing? Professor Kai Ambos, Judge District Court Göttingen, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Domestic protection systems– strengths and weaknesses Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Dr. Sari Hanafi, AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL Seminar Session 3 How to Prevent Genocides? What’s next? 1. Legally and politically Professor Kai Ambos, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Reflection on the initiative of “Prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred in International Law” - Rabat Plat of Action Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, OHCHR, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Mr. Gilbert Doumit, Beyond Reform and Development, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon Moderator: Mrs. Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Director of Research, Amnesty International, MENA Office Closing Remarks What is next for MENA: Final Discussion and Conclusion Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL

“The Crime of Genocide and the MENA Region: Lessons Learnt for Prevention or Protection” Seminar On the Occasion of the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime”, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) in Collaboration with Potsdam Lepsius House, Research Center for Genocide Studies – Germany, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs – AUB, and the Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights - Lebanon (FHHRL) Opening Remarks Berge Setrakian, President of AGBU Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, Regional Representative of OHCHR Choucri Sader, President of the Judicial State Council of Lebanon Session 1 MENA and Gross HR Violations; Realities in the Past, Case Studies, Failures and Successes 1. Prior to 1948: The Armenian Genocide Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, LepsiusHaus Potsdam, Germany 2. Post 1948 (under IHRL, ICL and IHL) (Lebanon, Iraq and others) Dr. Antoine Sfeir, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon 3. Currently: Never again is happening again. Cases from Iraq (Yazidi) and Syria Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Dr. Carmen Abou Jaoudé, Researcher at the Center of Studies for the Modern Arab World at University Saint Joseph, Lebanon Session 2 The International Protection System: its contribution and shortages to prevent and punish the crime of Genocide: 1. International legal system versus political realities (International justice versus realism): What is missing? Professor Kai Ambos, Judge District Court Göttingen, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Domestic protection systems– strengths and weaknesses Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Dr. Sari Hanafi, AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL Seminar Session 3 How to Prevent Genocides? What’s next? 1. Legally and politically Professor Kai Ambos, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Reflection on the initiative of “Prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred in International Law” - Rabat Plat of Action Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, OHCHR, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Mr. Gilbert Doumit, Beyond Reform and Development, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon Moderator: Mrs. Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Director of Research, Amnesty International, MENA Office Closing Remarks What is next for MENA: Final Discussion and Conclusion Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL

“The Crime of Genocide and the MENA Region: Lessons Learnt for Prevention or Protection” Seminar On the Occasion of the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime”, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) in Collaboration with Potsdam Lepsius House, Research Center for Genocide Studies – Germany, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs – AUB, and the Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights - Lebanon (FHHRL) Opening Remarks Berge Setrakian, President of AGBU Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, Regional Representative of OHCHR Choucri Sader, President of the Judicial State Council of Lebanon Session 1 MENA and Gross HR Violations; Realities in the Past, Case Studies, Failures and Successes 1. Prior to 1948: The Armenian Genocide Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, LepsiusHaus Potsdam, Germany 2. Post 1948 (under IHRL, ICL and IHL) (Lebanon, Iraq and others) Dr. Antoine Sfeir, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon 3. Currently: Never again is happening again. Cases from Iraq (Yazidi) and Syria Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Dr. Carmen Abou Jaoudé, Researcher at the Center of Studies for the Modern Arab World at University Saint Joseph, Lebanon Session 2 The International Protection System: its contribution and shortages to prevent and punish the crime of Genocide: 1. International legal system versus political realities (International justice versus realism): What is missing? Professor Kai Ambos, Judge District Court Göttingen, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Domestic protection systems– strengths and weaknesses Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Dr. Sari Hanafi, AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL Seminar Session 3 How to Prevent Genocides? What’s next? 1. Legally and politically Professor Kai Ambos, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Reflection on the initiative of “Prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred in International Law” - Rabat Plat of Action Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, OHCHR, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Mr. Gilbert Doumit, Beyond Reform and Development, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon Moderator: Mrs. Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Director of Research, Amnesty International, MENA Office Closing Remarks What is next for MENA: Final Discussion and Conclusion Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL

“The Crime of Genocide and the MENA Region: Lessons Learnt for Prevention or Protection” Seminar On the Occasion of the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime”, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) in Collaboration with Potsdam Lepsius House, Research Center for Genocide Studies – Germany, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs – AUB, and the Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights - Lebanon (FHHRL) Opening Remarks Berge Setrakian, President of AGBU Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, Regional Representative of OHCHR Choucri Sader, President of the Judicial State Council of Lebanon Session 1 MENA and Gross HR Violations; Realities in the Past, Case Studies, Failures and Successes 1. Prior to 1948: The Armenian Genocide Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, LepsiusHaus Potsdam, Germany 2. Post 1948 (under IHRL, ICL and IHL) (Lebanon, Iraq and others) Dr. Antoine Sfeir, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon 3. Currently: Never again is happening again. Cases from Iraq (Yazidi) and Syria Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Dr. Carmen Abou Jaoudé, Researcher at the Center of Studies for the Modern Arab World at University Saint Joseph, Lebanon Session 2 The International Protection System: its contribution and shortages to prevent and punish the crime of Genocide: 1. International legal system versus political realities (International justice versus realism): What is missing? Professor Kai Ambos, Judge District Court Göttingen, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Domestic protection systems– strengths and weaknesses Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Dr. Sari Hanafi, AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL Seminar Session 3 How to Prevent Genocides? What’s next? 1. Legally and politically Professor Kai Ambos, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Reflection on the initiative of “Prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred in International Law” - Rabat Plat of Action Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, OHCHR, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Mr. Gilbert Doumit, Beyond Reform and Development, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon Moderator: Mrs. Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Director of Research, Amnesty International, MENA Office Closing Remarks What is next for MENA: Final Discussion and Conclusion Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL

“The Crime of Genocide and the MENA Region: Lessons Learnt for Prevention or Protection” Seminar On the Occasion of the “International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime”, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) in Collaboration with Potsdam Lepsius House, Research Center for Genocide Studies – Germany, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs – AUB, and the Foundation for Human and Humanitarian Rights - Lebanon (FHHRL) Opening Remarks Berge Setrakian, President of AGBU Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, Regional Representative of OHCHR Choucri Sader, President of the Judicial State Council of Lebanon Session 1 MENA and Gross HR Violations; Realities in the Past, Case Studies, Failures and Successes 1. Prior to 1948: The Armenian Genocide Dr. Rolf Hosfeld, LepsiusHaus Potsdam, Germany 2. Post 1948 (under IHRL, ICL and IHL) (Lebanon, Iraq and others) Dr. Antoine Sfeir, American University of Beirut (AUB), Lebanon 3. Currently: Never again is happening again. Cases from Iraq (Yazidi) and Syria Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Dr. Carmen Abou Jaoudé, Researcher at the Center of Studies for the Modern Arab World at University Saint Joseph, Lebanon Session 2 The International Protection System: its contribution and shortages to prevent and punish the crime of Genocide: 1. International legal system versus political realities (International justice versus realism): What is missing? Professor Kai Ambos, Judge District Court Göttingen, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Domestic protection systems– strengths and weaknesses Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Dr. Sari Hanafi, AUB, Lebanon Moderator: Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL Seminar Session 3 How to Prevent Genocides? What’s next? 1. Legally and politically Professor Kai Ambos, Universität Göttingen, Germany 2. Reflection on the initiative of “Prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred in International Law” - Rabat Plat of Action Dr. Abdel Salam Sid Ahmed, OHCHR, Lebanon 3. The role of media, civil society and public opinion Mr. Gilbert Doumit, Beyond Reform and Development, Saint Joseph University, Lebanon Moderator: Mrs. Lynn Maalouf, Deputy Director of Research, Amnesty International, MENA Office Closing Remarks What is next for MENA: Final Discussion and Conclusion Dr. Nidal Jurdi, OHCHR/AUB, Lebanon Mr. Wail Kheir, Managing Director of FHHRL

Lecture From Populism to Terrorism: The Humanity of Radicalization Eugenio Dacrema, Affiliated Scholar, Issam Fares Institute

Post-UN General Assembly Summit on Refugees and Migrants Dr. Shadi Karam, Chief Advisor to the Lebanese Prime Minister Mrs. Mireille Girard, UNHCR Representative in Lebanon Moderated by Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute

Co-sponsered by The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies Electrifying the History of Lebanon: Public Utilities and Popular Protests in the Wake of Independence Ziad M. Abu-Rish Affiliated Scholar at the Issam Fares Institute & Assistant Professor at the Department of History, Ohio University

Book discussion Emerging Security Threats in the Middle East: The Impact of Climate Change and Globalization by Anders Jägerskog, Counselor for regional water issues in the MENA region at the Embassy of Sweden in Amman, Jordan Moderated by Nadim Farajalla, Program Director, Climate Change and Environment Program, Issam Fares Institute

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) held a one-day workshop The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries Opening Session Rayan El-Amine, Assistant Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs Şaban Kardaş, President of ORSAM Peter Rimmele, KASResident Representative Lebanon and Head of the Rule of Law Program Middle East/North Africa The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries - Report Presentation Ferhat Pirinççi, Uludağ University: Comparative Analysis of the Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries Oytun Orhan, ORSAM Researcher: Comparative Analysis of the Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries Moderator: Şaban Kardaş, President of ORSAM Fouad Fouad, American University of Beirut: “The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Lebanon” Dlawer Ala'Aldeen, President of the Middle East Research Institute: “The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Iraq with special focus on the KRG” Mesut Özcan, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Turkey” Salam Kawakibi, Deputy Director of the Arab Reform Initiative: Discussant

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs in collaboration with the Center for Middle Eastern Strategic Studies (ORSAM) and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) held a one-day workshop The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries Opening Session Rayan El-Amine, Assistant Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs Şaban Kardaş, President of ORSAM Peter Rimmele, KASResident Representative Lebanon and Head of the Rule of Law Program Middle East/North Africa The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries - Report Presentation Ferhat Pirinççi, Uludağ University: Comparative Analysis of the Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries Oytun Orhan, ORSAM Researcher: Comparative Analysis of the Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Neighboring Countries Moderator: Şaban Kardaş, President of ORSAM Fouad Fouad, American University of Beirut: “The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Lebanon” Dlawer Ala'Aldeen, President of the Middle East Research Institute: “The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Iraq with special focus on the KRG” Mesut Özcan, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “The Effects of the Syrian Crisis on Turkey” Salam Kawakibi, Deputy Director of the Arab Reform Initiative: Discussant

Welcome note Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Ms Fran Beytrison, Country Director, Oxfam Opening Speech Mr. Marcello Mori, Head of the Sustainable Development section, European Union Delegation to Lebanon H.E. Mr. Arthur Nazarian, Minister of Energy and Water Q & A Mr. Maroun Mousallem, Director of the Bekaa Water Establishment Mr. Jamal Krayem, Director of the North Lebanon Water Establishment Session 1: The Evolution of Law 221 Mr. Bassam Jaber, Former Director General, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources; Senior Advisor to Lebanon Water Program, Development Alternative Inc. / USAID Water Tariffs and Cost Recovery Mechanisms in Lebanon Dr. Roger Melki, Economist – Water management expert Metering Impact on the Level of non-Revenue Water: Water Balance Case Studies of Lebanese Water Utilities – Challenges and Opportunities Mr. Salah Saliba, Public Sector Engagement Team Leader of the Lebanon Water Program, Development Alternative Inc. / USAID Survey: The Introduction of Water Demand Management Measures in Rural Areas in Lebanon. Mr. Michele Pierpaoli, WaSH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) Coordinator, GVC (Gruppo di Volontariato Civile) Session 2: Real Cost of Water Services to Consumers, A Detailed Socio-Economic Study Conducted in Chtaura, Bekaa Mr. Jacques Chahine, General Manager, EDESSA Consulting Modernizing the Public Procurement System to Enhance Water Integrity in Lebanon Mr. Bechara Samneh and Ms. Dana Deeb, Technical Head of Central Tender Board, Central Inspection Board Water Governance and Integrity in Lebanon Dr. Nadim Farajalla,Issam Fares Institute Director of Climate Change and Environment, American University of Beirut Roundtable Discussion: Opening by Mr. Ghassan Beidoun, Director General for Exploitation, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources

Welcome note Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Ms Fran Beytrison, Country Director, Oxfam Opening Speech Mr. Marcello Mori, Head of the Sustainable Development section, European Union Delegation to Lebanon H.E. Mr. Arthur Nazarian, Minister of Energy and Water Q & A Mr. Maroun Mousallem, Director of the Bekaa Water Establishment Mr. Jamal Krayem, Director of the North Lebanon Water Establishment Session 1: The Evolution of Law 221 Mr. Bassam Jaber, Former Director General, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources; Senior Advisor to Lebanon Water Program, Development Alternative Inc. / USAID Water Tariffs and Cost Recovery Mechanisms in Lebanon Dr. Roger Melki, Economist – Water management expert Metering Impact on the Level of non-Revenue Water: Water Balance Case Studies of Lebanese Water Utilities – Challenges and Opportunities Mr. Salah Saliba, Public Sector Engagement Team Leader of the Lebanon Water Program, Development Alternative Inc. / USAID Survey: The Introduction of Water Demand Management Measures in Rural Areas in Lebanon. Mr. Michele Pierpaoli, WaSH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) Coordinator, GVC (Gruppo di Volontariato Civile) Session 2: Real Cost of Water Services to Consumers, A Detailed Socio-Economic Study Conducted in Chtaura, Bekaa Mr. Jacques Chahine, General Manager, EDESSA Consulting Modernizing the Public Procurement System to Enhance Water Integrity in Lebanon Mr. Bechara Samneh and Ms. Dana Deeb, Technical Head of Central Tender Board, Central Inspection Board Water Governance and Integrity in Lebanon Dr. Nadim Farajalla,Issam Fares Institute Director of Climate Change and Environment, American University of Beirut Roundtable Discussion: Opening by Mr. Ghassan Beidoun, Director General for Exploitation, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources

Welcome note Dr. Tarek Mitri, Director of Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut Ms Fran Beytrison, Country Director, Oxfam Opening Speech Mr. Marcello Mori, Head of the Sustainable Development section, European Union Delegation to Lebanon H.E. Mr. Arthur Nazarian, Minister of Energy and Water Q & A Mr. Maroun Mousallem, Director of the Bekaa Water Establishment Mr. Jamal Krayem, Director of the North Lebanon Water Establishment Session 1: The Evolution of Law 221 Mr. Bassam Jaber, Former Director General, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources; Senior Advisor to Lebanon Water Program, Development Alternative Inc. / USAID Water Tariffs and Cost Recovery Mechanisms in Lebanon Dr. Roger Melki, Economist – Water management expert Metering Impact on the Level of non-Revenue Water: Water Balance Case Studies of Lebanese Water Utilities – Challenges and Opportunities Mr. Salah Saliba, Public Sector Engagement Team Leader of the Lebanon Water Program, Development Alternative Inc. / USAID Survey: The Introduction of Water Demand Management Measures in Rural Areas in Lebanon. Mr. Michele Pierpaoli, WaSH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) Coordinator, GVC (Gruppo di Volontariato Civile) Session 2: Real Cost of Water Services to Consumers, A Detailed Socio-Economic Study Conducted in Chtaura, Bekaa Mr. Jacques Chahine, General Manager, EDESSA Consulting Modernizing the Public Procurement System to Enhance Water Integrity in Lebanon Mr. Bechara Samneh and Ms. Dana Deeb, Technical Head of Central Tender Board, Central Inspection Board Water Governance and Integrity in Lebanon Dr. Nadim Farajalla,Issam Fares Institute Director of Climate Change and Environment, American University of Beirut Roundtable Discussion: Opening by Mr. Ghassan Beidoun, Director General for Exploitation, Ministry of Energy and Water Resources

Russia's Policies in the Region Tarek Mitri, Director of the Issam Fares Institute, “Russia and the Responsibility to Protect Civilians” Mazen Ezzi, Political Analyst, “Russia’s Intervention in Syria ” Samy Nader, Director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs (LISA), “The Implications of Russia’s Middle East Policy on Lebanon

Changing Ecologies of War and Humanitarianism: Reflecting on MSF’s 40 years of working in conflict Welcoming remarks Iman Nuwayhid, Dean of AUB’s Faculty of Health Sciences & Tarek Mitri, Director of AUB’s Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs Organizers remarks Jonathan Whittall, MSF Head of Humanitarian Analysis & Omar Dewachi, AUB Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Global Health

Lecture and Open Discussion Constructing Resilience: Political Economy of Real Estate in Beirut Julia Tierney, PhD Candidate at the University of California, Berkeley and Affiliated Scholar, Issam Fares Institute

The Middle East Photograph Preservation Initiative (MEPPI) in collaboration with The Palestinian Oral History Archive Project at the Issam Fares Institute and the University Libraries - AUB Discussion and screenings on the Photography and Oral History

The Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs and the World Bank invite you to the launch of Lebanon Economic Monitor Fall 2015: The Great Capture

Wrap-up Session and Recommendations Conditions for the Success of Social Market Economy in Emerging Countries: Lebanon as a Case Study Ralph Wrobel, Professor of Economics, University of Applied Sciences WHZ, Zwickau, Germany Concluding remarks Nasser Yassin, Director of Research, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut

Rami Khouri is the Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, a fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Dubai School of Government, as well as a columnist at the Beirut-based Daily Star newspaper. With family in Beirut, Nazareth, and Amman, and involvement with leading research centers in the US, Khouri brings a nuanced understanding of the diverse local, regional, and international issues that make conflict in the Middle East conflict so complex. He has been a visiting scholar at Stanford, Syracuse, Tufts, Mt. Holyoke and Northeastern universities.Khouri is a co-recipient of the Pax Christi International Peace Award, and a member of the Brookings Institution Task Force on U.S. relations with the Muslim World. Khouri’s voice is also heard frequently in the international media, including commentary and appearances in media outlets such as BBC radio and television, NPR, Al-Jazeera International, the Charlie Rose Show, the Washington Post, Time magazine, the Financial Times, and the Guardian/Observer. See more of Rami Khouri's work at his website: agenceglobal.com

"The Crises in Egypt & Syria: Democracy or Destruction in The Arab World?" Rami Khouri, Director, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy & International Affair, American University of Beruit & Visiting Professor,Villanova University

"The Crises in Egypt & Syria: Democracy or Destruction in The Arab World?" Rami Khouri, Director, Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy & International Affair, American University of Beruit & Visiting Professor,Villanova University

Rami Khouri is editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star, Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, and a senior fellow at the Harvard University's JFK School of Government and the Dubai School of Government. With family in Beirut, Nazareth, and Amman, and involvement with leading research centers in the US, Khouri brings a nuanced understanding of the diverse local, regional, and international issues that make conflict in the Middle East conflict so complex. A winner of the Eliva-Sartawi award for Middle East Journalism, a co-recipient of the Pax Christi International Peace Award, and a member of the Brookings Institution Task Force on U.S. relations with the Muslim World, Khouri’s incisive, semi-weekly articles, distributed by the International Herald Tribune, are widely praised for their fresh approach in examining the role of seemingly disparate topics like economics, culture, politics, religion, and archeology in Middle East conflict. Khouri’s voice is also heard frequently in the international media, including commentary and appearances in media outlets such as BBC radio and television, NPR, Al-Jazeera International, the Charlie Rose Show, the Washington Post, Time magazine, the Financial Times, and the Guardian/Observer. He lectures frequently at conferences and universities throughout the world, and is a member of the Leadership Council of Harvard Divinity School, and a board member of the Center for Contemporary Studies at Georgetown University and the Jordan National Museum. He is also a member of the International Advisory Council of the International Committee of the Red Cross. A graduate of Syracuse University with degrees in political science and mass communications, Khouri lived for many years in Amman, Jordan, where he was editor-in-chief of the Jordan Times newspaper, hosted television and radio shows on current affairs and ancient history and archaeology, was general manager of Al Kutba Publishers, and consulted for the Jordanian tourism ministry on biblical archaeological sites.

Rami Khouri is editor-at-large of the Beirut-based Daily Star, Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs at the American University of Beirut, and a senior fellow at the Harvard University's JFK School of Government and the Dubai School of Government. With family in Beirut, Nazareth, and Amman, and involvement with leading research centers in the US, Khouri brings a nuanced understanding of the diverse local, regional, and international issues that make conflict in the Middle East conflict so complex. A winner of the Eliva-Sartawi award for Middle East Journalism, a co-recipient of the Pax Christi International Peace Award, and a member of the Brookings Institution Task Force on U.S. relations with the Muslim World, Khouri’s incisive, semi-weekly articles, distributed by the International Herald Tribune, are widely praised for their fresh approach in examining the role of seemingly disparate topics like economics, culture, politics, religion, and archeology in Middle East conflict. Khouri’s voice is also heard frequently in the international media, including commentary and appearances in media outlets such as BBC radio and television, NPR, Al-Jazeera International, the Charlie Rose Show, the Washington Post, Time magazine, the Financial Times, and the Guardian/Observer. He lectures frequently at conferences and universities throughout the world, and is a member of the Leadership Council of Harvard Divinity School, and a board member of the Center for Contemporary Studies at Georgetown University and the Jordan National Museum. He is also a member of the International Advisory Council of the International Committee of the Red Cross. A graduate of Syracuse University with degrees in political science and mass communications, Khouri lived for many years in Amman, Jordan, where he was editor-in-chief of the Jordan Times newspaper, hosted television and radio shows on current affairs and ancient history and archaeology, was general manager of Al Kutba Publishers, and consulted for the Jordanian tourism ministry on biblical archaeological sites.