The Asfari Institute for Civil Society and Citizenship

20/08/2026

📢 We are hiring!

The Asfari Institute for Civil Society & Citizenship at the American University of Beirut is seeking candidates for three opportunities:

• Academic Assistant for Finance & Grants (deadline extended): https://asfariinstitute.org/job-vacancy-academic-assistant-for-finance-and-grants/
• Project Coordinator/Research Assistant: https://asfariinstitute.org/job-vacancy-project-coordinator-research-assistant/
• Research Consultant: https://asfariinstitute.org/job-vacancy-research-consultant/

📅 Application deadline: September 3, 2026

20/08/2026

In his new op-ed, Prof. Khaldoun AbouAssi makes the case for Positive Public Administration in Lebanon and the Arab world, shifting attention from institutional failure alone to the practices, reforms, and public institutions that are delivering results.

Drawing on examples from Lebanon, Jordan, and Morocco, he explores how ethical leadership, transparency, innovation, and citizen-centered governance can help rebuild trust and strengthen state legitimacy.

Read the full op-ed here:

In this op-ed, Professor Khaldoun AbouAssi explores the importance of Positive Public Administration in Lebanon and the Arab world, highlighting examples of effective governance across Lebanon, Jor…

18/08/2026

Join us for the Re-Imagining Citizenship in the Arab Region Conference: two days of critical conversations on governance, reform, education, and displacement.

📅 September 5–6, 2026
📍 American University of Beirut

Register to attend by August 23: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdm9sNzvBMNFGNXMhF5SnaCoGOT0A7Ze91Pe6qFcjfxxkcF2Q/viewform?usp=send_form

12/08/2026

في مقاله «دينامية الانقسام ضد دينامية التوحد والتضامن في مجتمعاتنا»، يناقش أديب نعمه الصراع بين ديناميات التفكك والانقسام من جهة، والتضامن والتوحّد من جهة أخرى في المجتمع اللبناني.

انطلاقًا من تجربة شخصية وشواهد تاريخية ولبنانية، يرى نعمه أن التضامن والوحدة متجذّران في نسيج المجتمع، ويبرزان بصورة خاصة في لحظات الأزمات والتحولات الكبرى، في مقابل خطاب الانقسام والكراهية الذي تغذّيه القوى السياسية ومراكز السلطة.

اقرأوا المقال كاملًا: https://asfariinstitute.org/2026/08/12/%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%86%d9%82%d8%b3%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%b6%d8%af-%d8%af%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a7%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%a9-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%88%d8%ad%d8%af-%d9%88%d8%a7/

Arab NGO Network for Development American University of Beirut (AUB)

11/08/2026

A look back at our conversation with Christiane Amanpour, CBE, renowned journalist and recipient of AUB's 2026 Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, in June 2026.

In this excerpt, Amanpour reflects on the responsibility of journalists to bear witness, bring facts and evidence to the public, and speak truth to power-particularly in times of conflict and political repression. She also offers a reminder about the limits of social media and the enduring importance of
rigorous journalism.

The conversation was moderated by Nora Boustany and explored journalism, accountability, human rights, and the challenges of reporting in an increasingly polarized world.

Watch the full conversation here: https://youtu.be/p2FXquTABdI?si=0c3CQjuBQUbuiW_X

07/08/2026

📢 GGCO Digest | Issue #2 is out now!

Over the past year, the Good Governance & Citizenship Observatory (GGCO) brought together policymakers, civil society leaders, and academics to talk about what comes next for Lebanon; from state reconstruction and financial accountability to decentralization and the legacy of President Fouad Chehab.

This issue rounds it all up: events, new policy briefs, an expanding op-ed series, and fresh partnerships.

Read the full digest here: https://mailchi.mp/aub.edu.lb/ggco-digest-issue-2-advancing-good-governance-citizenship-6430833

06/08/2026

Last week, Yasmine El Berjawi represented the Asfari Institute for Civil Society & Citizenship as a panelist at the closing event of the Women-Led Social Cohesion Project, organized by the Union of Progressive Women in partnership with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Lebanon Office.

The panel explored women’s leadership and community mobilization during the 2026 war in Lebanon, themes that are central to the Asfari Institute’s Stories Behind the Headlines series, which Yasmine currently leads alongside her colleague Clara Ghorayeb.

Read more from Stories Behind the Headlines here: https://asfariinstitute.org/stories-behind-the-headlines/

29/07/2026

What does meaningful inclusion look like in times of war and political transition?

In her latest article, Anne Meskanen, Senior International Fellow at the Asfari Institute and Ambassador of Finland to Lebanon and Jordan and Chargée d’Affaires to Syria, examines the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Lebanon and argues for women’s full participation in peacebuilding, recovery, and decision-making.

Read the full article here: https://asfariinstitute.org/2026/07/29/no-sustainable-peace-without-women/

Embassy of Finland in Beirut - Suomen Suurlähetystö Beirut

Drawing on experiences from Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Lebanon, Ambassador Anne Meskanen stresses that inclusion must go beyond numbers to real influence. She argues that structural change requires p…

22/07/2026

At the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Feminist Foreign Policy in Madrid, Asfari Institute Director Lina Abou-Habib highlighted a central challenge facing today’s world: the issue is not the absence of resources, but how they are allocated. This excerpt reflects her call to shift investment toward human rights, equality, and social justice rather than militarization and other competing priorities.

22/07/2026

قد تُنتج الأزمات لحظاتٍ قوية من التضامن، لكنها تكشف أيضًا عن أوجه اللامساواة العميقة، وإخفاقات المؤسسات، والانقسامات التي لم تُعالج.

في مقاله الجديد، يناقش زياد عبد الصمد، عضو المجلس الاستشاري الدولي في معهد الأصفري للمجتمع المدني والمواطنة، والمدير التنفيذي للشبكة العربية للمنظمات غير الحكومية للتنمية، أسباب عدم تحوّل التضامن الذي تفرضه الأزمات إلى تماسك اجتماعي مستدام. وانطلاقًا من تجارب من مختلف أنحاء المنطقة العربية، يؤكد أن التعافي الحقيقي يتجاوز إعادة الإعمار، ويقوم على العدالة، والمؤسسات الخاضعة للمساءلة، والمواطنة المتساوية، والتنمية الشاملة، والسلام، وعقد اجتماعي متجدد.

اقرؤوا المقال كاملًا: https://asfariinstitute.org/2026/07/22/beyond-coexistence-social-cohesion-in-times-of-crisis-ar

Ziad Abdel Samad ANND - Arab NGO Network

في هذا المقال، يجادل زياد عبد الصمد بأن الأزمات، رغم ما تولّده من مظاهر لافتة للتضامن في مختلف أنحاء المنطقة العربية، لا تكفي لبناء تماسك اجتماعي مستدام. ويدعو إلى ع...