By Nohad Topalian, February 13, 2015, published in Cpnn.

A group of Lebanese intellectuals of various political, ideological and sectarian affiliations met in Beirut in February for the “Permanent Conference for Peace in Lebanon”, an on-going dialogue that aims to find constructive ways to build and reinforce peace, co-existence and democracy in the country.

The conference, which opened in early February, is a reincarnation of the “Permanent Conference for Inter-Lebanese Dialogue”, which had been formed in 1993 and played a prominent role in promoting a culture of dialogue and co- existence among Lebanon’s various sects and Lebanese in general.

“The timing of the launch of the conference is linked to two factors: the outbreak of violence at an extraordinary level in the region and its impact on Lebanon, and the inability of the political class of all affiliations to grasp the gravity of the violence and [failure] to work to avert its consequences on Lebanon,” said political thinker Samir Frangieh of the March 14 Alliance, who launched the conference.


Read the full article here.