21.05.2017

Regional Young Leaders Conference

Peace-building and the Role of Civil Socieety in the MENA-Region.

Photo: FES Mena

Photo: FES Mena

During this MENA conference, the Young Leaders engaged in debates on how to advance peace-building and transitional justice in the MENA-region.

Alongside experts and civil society professionals, the participants addressed practices and mechanisms from different political contexts such as democratic transition, post-conflict transformation and ongoing violent conflicts. Such historic and ongoing issues were personalised through first-hand testimonies, especially from Lebanon.

The participants also examined how civil society can help to prevent or resolve conflict, foster peace and advocate for human rights and accountability. It was clear from the discussions how much the political and institutional environment in each country impact the opportunities or threats to civil activism.