Women of the Middle East Briefing: LEBANON TODAY
Women Champions for Change (WCC) convened the second edition of its Women of the Middle East Briefing Series, Lebanon Today, bringing together women with Lebanese, Israeli and diaspora perspectives for a candid conversation on Lebanon’s political and social landscape, Israel-Lebanon relations and the possibilities for a different future. Moderated by Maryam Younnes, the conversation featured Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh, Hagar Hajjar Chemali, Astrid Mattar Hajjar and Carol Tannous Sleiman, drawing on their experience across policy, public advocacy, interfaith dialogue and civil society. The event drew significant interest, with more than 140 people registering from 54 organizations across 12 countries.
A central theme throughout the discussion was that formal diplomacy alone cannot create sustainable peace. Alongside political and security processes, building a strong people-to-people – and women-to-women – track can help create the trust, relationships and opportunities for cooperation needed across borders. The conversation underscored why women’s voices and leadership must be part of shaping the future we hope to see between Lebanon and Israel – bringing lived experience, new perspectives and a commitment to building relationships that can help turn the possibility of peace into a shared reality.