May Chidiac Lectures in Washington on Lebanese Political Situation, Events in Syria, Region

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Lebanese Information Center on Monday hosted a presentation in Washington DC by prominent Lebanese journalist May Chidiac.

The presentation, held at the Woodrow Wilson Center Headquarters, was titled “The Political Situation in Lebanon with an Eye on What is Happening in Syria.”

It was attended by members of Washington DC-based think tanks, institutes and Lebanese-American Organizations as well as specialized researchers in Middle Eastern affairs.

Chidiac began her presentation with a review of “the achievements of the Lebanese people in their quest for freedom and democracy specifically in the period following the Cedar Revolution as well as the enormous sacrifices made by the members and leaders of the March 14 movement in that regards.”

She then discussed the current challenges faced by this movement as well as the “detrimental role played by Hizbullah, Syria and Iran and the threat it poses to the sovereignty of Lebanon and the freedom of its people.”

Chidiac moved on to highlight the parallels between “the Lebanese freedom movement and the other freedom movement sweeping the Middle East in general and Syria in particular,” before presenting a brief thesis on how the events in Syria could possibly affect the Lebanese political environment, specifically the current political impasse.

In conclusion, Chidiac presented a list of policy recommendations to the U.S. government and thanked her hosts, Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, head of Middle Eastern Studies at the Woodrow Wilson Institute and Dr. Joseph Gebeily, President of the Lebanese Information Center for their hospitality.

She also expressed her appreciation to the effort expended by U.S. organizations “in supporting the Lebanese people in their pursuit of freedom, sovereignty and democracy.”