Last week, a three-day cascade session of Leadership and Conflict Management Skills for Electoral Stakeholders (LEAD) brought together young Lebanese participants in Bishmizzine, Koura District. Participants came from different parts of Lebanon, including Koura, Tripoli, Akkar, Zgharta, Beirut, Aley and the South.
The session was delivered under the European Union-funded project “Inclusive Democratic Participation: Strengthening Education, Participation and Oversight in Lebanon”, implemented by the Arab Center for the Development of the Rule of Law and Integrity (ACRLI) in partnership with the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES). The training was delivered by ECES LEAD Trainer, Aous Qutaishat.
Through practical exercises and group discussions, participants explored how disagreements can escalate into deeper divisions. They examined expressions commonly used in Lebanese public life and reflected on the gap that can emerge between what a person intends to communicate and what others understand. Working in mixed regional groups allowed them to consider these issues from different social and geographical perspectives.
The session focused on several core elements of the LEAD methodology, including active listening, pausing before responding and distinguishing between stated positions and underlying interests. Participants also used stakeholder mapping to identify who holds influence in a dispute, understand the needs and concerns of the different parties, recognise those affected without being consulted and determine who could help bridge divisions.
Particular attention was given to identity-based disputes. Participants learned to distinguish identity itself, which cannot be negotiated, from the interests, grievances and fears surrounding it, which can be addressed through dialogue and conflict-management processes.
The participation of Caroline Chaptini, a Lebanese recycling artist and multiple Guinness World Record holder, enriched discussions on how recognition and influence can be developed beyond formal positions or institutional roles.
The mixed regional composition of the group was a central feature of the activity, creating an environment in which different experiences and perspectives were genuinely represented. The session concluded with an integrated simulation enabling participants to apply the skills developed throughout the three days under pressure.
As part of the cascade approach, participants committed to sharing what they had learned with other young people in their communities. Through this model, LEAD Lebanon continues to extend leadership, dialogue and conflict-management skills across the country, building on previous sessions involving communities in Tripoli, Baalbek, Aley, the Bekaa and Mount Lebanon.
