Following the first week held in Berlin, the second week of the Leaders of Justice program, led by Paul Saadeh, continued in a similar setting. The 11 young jurists resumed their journey to leadership!

During the second week, legal and soft skills were enhanced and improved. In addition, there was a focus on leadership, based on ethical principles and virtues that recognize and promote values such as integrity, responsibility, empathy and justice.

This said, over the course of four days, the young jurists embarked on a series of training sessions and closed discussions, on which a brief can be found hereafter:

1) Training sessions:

• “Introduction to the Rule of Law”, this session given by Mr. Philipp Bremer, the director of the Rule of Law Programme Middle East and North Africa. He acquainted the 11 motivated lawyers with German criminal law and the German constitution, particularly the freedom of speech from Art. 5 GG, through case studies. A discussion was initiated regarding the exact components of the Rule of Law, during which the participants had the opportunity to present their own perspectives. The necessity of a functioning separation of powers to avoid an abuse of power to a certain extent was also a central topic.

• “Verbal Martial Art”, a session given by Mrs. Raya Boustani, a senior communication trainer and coach & a certified mediator. This training focused on conflict management and how de-escalation in a situation can be achieved through body language, tone of voice and choice of words. Emphasis was placed on how the other party's words can be cleverly employed to yield a positive effect. Three martial arts instructors practically demonstrated these concepts, allowing the participants to experience this firsthand during martial arts exercises which fostered camaraderie among the participants and provided an excellent opportunity to apply the knowledge gained through role-playing activities.

• “Virtous Leadership”, which was accompanied by Mr. Anthony Tayah, a consultant, teacher and a trainer at Havard Virtuous Leadership Institute (HVLI). This session highlighted the importance of one’s personal knowledge, that can lead to self-improvement and self-realization. Each participant had the chance to discover his/her own temperament, the latter being the foundation on which we build our character, that is made up of virtues. The main moto of this session was ‘Igniting Hearts for Greatness’.

• “Reflection on Leadership”, a session conducted by Dr. Amin Nehme, founder and president of the Lebanese Development Network (LDN) and advisory board member of the International Education Partners (IEP), Italy. In this session, the participants had to figure out on their own what are the traits of a leader. Different historical and current figures were brought up, followed by a thorough analysis and debate.

• “Non-Verbal Communication”, a session led by Dr. Dominik Hamm, assistant professor and head of the department of political and administrative sciences at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK). This session was a mix between the theory and practice of non-verbal communication. It was important to see that each and single move or positioning, if it was for the hands or other parts of our body, has a lot to say of our state of mind. Once observed and noticed, those movements that constitute encrypted messages can be revealed.  

2) Closed discussions:

• Meeting with MP Me. Georges Adwan, head of the administration and justice committee at the Lebanese Parliament. The participants had the opportunity to ask questions related to the role of the committee within the parliament and its relation with the executive in addition to the judiciary. Among other things, the independence of the judiciary’s draft law was thoroughly addressed.

• Meeting with the first President Judge Souheil Abboud, head of the Lebanese Supreme Judicial Council. In a friendly set-up the meeting took place. A multitude of topics were debated: the effectiveness of the judicial and court system in Lebanon, the independence of the judiciary from political interference and the role of qualified young judges in shaping the future of justice in Lebanon.

• Meeting with Me. Rany Sader, President of Youssef SADER Foundation for Legal Culture. This meeting sent a strong message of motivation especially after the participants were acquainted with the history of the SADER foundation. In addition, a key roadmap pointed out how one can move from the “I decide, you Do” towards “You Decide, You Do” – highlighting the importance of delegation, trust and growth.

The participants concluded the second week with a collective mountain hike, where they planted the Leaders for Justice tree to commemorate the first edition of the program. The tree symbolizes the beginning of what is hopefully a strong and thriving future.

The two weeks’ workshop, in Germany and Lebanon, further bonded the participants. Following what we see as a success, we are pleased to announce that the "Leaders of Justice" program will continue next year. We hope to contribute to Lebanon's future and not only bring the new generation together but also provide them with the opportunity to grow and develop.

PS: Stay tuned for next year and don’t miss to apply once the call for application is out ⚖️