On the evening of June 27, 2025, over 150 Lebanese judges gathered at Abdelwahab Restaurant in Beirut to celebrate the conclusion of a two-year training program that marked a significant milestone in advancing mediation within the Lebanese judiciary. The event, titled “The Mediation Path – Honoring Judges as Peacebuilders,” marked the culmination of a two-year training program on mediation, jointly implemented by the Lebanese Association for Mediation and Conciliation (LAMAC) and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) – Lebanon Office.
Since early 2023, over 250 judges from across Lebanon have participated in 10 structured training groups, gaining professional skills in mediation and exploring its crucial role in improving legal efficiency and reducing judicial backlog. This closing dinner was not only a celebration of these accomplishments, but also a strategic moment to reinforce the judges’ commitment to referring appropriate cases to mediation and supporting its integration across Lebanese courts.
The evening opened with welcome remarks from representatives of KAS and LAMAC, as well as from participating judges. These speeches emphasized the growing importance of mediation as a viable and trusted dispute resolution tool, especially in light of Lebanon’s current legal and institutional challenges.
Beyond celebration, the gathering served as a meaningful platform for networking, where judges from diverse regions and jurisdictions shared experiences, reflected on challenges, and explored pathways for continued collaboration. The informal setting encouraged open exchange and reaffirmed the judges’ shared vision for a more efficient, responsive, and accessible justice system.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, reaffirming the training’s relevance and its impact on the professional growth of Lebanon’s judicial actors.
While this event marked the official conclusion of the two-year training program, it also signaled a new chapter—one of sustained momentum, peer support, and the growing institutionalization of mediation in Lebanon’s courts. LAMAC and KAS are proud to stand beside Lebanon’s judiciary in advancing this transformative shift toward dialogue, efficiency, and justice.