On the Brink: Civil Peace in Lebanon and the Urgent Responsibility of Conscious Citizenship

At a time of war, uncertainty, and deepening polarization, Lebanon once again finds itself standing at a fragile crossroads. The divisions among its people are becoming increasingly visible, not only politically but socially, psychologically, and emotionally. One segment of society accuses the other of dragging the country into war and destruction, while the opposing side responds with accusations of foreign allegiance and betrayal. Between these competing narratives, trust erodes, dialogue diminishes, and the foundations of civil peace become increasingly vulnerable.

As a Lebanese citizen, a peacebuilder, and the founder of Peace of Art, I write these reflections with a profound sense of concern. I do not write as a political analyst observing events from a distance, but as someone who has spent years working directly with communities, young people, and vulnerable groups across Lebanon. Through this work, I have witnessed both the resilience of our people and the dangers that emerge when fear, mistrust, and division begin to dominate public discourse.

Lebanon’s history teaches us a difficult but essential lesson: whenever the region enters a period of conflict, Lebanon rarely remains untouched. The Lebanese Civil War, which lasted from 1975 to 1990, remains one of the most painful chapters in our collective memory. What began as political disagreements gradually evolved into a devastating conflict fueled by sectarian tensions, regional rivalries, and mutual fear.

The pattern repeated itself during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, when regional conflict intensified domestic divisions. More recently, the Syrian conflict that began in 2011 generated profound polarization within Lebanese society, influencing political alignments, social relationships, and public perceptions. Once again, external events became internal fault lines.

A symbolic illustration portraying Lebanon at a crossroads between division and coexistence. The image contrasts the consequences of fear, hatred, and polarization with the transformative power of dialogue, respect, understanding, and collective responsibility. At the center, a tree and joined hands represent resilience, unity, and the shared commitment needed to preserve civil peace during times of uncertainty.

Today, we are witnessing similar warning signs. The danger does not necessarily begin with weapons. It begins with language. It begins when people stop seeing one another as fellow citizens and begin viewing each other as threats. It begins when accusations replace dialogue, when fear replaces understanding, and when social media amplifies division rather than encouraging reflection.

This is precisely why the preservation of civil peace must become a national priority. Civil peace is not merely the absence of violence. It is the presence of trust, mutual respect, dignity, and a shared commitment to coexistence despite our differences.

At Peace of Art, our mission has always been rooted in this understanding. We believe that sustainable peace cannot be imposed from above; it must be cultivated from within communities and nurtured through meaningful human connections.

Through our work across Lebanon, we implement a range of initiatives aimed at strengthening social cohesion and promoting peaceful coexistence. These include youth empowerment programs through arts and media, conflict resolution and mediation initiatives, humanitarian response projects, civic engagement campaigns, and psychosocial support activities that help individuals and communities recover from trauma.

One of our most important efforts focuses on interreligious dialogue roundtables. These gatherings bring together individuals from different faith communities in safe and respectful environments where participants can listen, learn, and engage with one another. The objective is not to convince or debate, but to understand. In a country as diverse as Lebanon, genuine understanding of the other is not a luxury—it is a necessity.

These dialogues create opportunities to challenge stereotypes, humanize differences, and build relationships that transcend sectarian boundaries. Time and again, we have witnessed how meaningful conversations can transform perceptions and reduce tensions. When people share their stories, fears, hopes, and experiences, they often discover that they have far more in common than they initially believed.

Beyond dialogue, Peace of Art continues to invest in creative approaches to peacebuilding. Through initiatives such as Art Against Discrimination and Arts and Culture in Peacebuilding, we use creativity as a tool for inclusion, healing, and civic participation. Art possesses a unique ability to connect individuals across divides, creating spaces where empathy can flourish and difficult conversations can take place.

Yet while organizations and institutions play an important role, civil peace ultimately depends on individual choices. No organization, government, or international actor can preserve social cohesion if citizens themselves abandon the values of respect and responsibility.

From my perspective, one of the greatest challenges facing Lebanon today is not merely political instability or economic hardship. It is the gradual normalization of division. History demonstrates that societies do not collapse overnight. They deteriorate slowly, through the accumulation of mistrust, resentment, and dehumanization.

This is what concerns me most as a Lebanese citizen. I fear not only the possibility of conflict, but the subtle processes that make conflict imaginable. The erosion of dialogue. The acceptance of hatred. The temptation to reduce individuals to labels rather than recognizing their humanity.

The responsibility we carry today is therefore both collective and deeply personal. Each conversation matters. Each social media post matters. Each decision to listen rather than condemn matters. Civil peace is built through countless daily actions that affirm our shared humanity despite our differences.

Lebanon has survived many crises throughout its history, but survival alone should not be our ambition. Our ambition must be to build a society where diversity becomes a source of strength rather than division, where disagreements do not become existential battles, and where future generations inherit a country defined by coexistence rather than conflict.

In this sensitive and uncertain period, awareness is not optional—it is essential. Preserving civil peace requires more than institutions, policies, and initiatives. It requires conscious citizenship. It requires individuals willing to reject polarization, embrace dialogue, and take responsibility for the social fabric that binds us together.

The future of Lebanon will not be determined solely by political leaders or regional developments. It will also be determined by the choices made every day by ordinary citizens. Civil peace is not someone else’s responsibility. It belongs to all of us.

By Mahdi Yahya
Founder of Peace of Art