A look back in pictures at the conference "Rebuilding Lebanon’s Full Sovereignty"

on the September 26, 2025

Toulouse Capitole University proudly hosted an international conference on Lebanon, organized by Dr. Hiam Mouannès, Associate Professor of Public Law (HDR) and member of the Maurice Hauriou Institute.

Entitled “Rebuilding Lebanon’s Full Sovereignty”, this conference brought together numerous jurists, essayists and historians. Two members of the Lebanese Parliament – Judge Georges Okaïs and Professor Ghada Ayoub – also honored the audience with their presence and contributions on major issues that framed the discussions of the day.

Judge Georges Okaïs delivered the formal opening lecture on “Lebanon’s Sovereignty: Lessons from a Painful History and a Complex Geography”. In her closing address, Professor Ghada Ayoub highlighted and demonstrated the long and difficult path still ahead for the Lebanese State and Parliament in their efforts to reclaim “Lebanon’s Economic and Budgetary Sovereignty”.

Between these two keynote speeches, other speakers addressed topics ranging from geopolitics (shedding light on Lebanon’s role in the region and on the roots of its structural crisis) to international public law (particularly the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701 as a condition for Lebanon’s sovereignty), as well as domestic public law (emphasizing the challenges facing a Lebanese judiciary – constitutional and administrative – that is fully neutral, independent and impartial).

A sincere friendship for Lebanon

At the opening of the conference, the President of Toulouse Capitole University, Professor Hugues Kenfack, the Dean of the Toulouse Law School, Professor Matthieu Poumarède, the Director of the Maurice Hauriou Institute (IMH), Professor Mathieu Carpentier, and the scientific organizer of the conference, Dr. Hiam Mouannès, inaugurated the proceedings to thank their “guests” for their presence and participation in this international conference. They also expressed their sincere friendship for Lebanon and their commitment, through the hosting of this conference and other upcoming scientific events on Lebanon (lectures and publications), to help rekindle hope for a fully sovereign Lebanon.