PRESS RELEASE
Haigazian University
From: Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Mexique Street, Kantari, Beirut
P.O.Box. 11-1748
Riad El Solh 1107 2090
Tel: 01-353010/1/2
01-349230/1

Richard Chambers lectures on: Promoting a Culture for Free and Fair
Elections/ An International Perspective on Electoral Reform in Lebanon

On Thursday the 24th of January 2008, as part of the Cultural Hour
organized by Haigazian University, Mr. Richard Chambers, Country
Director of International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) in
Lebanon, delivered a lecture on "Promoting a Culture for Free and Fair
Elections", tackling the issue of the Electoral Reform in Lebanon from
an International Perspective.

In her opening speech, Dr. Arda Ekmekji, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and
Sciences, introduced the IFES, an International Foundation for Election
Systems founded in 1987 as an international, nonpartisan, nonprofit
organization, dedicated to administering elections.

In the first part of his lecture, guest speaker Richard Chambers
highlighted on the international benchmarks, without which no election
can earn the name of fair and free.

These criteria are embedded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and the International Covenant of Civil Rights, which proclaim the right
of the people to participate in the government, the equal right of women
and /or the disabled to vote, and that the will of the people should be
the basis of authority in government.

Chambers also addressed the issue of periodic elections, in terms of the
interval of time between elections, as well as the notion of genuine
elections in terms of adherence to the principles of legality,
impartiality, transparency, accountability, and plurality.

Talking about the case of Lebanon in the second part of his lecture,
Chambers acknowledged that the country generally abides by the different
covenants of the United Nations, the Arab League, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant of Civil
Rights. However, Chambers criticized the genuine aspect of the
elections: "the election law is flawed, with many omissions, holds no
public confidence, does not guarantee transparency, openness or
accountability, does not insure campaign fairness and regulations, and
does not secure secrecy of balloting", Chambers said.

Chambers concluded his lecture by proposing some reform measures in the
Lebanese electoral system. "The new electoral system should achieve
confessional and regional representation, and establish a real
relationship between the electorate and the representatives", Chambers
said.