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Civil Society Advocacy

The Center worked closely with a number of NGOs in organizing conferences, workshops and forums designed to increase citizen participation in the legislative process and to facilitate communication between the Lebanese Parliament, the public, and the media. In particular, the Center coordinated with the Forum for Parliamentary Dialogue (FPD), a non-partisan, non-profit organization created in 1999 through the collaborative effort of a group of NGOs. Formed to strengthen the role of civil society in policy analysis and formulation and to identify opportunities to expand the influence of private citizens in the legislative process, the FPD has been instrumental in developing beneficial networks between NGOs and the legislature. Several seminars organized by the FPD were conducted within the Lebanese Parliament to increase awareness of the concerns of civil society.