​On October 26, 2023, IFI, in collaboration with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, held an online panel discussion titled “Gaza’s Unfolding Tragedy: Palestinian and Regional Perspectives.” Moderated by Middle East Council on Global Affairs Fellow Omar H. Rahman, speakers included IFI Director Dr. Joseph Bahout, President of the Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy Ines Abdel Razek, and IFI Distinguished Fellow Rami G. Khouri. The objective of the discussion was to look at the impact of the conflict on the domestic arena within Israel and the Palestinian territories, as well as to better understand the implications of the conflict’s regional and international spillover. 

​The American University of Beirut’s Nature Conservation Center (AUB-NCC) and the Arab Reform Initiative (ARI), in collaboration with IFI, held a panel discussion titled “What to Expect from COP 28 - Definitive Actions or Deja-Vu Pledges?” on October 24. The event's main focus was on the upcoming COP 28 summit and the crucial issues pertaining to the worldwide effort to combat climate change. Moderated by Director of the Environmental Politics Program at ARI, Sarine Karajerian, speakers included UNEP’s Regional Coordinator for Climate Action Dr. Tarek Alkhoury, Climate Activist and MENA Operations Coordinator at Leave it in the Ground Georges Ziadeh, UNDP’s Climate Change Projects Manager Lea Kai, IFI’s Policy Advisor and Associate Fellow Camille Ammoun, and IFI’s Climate Change and Environment Program Director Dr. Nadim Farajalla. 

​On October 23, 2023, the American University of Beirut’s Center for Arab and Islamic Studies (CAMES), in collaboration with IFI, the Mohammad Atallah Chair in Ethics, the Palestinian Land Studies Center, with the support of the Palestinian Cultural Club and the Insight Club, held a panel discussion titled “Al-Aqsa Tsunami: Politics, Ethics, and Regional Implications.”

The Women, Peace, and Security Regional Hub at IFI, in collaboration with UN Women and the Friedrich-Eber Stiftung, hosted a panel discussion on Monday, October 16, 2023, starting with a presentation on “Dealing with the Past: The Role of Political Apologies,” followed by a discussion on truth and justice with an emphasis on Dalal Mawad’s book, “All She Lost.”
 
Thia Sagherian Dickey, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant in Peace & Conflict Studies, started by presenting on the role of political apologies and dealing with the past, highlighting the growing tendency of political apologies, particularly when it comes to violations of human rights during times of conflict. She discussed the essential components of thorough apologies, noting that expressions of regret are the most typical. Sagherian stressed that many parties, including activists, tribunals, and eyewitnesses, are frequently involved in these apologies, while also explaining the significant effects of political apologies.

IFI held a workshop on “Tobacco Economics” led by Dr. Ali Chalak, Associate Professor of Applied Economics at AUB and Dr. Ali Abboud, Assistant Professor in Economics and IFI University Fellow on October 6, 2023.