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Dear Readers, As the ceasefire continues to hold the fragile peace in Lebanon, students from around the world have come together in this forum to share their ideas and concerns. Building bridges of cooperation we hope will last well into the future, The Globalist Foundation’s Special Edition brings together contributions from students in Beirut and Jerusalem as well as in Beijing, New Haven, Sydney, Toronto, Cambridge, Paris and Cape Town. While I am thrilled about the success of this Special Edition, I also want to share with you some of the challenges we have faced in producing it. In times of war journalism becomes not only more important but also more difficult. On the Israeli side, many of the editors and writers were called up to reserve while working on this project. It is difficult for those of us who have not been soldiers to imagine what it must be like to fight, lose comrades and still have the energy and drive to commit to a project of this nature. On the Lebanese side the challenges were just as trying. Living abroad in refuge for the duration of the war, the editors of The Beirut Globalist were forced to watch their country, their homes and their families destroyed by a war they did not ask for. Writing under such circumstances is more than can be expected from most. Moreover, since Lebanese law prohibits direct cooperation with Israelis, the editors of The Beirut Globalist had to overcome great legal hurdles and political risks in order to participate in this project. Again, it is hard for those of us who are not directly affected to imagine what it must have taken for them to commit to the Globalist despite the challenges they faced. We have done our best to moderate an indirect discussion between Israeli and Lebanese students, inviting members from other Globalist chapters to participate in our effort. As facilitators, we see it as our task to come up with ways to enable indirect dialogue that is both productive and legal, to encourage writers from both sides to honestly express their feelings and concerns and, most importantly, to challenge all of our members to reconsider their opinions based on the perspectives of their peers. As both our Israeli and Lebanese editors come home, we invite you to read their articles, look at their photos, and listen to their opinions. Please take a moment to see a small avenue of indirect communication between Israeli and Lebanese youth, and, perhaps, find hope in the prospect of increased cooperation among our generation Sincerely, Last Updated on 7 September 2006 (New Letters from Cambridge)
A Diaspora - and its Host - Look Back Added on 21 August 2006 (New Letters from Cambridge; Images from Israel and Lebanon)
Analysis: Waltz with Nasrallah Added on 17 August 2006 (New Letters from Paris and Peking)
The Politics of Pride
The Supreme Value of Human Life
Fragile Peace Added on 14 August 2006 (Press Release)
The Failure of the Believers. The Victory of the Tribalists
Almost Exactly the Same
On the Street: Global Responses to the Crisis in Lebanon
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