Glossary

The Lebanese Constitution of 1926

A constitution that was adopted as an interim measure to achieve a confessional distribution of power between the Christians and the Muslims, without specifying how the offices should be allocated.

The National Pact of 1943

An unwritten agreement between President Bechara El Khoury and Prime Minister Riad El Solh. It was a compromise based on coexistence and power-sharing among the confessional groups with key positions allocated as follows: a Maronite president, a Sunni prime minister, and a Shia speaker of the house.

The Taif Agreement of 1989

Also known as the National Accord Document, the agreement was negotiated to end the civil war and restore normality in Lebanon. Several of the clauses in the agreement were not implemented.

Al-Nahda (Arab Renaissance)

The Arab Renaissance began in the late 19th, early 20th century in Egypt, spreading across the Ottoman-ruled Arab regions of Lebanon, Syria and other parts of the Middle East.

Michel Chiha (1891-1954)

A Lebanese banker, politician, writer and journalist, Chiha was one of the authors of the 1926 Lebanese Constitution. His ideas and actions are believed to have influenced the shaping of modern Lebanon.