In a Lebanon that today has few competent state institutions and is in need of international solidarity, ensuring nation-building governance is primordial. We will be a destination for humanitarian aid and assistance, possibly for many years to come.
The aim of The Zovighian Partnership Public Office in this crucial time is to equip national negotiations with expertise based on the ethical principles of self-determination and information power. It is our insistence that all aid and help for Lebanon, our citizens, and our guests always be designed in strong practice, built on scientific evidence, and serve in the best interests of those in need.
CONCEPTS & FRAMEWORKS THAT INTRODUCE INNOVATION TO THE DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION OF AID
Our publications and media mentions explore how innovation can bolster the impact of humanitarian assistance in conflict and disaster zones. Crucial questions are presented and explored, proposing new models and capacities for governance, strategic design, research and development, ethics, management, community self-determination, and sustainability.
Newsweek — Beirut, Lebanon
August 4, 2023
In an opinion piece published in Newsweek for the third annual commemoration of the Beirut Explosion, ZP Co-founder and Managing Director Lynn Zovighian analyzes the failings of the Lebanese government in building credibility amongst international donors in the 3RF funding framework. She implored donors to not recuse their funding towards Lebanon.
The Zovighian Partnership — Beirut, Lebanon
February 4, 2021
In this technical letter, we demonstrate the importance of re-opening negotiations on the World Bank Group ESSN for Lebanon. Imperative questions and decisions are presented for further dialogue.
An-Nahar —
Beirut, Lebanon
January 16, 2021
In a critique of the latest humanitarian aid designed for Lebanon, negotiated by the World Bank Group and the Government of Lebanon, concerns on the potential for currency arbitrage, the deep lack of pre-requisite data, and the start of institutionalizing human risks are highlighted. These risks need to be better understood and addressed urgently.
An-Nahar English — Beirut, Lebanon
September 1, 2020
With the door wide open for significant humanitarian pledges and commitments to Lebanon, this commentary explores the risks of getting aid wrong. Particularly, friends of Lebanon need to commit aid that is in fact long-term capital that is strategically patient and represents the multitude of citizen voices.
An-Nahar English — Beirut, Lebanon
May 28, 2019
In the sequel of a two-part essay, we highlight how to mitigate the risks and challenges of humanitarian aid as a band aid in conflict and crisis environments. The governance of the Community Capital Fund is presented as a formal mechanism for community self-determination and sustainability.
The expired model of humanitarian aid: Community Capital Funds as a new social investment mechanism - Part 2
An-Nahar English — Beirut, Lebanon
June 17, 2019
In the first of a two-part essay, we introduce the concept of the Community capital fund, a social investment vehicle as a more sustainable alternative to humanitarian assistance and funding. We highlight the importance of enabling communities to partner with capital instead of being passive recipients of aid.
Casina Pio IV — Vatican City, Vatican
November 7, 2018
Speaking at the Vatican Youth Symposium 2018, an annual convening of young global leaders, Lynn Zovighian, Managing Director for The Zovighian Partnership, proposes an alternative impact framework and mindset as the United Nations continues to face funding challenges for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Reimagining civil society’s role in Lebanon: A call to action
Hosted by Juffali Family Director Rebecca Riccio, the inaugural lecture for the Northeastern University Social Impact Lab fellowship welcomed ZP Co-founder and Managing Director Lynn Zovighian to present a pragmatic call to action for local civil society organizations and donors in Lebanon. The lecture is especially relevant for NGOs, donors, diplomats, and partners serving on the humanitarian frontlines to bolster the intersection where strategy and equitable social justice meet.
Episode 1
The human impact of hyperinflation in Lebanon
…We are not here to permeate the narrative of resilience, and we are not here to […] demand of civil society things and requirements and expectations that cannot be achieved.
—
Lynn Zovighian, Co-Founder & Managing Director | The Zovighian Partnership
Episode
2
Civil society needs competent state institutions & strengthened private sector to deliver sustainable impact
Episode 3
Introduction: A social investment framework for Lebanon that bridges strategy & ethics
Episode 4
The threats of limiting funding models in Lebanon
NATIONAL INVESTMENT PLANS DEFINED BY PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
Focused on social investment strategies and strategic plays, our publications and media mentions present a combination of time-critical and long-term opportunities for Lebanon. We debate how to problem-solve and / or offset some of the multiple (chronic) crises facing the country today, some which have spiked since October 2019 and have been rapidly degrading since August 2020 following the Beirut Explosion.
Wilson Center — Washington D.C., USA
September 27, 2023
The Wilson Center published a new analytical essay by Lynn Zovighian on the failed economic model in Lebanon and the need for a new action plan based on responsible and women-centered organizations. This call to action invites business owners and entrepreneurs to exercise their capacity to pivot the Lebanese economy towards onto a fundamentally sustainable track.
The Zovighian Partnership — Beirut, Lebanon
March 8, 2022
In this technical letter, we present a fourteen-point activation guide to meaningfully kickstart a women-centered recovery for Lebanon.
An-Nahar — Beirut, Lebanon
October 11, 2021
In the An-Nahar October 11, 2021 Special Edition with the Gebran Tueni Foundation, ZP Co-founder and MD, Lynn Zovighian, highlights the indispensable need to invest in women in Lebanon. She explains that women are the fastest accelerator for an economic recovery for the country, adding that long-term growth must be based on equitability.
Beirut Explosion:
Drafting a national social investment strategy to fund a
citizens-centered emergency response
The Zovighian Partnership — Beirut, Lebanon
August 27, 2020
This working paper, co-signed with members of Lebanon's civil society, provides the starting point for a qualitative data repository immediately following the Beirut Explosion. We explore the principles and priorities of a long-term strategic investment plan for Lebanon.
Co-signed with 17 ecosystem members, it is an open-source data repository that proposes how to understand, measure, and activate humanitarian and investment in-flows into Lebanon with high impact and long-term commitment.
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Beirut Explosion: Drafting a national social investment strategy to fund a citizens-centered emergency response
Defining and activating an ethical and long-term national social investment strategy is primordial to enabling strategic, and vision-directed humanitarian capital and investments flows into Beirut and Lebanon.
- from
Beirut Explosion: Drafting a national social investment strategy to fund a citizens-centered emergency response
An-Nahar English — Beirut, Lebanon
July 8, 2019
In the first of a two-part essay, we list out a series of questions to demonstrate the overdue need to exit the short-termist mindset of building a viable future for Lebanon. Rather, we posit a methodology to begin conversing on how to build a long-term national balance sheet of healthy assets and manageable liabilities.
An-Nahar English — Beirut, Lebanon
July 18, 2019
In the final part of this essay series, highlight immediate and longer-term socio-economic capacity-building opportunities for Lebanon. We focus on the strategic intersections between SMEs and tourism, calling for a national SME strategy and investing in low hanging fruit in medical tourism and cultural diplomacy.
HUMANIZATION STRATEGIES THAT CHAMPION HUMAN POTENTIAL & COMMUNITIES
These publications and media mentions focus on fortifying positive assets and sector capacities in Lebanon, especially those that are led by talent, expertise, and human-centered competitive advantage. We explore how investing in human capacities is key to re-building trust in the country, creating effective alternatives to current government mechanisms, and assuring financial sustainability to retain talent and reduce brain drain.
AUB Assembly Hall — Beirut, Lebanon
May 13, 2023
At the launch of the “Giving Voice to Music” initiative, award-winning and virtuoso musicians took the stage at the AUB Assembly Hall to present an immersive repertoire of instrumental overtures, opera, and choral music. The full video of the concert is available on Lynn Zovighian’s Youtube Channel.
AUB Assembly Hall — Beirut, Lebanon
May 13, 2023
In a closing tribute at the launch of the “Giving Voice to Music” initiative at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Assembly Hall, singers and musicians from all over Lebanon performed the Lebanese National Anthem “Kulluna lil-watan,” together with the audience. Click here to watch the video.
Entrepreneurship becomes an act of citizenship: A decision to take matters into your own hands and decide that you will be responsible for achieving something important, irrespective of the constraints you are up against.
- Lynn Zovighian
to The Daily Star
Alliance magazine — London, United Kingdom
September 6, 2022
Contributing to a special edition on decolonizing philanthropy, ZP Co-founder and Managing Director Lynn Zovighian shares her philosophy behind building an R&D team at ZP to co-create high participatory, community-centered, and grounded data. Community-led data can disrupt philanthropy and humanitarian decisions from the ground up if self-determination values are upheld.
An-Nahar English — Beirut, Lebanon
August
8, 2020
Issued ahead of the donor governments conference to pledge their support to Lebanon, this open letter calls for deep listening and awareness of the significant efforts of Lebanese citizens, CSOs, and the private sector on the devastated ground zero following the Beirut Explosion.
The Daily Star interviews Lynn Zovighian as the Regional Ambassador of Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, on new approaches to enable MENA youth
The Daily Star — Beirut, Lebanon
November
25, 2015
In an interview with The Daily Star, Lynn Zovighian presents three pillars to empower youth social entrepreneurship in the Middle East. She emphasizes the importance of a nurturing socio-economic infrastructure for youth entrepreneurs and youth-led business to overcome chronic regional challenges.
TEDxAUB — Beirut, Lebanon
November 16, 2015
In the face of rising youth brain drain in Lebanon, Lynn Zovighian takes the stage at TEDxAUB and speaks about how she returned back to Lebanon to establish The Zovighian Partnership with a young team of Lebanese talent. She called for urgent policy action to give young Lebanese a fighting chance at a sustainable future.
An-Nahar English — Beirut, Lebanon
October 21, 2019
This opinion piece presents the possibilities to create value and impact in the face of the multi-layered crises hitting the country. In an intentional vote of confidence to re-build trust in the human potential of the Lebanese people, we speak about the magnetic power of citizens to attract diaspora capital and FDI into Lebanon.
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