On Thursday, January 22, 2026, Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) officially launched the Georges Corm Chair within the Institute of Political Science (ISP), under the high patronage of the Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Nawaf Salam. Held at the Gulbenkian Auditorium on the François Debbané Social Sciences Campus, Huvelin Street in Achrafieh, the ceremony brought together a wide audience including ministers, members of parliament, former ministers, ambassadors, academics, researchers, students, and members of Georges Corm’s family.

Opening the event, Prof. François Boëdec, SJ, Rector of USJ, emphasized the significance of the occasion. He explained that the establishment of the Chair reflects the University’s commitment to critical thinking in international relations, political economy, and the history of ideas, while honoring one of Lebanon’s most influential intellectual figures. He thanked the Prime Minister for his high patronage, noting that “his symbolic presence, and his representation by Mr. Ghassan Salame, reflect not only a tribute to a great scholar and a friend, but also the importance the country’s authorities attach to knowledge, critical thought, and the role of universities in public life.”

Recalling his own experience as a student in the 1980s, Prof. Boëdec shared how Georges Corm’s work Proche-Orient éclaté profoundly shaped his understanding of the region. He emphasized Corm’s lasting connection with USJ, where he taught from the 1960s, maintained dialogue with students even during his ministerial tenure between 1998 and 2000, and remained a pillar of the ISP alongside figures such as Ghassan Salame, Joseph Maïla, Fadia Kiwan, and Samir Kassir. Prof. Boëdec underlined the Chair’s role as an academic act of transmission, reflection, and responsibility, adding: “In today’s Lebanon, marked by multifaceted economic, social, institutional, and moral crises, Georges Corm’s thought challenges us. It challenges us to overcome fatalism, to think beyond sectarian divides, and to link social justice, economic development, and political sovereignty.”

Mr. Karim Emile Bitar, former ISP Director and Holder of the Chair, paid tribute to Corm’s integrity and clarity of vision, noting his ability to maintain respect even amid political disagreements with figures like Rafic Hariri, grounded in their shared commitment to Lebanon and coexistence. Mr. Bitar presented the Chair’s logo and historical heritage, derived from a painting of Achrafieh by Corm’s father, symbolizing the “Levant of yesterday” and values of coexistence and political liberalism. He outlined the Chair’s focus areas: international relations, political economy, and the history of ideas, emphasizing Corm’s preference for the term “political economy” to highlight the role of institutions and the state and critique the subordination of the economy to short-term financial gains. He also recalled Corm’s foresight regarding the international order, anticipating critiques of the liberal system and advocating for a world grounded in justice rather than power.

Speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister in his capacity as Minister of Culture, Prof. Ghassan Salame emphasized Corm’s intellectual courage and the Chair’s importance in addressing contemporary uncertainties. He highlighted three key areas: writing the history of the region without distortion, centering local actors; managing confessional pluralism, a persistent regional challenge; and engaging with the West, extracting its norms and values without endorsing its choices or interventions. These axes underscore the Chair’s role in examining the dialectical relationship between Lebanon, the region, and the wider world.

Mr. Kamel Mehanna, founder and President of the Amel Association, stressed the ethical and human dimension of Corm’s engagement. He highlighted Corm’s work with the Amel Center, his analytical insight into regional and European crises, and his deep commitment to Palestine, described as the “cause of causes.” Mr. Mehanna emphasized Corm’s pursuit of intellectual liberation as a central project, describing his thought as “a calm, profound, and sustained form of resistance, aimed at renewing secularism rather than rupturing society.”

ISP Director Sami Nader noted Corm’s ability to bridge theory and practice, proposing solutions rooted in social and political realities. He stressed that the Chair will serve as a platform for applying political economy as a tool for social transformation, training citizens and policymakers to tackle complex contemporary challenges. Nader also announced that the Chair’s space will house Georges Corm’s personal library, generously donated by his family, to inspire future generations and reflect his intellectual curiosity.

On behalf of the Corm family, Mr. Mounir Corm expressed gratitude for the initiative, emphasizing that the Chair represents not only a tribute but a commitment to uphold the values Corm embodied: courage, integrity, intellectual responsibility, and public debate. He recounted that the Chair was conceived immediately after Corm’s funeral, driven by members of USJ, with the aim of waging a “cultural and intellectual battle” against imaginary divisions, essentialism, and predatory practices. Its mission is to equip young people to understand reality, deconstruct simplistic narratives, and rebuild a culture of the state and institutions in line with Corm’s thought.

The ceremony concluded with an open discussion on democratic citizenship, economic development, and social justice in Lebanon, featuring Prof. Marie-Claude Najm, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science and former Minister of Justice; Ms. Lamia Moubayed, President of Institut des finances Basil Fuleihan; Mr. Saade Chami, former Deputy Prime Minister and associate researcher at AUB; and Mr. Ziad Baroud, former Minister of Interior and USJ instructor. Moderated by Mr. Karim Bitar, the discussion fostered an exchange of academic and political perspectives on Lebanon’s contemporary challenges, before closing with a cocktail reception attended by all participants and guests.

Read also: Lancement de la Chaire Georges Corm

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