Religious Freedom Beyond (or Below) the Purview of the State : The Case of Lebanon

In Lebanon, protecting and defending religious freedom is not the sole business of civic associations and NGOs; it is also the lifeblood of the State. Composed of eighteen State-recognized religious communities, the country prides itself on being a reference of religious coexistence and political management of difference, despite decades of war and tensions. The Lebanese state commitment to religious freedom is enshrined in its constitution (1926), which, unlike in most Arab countries, does ...