Who We Are

UMAM Documentation and Research (UMAM D&R) is a Lebanese non-governmental organization that believes in the need to confront Lebanon's strained past if the country is to ever move out of endless cycles of violence and instability towards the establishment of lasting and enduring peace. Only through an open and honest historical reckoning can the country better understand contemporary issues and prepare itself to deal with future problems.

UMAM D&R was inspired by conversations with friends and colleagues from different backgrounds, all of whom were concerned with the state of Lebanese affairs and the direction in which the country appeared to be headed. In particular, they felt there was an exigent need to discuss Lebanon's conflict-rich history stripped away of revisionist narratives and sectarian attitudes. Although Lebanon's civil war had ended about 15 years prior, the country was still hesitant to engage in dialogue over what happened during the war, opting instead for self-imposed amnesia. UMAM D&R also noted the lack of a centralized resource center devoted to such a monumental period in Lebanon's history, as well as the numerous other aspects of Lebanon's past, good and bad, and felt compelled to provide such a center. 

UMAM D&R was co-founded in 2005 by Lokman Slim and Monika Borgmann. Slim and Borgmann co-directed UMAM D&R until February 3, 2021, when Slim was assassinated in Lebanon. UMAM D&R has since continued its mission and work in Slim’s memory: see the Tribute to Lokman Slim page, dedicated to Lokman. 

In 2021, UMAM D&R formed a branch of the organization based in Europe, represented by a group of colleagues under the name “UMAM Switzerland.” 

The Consultative Council