Lebanese athlete Michael Haddad, who lives with paralysis affecting 75 percent of his body, completed a 15-hour sea crossing from Lebanon to Cyprus during a brief truce in the context of the war between Lebanon and Israel, turning a high-risk journey into a starting point for a global initiative aimed at putting disability at the center of dialogue on conflicts and their resolution.
Haddad set off from the Lebanese coast at three in the morning on April 26, arriving in Larnaca around seven in the evening on the same day, on board a sailboat led by Captain Elio Chahoud and supported by Fadi Abu Jaoude, while Leda Chalhoub and Dolly Michael accompanied him to document the trip.
The trip took place amid active regional tensions, as Haddad – despite his paralysis – faced the challenges of the open sea for long hours, relying on advanced neuro-motor techniques that he developed over the years, which enabled him to maintain stability and endurance throughout the trip. But the purpose of the trip went beyond physical achievement itself.
Through this initiative, Haddad sought to challenge the prevailing narratives that reduce disability as a result of conflicts, and to work to re-present it as a basic entry point for understanding the humanitarian impact of conflicts, and to open new paths for dialogue, participation, and peacebuilding.
Following his arrival in Cyprus, Haddad transferred this vision to the academic framework through a dialogue meeting at the American University of Beirut – Cyprus branch in Paphos, which brought together students, professors, and the university administration, and focused on redefining the role of disability within conflict contexts. Haddad said: “Disability is not a marginal issue in times of conflict, but rather a gateway to understanding humans and rebuilding dialogue.”
At the opening of the meeting, Dr. Malek Tabbal said: “What Michael presents challenges traditional notions about resilience and human ability, and shows how what is seen as limits can turn into a driving force for change and interaction.”
In his closing remarks, Dr. Wassim Al Haj said: “Universities have a role that goes beyond education, which is to create spaces in which new forms of dialogue emerge. This initiative reflects the kind of engagement that the world needs today.”
The initiative, which was launched in the Eastern Mediterranean, aims to expand globally through dialogue platforms and research frameworks that integrate lived experience into conflict analysis and policy formulation, by bringing together academic institutions, decision-makers and humanitarian actors, as well as people affected by conflicts.
This approach sought to reformulate the view on disability from a condition associated with fragility, to an active role in understanding conflicts and contributing to their resolution.
Haddad stressed that “this trip represents the beginning of a broader path, carrying the message that even in contexts of division and instability, movement remains possible towards a deeper understanding and a more humane dialogue.”
