(ANS – Geneva) –  The Mary Help of Christians International Institute (IIMA) and International Voluntary Service for Education, Women and Development (VIDES) have sponsored a parallel event at the 19th Session of the Council of Human Rights with the title: “Lebanese children’s right to peace education”. Held on Tuesday  13 March, at the “Palais des Nations” in Geneva, event described the experience of the two Salesian schools in Hadath Balbeek, as an example of good practice and a sign of hope for the Middle East.

Sr Lina Jean Abou Naoum, Principal of the “Maria Dominique” and “Don Bosco” Daughters of Mary Help of Christians schools  in Hadath Baalbek, Lebanon, and Ghada Zoghby, a teacher in the primary school for over 25 years spoke about their own experience. Sr Abou Naoum described the Salesian project started in 1974, pointed out that the educational work was not only aimed at welcoming those most in need, but also at providing a point of contact between Christian and Muslim families.

At present the school has 924 children of whom 862 are Shi’ite Muslims and 62 Orthodox and Maronite Christians. The procedures followed to provide a proper peace education have been: treating all the children equally, the extremely professional approach and skills of the teachers (Orthodox and Maronite Christians, Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims) and the decision to make Friday and Sunday non-school days.

“If we have succeeded in creating an atmosphere of respect and love in a small village, which with its mosaic of the differences represents Lebanon very well, it is possible to achieve it throughout the country” Sr Abou Naoum said in conclusion.

Mrs Zoghby, a Muslim teacher described the activities used to educate the children for peace, so that they may learn  to accept each other and live peacefully among themselves.

Present at the event were  the Ambassador of Lebanon, Dr. Najla Riachi Assaker, Mons. Silvano Tomasi, Permanent Observer of the Holy See at the UNO,  the Ambassador of Costa Rica, Christian Guillermet-Férnandez, and Elena Ippoliti, a member of the High Commission for Human Rights. In addition, Lorenza Pastore and Maria D’Onofrio spoke respectively about the educational methods employed in education to peace  by the IIMA and the role of young people in the peace building process of VIDES International. Finally, Fujii Kazonari, representing Soka Gakkai International underlined the importance of  an education to human rights in order to build a peaceful  society.

Also present at the event were some children from  “La Salésienne” Institute in Veyrier, Switzerland, who during November began a twinning project by correspondence with the pupils of the FMA schools in Hadath Baalbek, joining in the “Building peace”. Laure Mourlo Beernaert, a teacher in the Veyrier school finally described how respect and living together in the school context are practised and a peace culture strengthened.

Published 16/03/2012