Ibillin, Israel – While the world, especially the Middle Eastern nations, is full of grievances and fury due to the armed violence perpetrated by terrorists, a flurry of anticipation filled the Mar Elias Educational Institutions of over 3,000 students and faculty on Wednesday, December 2nd. The institutions were designated, for the first time in history, as the Peace Academies of Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL). HWPL is an international non-profit registered under UN Department of Information. A three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and former Archbishop of the Melkite Catholic Church, Father Elias Chacour is a founder and principal of the schools of the Mar Elias Educational Institutions (MEEI) established in Ibillin, an Arab town in the Northern District of Israel. Fr. Chacour, an active Publicity Ambassador of HWPL, has cooperated to establish the World Alliance of Religions’ Peace (WARP) Office in Israel and united the MEEI high school students with HWPL’s youth division, International Peace Youth Group (IPYG). The MEEI consists of students and faculty from various faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Druze heritage. Fr. Chacour has put forth his effort to build schools to educate children of all ethnic and religious backgrounds in the ways of peace, reconciliation, respect, and justice. His commendable efforts to promote peace among youths have led to the honorable recognition of MEEI becoming the first HWPL Peace Academy. Mr. Man Hee Lee, a world-renowned peace advocate as well as founder and Chairman of HWPL, and Chairwoman of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), Ms. Nam Hee Kim met with Fr. Chacour, students of the MEEI, and religious leaders. Chairman Lee will serve as a honorary principal and Chairwoman Kim as a vice-principal of the MEEI. The two chairpersons have tirelessly pursued the work of peace that transcends borders, ethnicities, religions and that empowers a new generation of leaders to be active proponents of world peace. Chairman Lee emphasized about the importance of education in establishing peace, “Peace is something that blossoms from the hearts of each individual and can be achieved through the changes of perception from proper education. When we accept the word - peace - and when children get closely acquainted with the term above any other through school curricula, the world where every individual can live peacefully will be fulfilled quicker than ever before.” At the designation ceremony, Chairwoman Kim appealed to the students, “IWPG has dedicated full efforts in providing education about peace and further collaborated with HWPL to ensure this education be incorporated into curriculum in each institute. People in all sectors of the society, NGOs promoting peace along with schools, need to collaborate with HWPL professionally to teach our youth about the work of peace. Please have pride in being part of the first designated HWPL Peace Academy. I sincerely congratulate you." The establishment of the HWPL Peace Institute through the MEEI in Israel will serve as a comprehensive program which provides an educational framework on interfaith conflict analysis and resolution, interfaith peace dialogue sessions, and alliance of religions through the World Alliance of Religions Peace (WARP) Office. HWPL will work to design programs and courses to enhance the peacemaking capacities of individuals and organizations from various faiths through the WARP Office events and will highlight HWPL’s most recent peacemaking efforts.
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Ferit Tuglaci wants to connect:
' the more bombs, the more brotherhood between Muslims and non-Muslims ' TILBURG-it is not a regular working day. He already knows that Ferit Tuglaci on Monday 16 november at the student walks into school where he teaches. It is the first school day after the attacks in Paris. School teacher Ferit Tuglaci: 36 years old, studied religious studies at Tilburg University. He is teacher humanity, Society and also religion teacher on high school. His goal was to stimulate the intercultural debate in Tilburg under 12-, 13-and 14-year-olds. Ferit Tuglaci on a Tilburg school with students under his wing, the acts of terrorism in France that Monday became the conversation of the day. "Students started right away discuss about what had happened. Muslim pupils had also about Beirut and about other Muslim countries where Isis has committed atrocities. There began to direct a conversation about terrorism, but also about religion. " Sturdy Ferit's son plays in the living room with color pencils. First, all of them in a backpack, then again all out. Dad makes coffee. Then we talk about the days ' after Paris ' on the couch. "First, the pupils still sturdy and said they are not to afraid. But if you talk on the question rises and they ask anyway. "" Can terrorists to Netherlands? Can you rule out that they attacks the Netherlands? When they ask that, I think by myself, how I am going to answer, I wasn't educated for this, it is tricky to answer this question. I let them questions first, then I know what's going on. Then I told that Isis consists of not even 0.0003 of all Muslims in the world. That Isis already has killed many Muslims. It is unfortunately with bombs that a small group makes much sound. " Back to that particular tricky question, can isis bring terror to the Netherlands? "Mr. Tuglaci ' as he is called, for its pupils would perhaps prefer resounding ' no ' answers. But he may not. "I have said that it is not excluded, But that they should not fool them self. Terrorists wants that you are afraid for them, that is their goal. The believe that the world will end tomorrow. With this reason it is important that you and I have no fear but the opposite and live our life, in the morning to work or school, coming in the evening safely at home. To the streets What was hardest blow of the terrorists in the eyes of Tuglaci? "The more bombs, the more brotherhood between Muslims and non-Muslims. You can stay home and be anxious and lose this fight, go demonstrate to the streets and a send a different message than the terrorists. People of different nationalities and religions coming together and not allow Division. " Tuglaci was one of the initiators of a meeting which in Tilburg a few days after the attacks in Paris was organized. By people of all ages and different backgrounds was there stood still at the atrocities. " It is a good signal, with former classmates I want to try to bring people together." The same god, the same name Tuglaci so as a teacher and as a human being who wants to connect. In addition, also Muslim and father of a cute toddler. A man with ideals, but not free from fear. "After the attacks in Paris I thought first to the people who have died. But a few hours later came other thoughts: in what world is my child growing up? You should now see a mosque more often daubed or fired? My son will grow up in a society that is Islam phobic? We tend to forget it. With all good conversations with colleagues, friends and family that followed. " Ferit's message is clear: connection versus terror. "In the Koran is in the third chapter, verse 34 something that inspires. Jews, Muslims and Christians invited to with a common word God to worship. To him with a new Word. That is important, stress that there is a shared denominator. " Omroep Brabant portrays this week that not only at home at the kitchen table, but outside thinking about the recent attacks in Paris, but also in the workplace. This is episode 2 in that series. Orginal article: http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/?news%2F2404871083%2FFerit+Tuglaci+wil+verbinden+Hoe+meer+bommen%2C+hoe+meer+broederschap+tussen+moslims+en+niet-moslims.aspx
Imam Roosendaal: ' people are not made to fight each other, but to get to know each other ' Roosendaal- Friday afternoon for Paris was plunged into mourning. The Dutch care imam Cain Saha in his mosque preached about gentleness in islam. "I felt that afternoon happy because I had the idea that my message was understood." That evening, as clearly what happened in the French capital, makes the joyful feeling place for dismay. • Imam Cain Saha of the Moroccan mosque in Roosendaal • 42 years old • born in Errachidia in Morocco • was on his 20th imam in his native country, Marocco • works since 1998 as Imam in Roosendaal "I saw the number of victims to rise. Innocent people who wanted to have a nice evening with friends or family and ending than in such a drama. I'm only stopped watching when I had to leave again at six for the morning prayer. " Have a honest look at ourselves Saha serves Moroccan tea. "Is it good?" it tastes great. If the throat is lubricated we can talk. "It surprised me when I heard about a child of five or six years old, that the child not wants to play with other children not because it not a Muslim. That invents a child does not by themself. "" So we have to be honest to ourselves; What kind of image I try to create the other? This also applies to the non-Muslims. Perhaps have you ever been angry with a Moroccan and hear your child you swearing or ranting. That happens more often, then take your child without saying a negative position. Education is very important in that respect. We must help our children live together in peace and harmony. " Imam Saha is a thinker. As a Muslim in Netherlands, he wants to build bridges. "If we want to combat extremism and terrorism, we need to look at what caused tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims in the West. How we raise our children, for example, on where it comes to position ' the other '. No war against islam But Cain sees more causes for tension. "It would help if ' the West ' clearly not at war with islam, but with terrorists. As also of me expecting my dislike of that terrorism pronounced clearly. Merkel has said that islam is welcome in Germany. And such things should be said more often. " Saha stressed that terrorists often argue that the West not only war against them, but against Islam. To negate that argument, should be clearly stated that this is not the case. Palestinian issue than the thinker in Saha speaks again: "We are all against radicalisation and extremism. But in the fight there is much error. The number of victims that falls in the fight against terrorism, is many times greater than the number of victims of terrorism itself. Then I hear sometimes Muslims say, look how many victims there are in Iraq, in Syria. And the idea is planted again that the West is the enemy of Islam. " And then there's the issue of Palestine that caused resentment and feel that ' the West ' in it is not neutral. "There would have to be the same attention for Palestinian victims, as for the victims from Israel." Muslim and Dutchman Saha called up these matter not to point the finger. He looks for causes for anti-Western feelings. Because only if you know where those feelings come from, you can try. Because that's what he wants: "I am Muslim, but also Dutch." He stressed this time and time again in lectures and columns that the West is not an enemy. And that parents their children need to learn that we accept and respect one another. He continues, "with strength and violence we do not solve the problems. The majority of all people want to live in peace. A very small group who wants doing something different , This should never the standard what the majority wants and respect each other. " If I ask him to conclude a Koran text, he does not long to think. First he speaks the verse in Arabic. Then follows the Dutch translation: "God says, you guys are from a woman and a man. You are peoples and tribes, to get to know each other better. God has not made us to fight and to fight each other, but to get to know each other better. " Omroep Brabant portrays people from Brabant not only at home or at the kitchen table, about the recent attacks in Paris, but also in the workplace. This is the 4th part in this series. Source: http://www.omroepbrabant.nl/?news%2F240627862%2FImam+Roosendaal+‘Mensen+zijn+niet+gemaakt+om+elkaar+te+bestrijden%2C+maar+om+elkaar+te+leren+kennen.aspx |
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