1001 Stories of Common Ground

Can sports really contribute to peaceful co-existence? For the kids in Lebanon, it looks like there is no doubt: on the field, boundaries are crossed, and friendships are made.

In recent years, car bombs, military invasions, terrorist attacks and internal strife have contributed to making Lebanon one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Judging from newspaper headlines, Lebanon constantly seems on the verge of another civil war.

Three Inspiring Peace Stories
By Jean-Paul Chami (Beirut, Lebanon)

Since 2004 the Forum for Development, Culture  and Dialogue (FDCD), has been carrying out many projects in the Middle East focusing on peace, dialogue, and reconciliation. During the past four years, one pivotal initiative has been a capacity building project for Iraqi NGOs working on conflict resolution and advocacy for peace all over Iraq.

I felt kind of strange feeling in me when I heard the question Why work with young people, calm question makes me go back a little to the past, to ponder the reasons for my start in youth work and from there starting in the block group ; Why work with young people? , because I have an element of the group and affect the group , I remember the first time When I was 7 years ago when I joined the Society’s heroic Tiflet theater in the city, at the same time I was active with the Association of the shoola for Education and Culture, among the activities start-ups for children and young people, when they were optional in the age of seven to go to camp Saadia’s childhood, I was afraid to spend 15 days away from my family, I remember the day I cried Duck Mrtgia where I have to give me the price of 300 MDH “ 30 dollars” to participate in the camp, because I got used to the daily activities of the Assembly. And I loved the experience of taking my family I die in 15 days.

That was my beginning to recognize what is participatory action and work with the associations, and then in the age of 16 became the “Coach of the summer camps,” through the experience of 7 to the age of 16, put myself in the accumulation of many, and replay later in the chapter, I discuss are teachers’s ; Friends and various community placements that threaten our society, and history replay ; topics such as bribery, human rights, drugs, and subjects that were taboo to discus a in the classroom, under the pretext of us to complete the curriculum,. Because these topics are not in the curriculum, but we were discussing in groups outside of the classroom and away from the eyes of the educational frameworks, and different subjects is simple.

The Tunisian Intifada is a true mass uprising that stunned the world with its short span and fast consequences, that need to be thought about and study. I am not of the opinion of the so-called Domino  Effect that will follow, but i came up with my own theory that i see it might come through, based on the   events taken place in the last few days since the Tunisian Intifada.