Booklet aims to create understanding of Lebanon's faiths

09 May 2007

BEIRUT: The Gathering of Private Educational Institutions in Lebanon issued a booklet on Tuesday outlining official religious holidays of the Muslim and Christian faiths. "The booklet will be distributed to students in all of our educational institutions for free and to all other institutions willing to put it at their students' disposal," said Father Marwan Tabet, coordinator of the gathering and head of Catholic schools in Lebanon, during a news conference at the Press Federation's Beirut headquarters.

The booklet lists Christian and Islamic holidays and provides a small explanation of each holiday. It also gives general information about both religions.

"We hope that this booklet will be a reference for all Lebanese students," Tabet said.

The production of the 30-page booklet was accomplished in two phases, Tabet said.

"First, representatives from Christian and Islamic institutions wrote down their religious celebrations, each sect alone according to its proper calendar," he explained. "Second, both parties held necessary discussions before the booklet saw the light of day."

Tabet highlighted the fact that Christian holidays would be read about in Islamic schools through a Christian perspective, while Islamic holidays would be read about in Christian schools through an Islamic perspective.

"Lebanon is characterized by the diversity of its national and religious holidays since it encompasses 18 Christian and Islamic sects," Tabet said.

The Gathering of Private

Educational Institutions includes the General Secretariat of Catholic Schools, the Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association of Beirut, the Amiliyya Islamic Benevolent Society, the Association of Evan-gelical Schools in Lebanon, the Association of Greek Orthodox Schools and the Orfan Druze Foundation.

Talal El Makdessi, CEO of THG, which financed the project, said the Lebanese people "are fed up with politicians' exploitation of religion."

"The Lebanese people are in dire need of this booklet to know each other's beliefs and traditions," he said. - The Daily Star