11 January 2008

BEIRUT: The head of Beirut's German-speaking Evangelical community has received a donation of 1215 euros ($1790), designated for assistance to Lebanese youth, from German Navy personnel serving with the Maritime Task Force (MTF) of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

Pastor Uwe Weltzien received the check on Wednesday from Rear Admiral Hans-Christian Luther, commander of the MTF, and Germany's ambassador to Lebanon, Hansjorg Haber  

The money - collected from 836 German Navy personnel serving aboard the vessels Bayern, Donau, Auerbach, Ueberherrn, Zobel, and Puma, as well as with support elements based in Cyprus - will help sponsor needy Lebanese children who attend public schools, giving them the opportunity to continue their education.

An earlier fundraising campaign among the German MTF contingent resulted in 500 euros being donated to the congregation in September.

According to Weltzein, the money will go to fund that helps supply Lebanese children with school necessities like uniforms, pens, books and paper.  Following the war with Israel in summer 2006, the congregation was able to support more than 30 children through this fund.

The fund continues to provide help to needy children and is largely supported by donations, Weltzein explained.

"It's important to note that we have a great relationship with both the Muslim and Christian communities in Beirut. Our aim, as the German-speaking church, is to be responsible for the German speakers," he added. "We are not here to convert or move groups out; our goal is to work with our community. But we do commit ourselves to inter-religious work; both Christians and Muslims are welcome to come and have a place where children can learn to live together as one."

Luther said the donations were "a late Christmas present to the Lebanese school children. We hope this donation will foster goodwill between ourselves and the Lebanese people and that the money will help to bring a brighter future to children in desperate need."

"If nothing more, we are showing the children of Lebanon that we care about their future," he added.

In the past, German sailors have also supported a "Crisis Fund" with roughly 1,000 euros for the victims of the September bombing that killed MP Antoine Ghanem. One of the bystanders who died in the attack was German citizen Hayat Dandache, 24, who was pregnant.

The MTF, comprising 1,500 sailors and 12 ships from Germany, Turkey, Greece and the Netherlands, has been on patrol for the past 16 months. The maritime mission is the first of its kind in the history of the United Nations and its task is to assist Lebanon in controlling its territorial waters.

The duty of the ships is to search for suspicious vessels that might have arms onboard. To date, the force has hailed and interrogated about 12,000 vessels off Lebanon's coast.  

When suspicions warrant, ships can be boarded and inspected by the Lebanese Navy within the territorial waters.  About 60 have been searched thoroughly in Lebanese ports.

"The aim of our ships is to [bring stability to] Lebanon and to help the Lebanese people," said Luther.

Copyright The Daily Star 2008.