Book Launching Youth and Diversity in Lebanon / Signature de livre Jeunes et Diversité au Liban

PHOTOS OF MY BOOK LAUNCHING AT BIEL, FRIDAY 23, OCTOBER 2009
Stand: Librairie Orientale
Thanks to all who came and thanks to those who could not and apologized :)

Colloque Dialogue des Civilisations FIUC, USEK, USJ

Chers-ères collègues et amis-es,

J’ai la joie de vous faire part du colloque organisé par la Fédération Internationale des Universités Catholiques (FIUC) avec l’Institut Catholique de la Méditerranée (ICM), l'Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik et l'Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth sur le thème suivant : « Fragilité et durabilité du dialogue des civilisations : responsabilité des instances religieuses et politiques ». Il s’agit d'une problématique d'actualité qui interpelle nos sociétés en Occident et en Orient et nous stimule en tant qu’universitaires à repenser et promouvoir le dialogue et le vivre ensemble. Ce colloque, par la problématique qu’il traite, requiert une recherche interdisciplinaire qui intéresse nos Facultés et Instituts.

Le colloque aura lieu les 28 et 29 octobre 2009 et comprendra des interventions d'universitaires locaux et internationaux selon le programme ci-dessous.

Vous êtes vivement invités à prendre part à cet événement, et spécialement à la journée du 29 octobre qui aura lieu à Kaslik. Nous vous prions de faire circuler le programme du colloque dans vos réseaux respectifs.

N.B. : C’est la Faculté pontificale de théologie qui représente l'Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik au Comité d’organisation de ce colloque et c’est Mme Paméla Chrabieh qui coordonne, au nom de la FPT, les activités de la Journée USEK du jeudi 29 octobre 2009.

N.B. 2: Les organisateurs ont choici une toile de Pamela Chrabieh pour illustrer les cartons d'invitation et les affiches. Celle-ci, intitulée 'La parole du milieu' est actuellement exposée au Centre Gesu de Montréal.

Quelques photos de la séance d'ouverture à l'USJ le 28 octobre 2009 :

Invitation - Signature de livre DIVERSITE, JEUNES, LIBAN

VOUS ETES CORDIALEMENT INVITES-EES A LA SIGNATURE DE MON LIVRE SUR LA GESTION DE LA DIVERSITE AU LIBAN ET LES VISIONS DES JEUNES!
BIEL - BEYROUTH, Vendredi 23 octobre 2009 à partir de 20h
16e Salon Francophone du Livre de Beyrouth

Affaire Ben Barka et Maroc, Zineb El Rhazoui

Deux articles de Aziz Enhaili

L’affaire Ben Barka continue de défrayer la chronique. Chaque fois que la pression sur les autorités marocaines ou françaises s’accentue pour que le voile soit enfin levé sur les zones d’ombre de cette affaire plus que franco-marocaine, de nouvelles «révélations» sont faites opportunément. L’objectif étant ici de l’envelopper d’un épais brouillard de mystère.

Plus de quatre décennies se sont écoulées depuis l’éclatement de l’«affaire Ben Barka», du nom de cet illustre chef de file de l'opposition marocaine en exil disparu un 29 octobre 1965 en plein jour à Paris, aux mains (dit-on) des services secrets marocains avec la complicité de policiers et de truands français. Cette bête noire du roi Hassan II inquiétait les Américains et indisposait les Français et les Israéliens («Maroc-France: l’inachevée affaire Ben Barka»). Sa disparition arrangeait donc plusieurs puissances.

Depuis, la mémoire de ce leader charismatique résiste toujours à l’usure du temps et aux calomnies opportunes! Dans son pays, cette icône de la gauche conserve encore intacte un aura dont n’ont droit que peu de figures historiques. Les péripéties entourant sa disparition ont ajouté à la tragédie une touche romantique. Sa famille, son comité de soutien international et tous ceux à la recherche de la vérité sur cette affaire sordide n’ont cessé depuis le 30 octobre 1965 de scruter le moindre indice qui pourrait les aider à refaire l’itinéraire tragique de leur héros disparu à jamais. Une démarche restée vaine à ce jour!

C’est pourquoi il est assez compréhensible de les voir faire preuve d’enthousiasme chaque fois que de nouveaux «développements» viennent s’ajouter au lot déjà connu des «révélations». Ce faisant (de rebondissement en rebondissement), ils contribuent à maintenir vivante la flamme de l’«affaire Ben Barka». Au grand embarras des autorités de Paris et de Rabat.

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Maroc. Zineb El Rhazoui : Défendre les libertés individuelles, sans concessions

par Aziz Enhaili

Zineb El Rhazoui est une journaliste franco-marocaine pigiste âgée de 27 printemps. Elle a été à l’origine de la fondation (avec Ibtissam Lachgar) du «Mouvement alternatif pour les libertés individuelles» (MALI) au Maroc. Un groupe Facebook de jeunes qui prévoyaient de rompre publiquement et en plein jour le jeûne de Ramadan, un des cinq piliers de l’islam. Provoquant la réaction énergique des autorités marocaines et la colère des conservateurs. Pour en savoir un peu plus sur le MALI, nous avons réalisé l' entrevue qui suit avec cette universitaire de gauche. Entrevue réalisée par Aziz Enhaili pour Tolerance.ca

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Women Living and Doing Dialogue. A Testimony

By Dr. Pamela Chrabieh Badine
Arab Group for Muslim-Christian Dialogue Symposium
Garden Hotel, Broumana-Lebanon, 03-10-2009

HOW DO I DEFINE DIALOGUE?

The word Dialogue or Dialog comes from a Greek word:‘dhialogos’ = dhia (through) and logos (word, speech): flowing-through meaning (not a monologue), or the word that is ‘heard’ (respected, taken into consideration, and leading to change/transformation).

“In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.”Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese Monk, Activist and Writer.)

The aim is not to change the other partner in the dialogue, but to risk being changed oneself through the process of mutual change that can be the result of a dialogue.

HOW DO I DEFINE PEACE?

Peace is a complex process involving:
Peacemaking: Stopping violence
Peacekeeping: Security – Statut Quo
Peacebuilding: Building bridges within a community, a society, a nation, etc.
Internal Peace: Within oneself, between one’s identities

As Dorothy Thompson, an American journalist - who was noted by Time magazine in 1939 as one of the two most influential women in America, the other being Eleanor Roosevelt - used to say:

"They have not wanted Peace at all; they have wanted to be spared war - as though the absence of war was the same as peace".

Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of creative alternatives for responding to conflict - alternatives to passive or aggressive responses, alternatives to passivity and violence.

MY JOURNEY

Living and doing dialogue began since my childhood in Lebanon, during the horrible physical combats’ period (late seventies – eighties). Extreme violence coexisted with a convivial reality, whether in our family, among friends, with our neighbors in the multi-religious villages where we used to take refuge, at school despite the decreasing number of students of different backgrounds and beliefs , etc. These layers of good memories and experiences have kept me and so many others hoping for a better future, refusing to let go of diversity and its richness. Layers that helped me commit more than ever to openness, respect, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Multileveled and Interrelated Commitment to Dialogue and Peace

- Everyday Dialogue (friends, colleagues, neighbors)
- ARTS
(Painting : Spiritual/Iconographic Art)
- Academic Path (Studying, Teaching, Researching, Writing and Publishing – Books, Articles, Blogs or Personal Web Sites)
Sciences of Religions, Cultures and Societies in the Middle East, Interfaith/Intercultural Dialogue, War and Peace, Youth, Women, Human Rights…
- Activism in national/international NGOs and other organizations-groups including Interfaith groups (e.g. Interreligious Dialogue Group in Montreal-Canada, Spiritual Commission and the Arab Group in Lebanon)

Women living-doing Dialogue in Montreal-Canada

One of my main involvements in Interfaith Groups was between 2001 and 2004 with ‘La Grappe’, an intercultural-interfaith-interfeminist or interfeminine group based in Montreal (Canada). My involvement was motivated by a desire to participate in an Interfaith/Interspirituality movement run by women for women. We used to gather each week, share our visions, beliefs and practices - Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Witches, Jews, Baha'is, Voodooists, etc. -, organize conferences, cultural events and exhibitions, including an important gathering of 150 women in June 2005 in Montreal along with 'Women doing Theology' Organization with the main theme: 'Creating Justice, Recognizing Differences'.

Recognizing Differences is a political as well as a spiritual aim. It makes links between the struggles against racism and sexism; it gives value to differences; it invites women to open themselves as women and as human beings, to question, to share - even if minimum agreements -, to change.

A current initiative…

Working as a researcher and artist in a production team called ‘ELECTROCHOCKS’ (based in Montreal) which owner-coordinator is Director/Producer Nada Raphael and members are mostly women studying and/or working for Muslim-Christian relations in Canada and Lebanon.

Our current main project is 'Hyphen Islam-Christianity', a photo and painting exhibition and a 700 pages book (photos and testimonies gathered in more than 1200 villages in Lebanon and academic articles). This event was launched in Montreal within the 10th Edition of the 'Festival du Monde Arabe' (September-November 2009). It will also take place in Toronto, New York, Boston, Lebanon (Mid-November 2009 till March 2010), Paris (UNESCO), Geneva and Sydney. The Arab Group is one of Hyphen’s partners.

‘Hyphen Islam-Christianity’ is a live portrait of largely unknown landscapes, personalities and practices. Lebanon is a perfect example that illustrates the hyphen between these two religions because in spite of its small size and constant interreligious clashes, the common aspects and the bridging points do exist.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The development of women's involvement in dialogue (especially Interfaith Dialogue) and peace has been gradual yet significant. Especially in Western countries and in the South and East Asia regions. Middle-Eastern women have the capacities to follow this movement/trend, while developing discourses and practices adapted to their environments.

Unfortunately, we have to overcome many social and political pressures to be able to play a more effective and active role in our societies. These pressures are sometimes in compliance with religious traditions, but it does not mean that a solution would be to deny all the enriching religious values and heritage. When women from different traditions and religions meet, they can share their own experiences about being a woman inside their tradition, both the difficult and the empowering parts. The next step is that we go back to our own religious communities and address the challenges there.

There is an urgent need to stand together for women's participation on issues of national, regional, continental and international importance. Through our multileveled dialogues (Interfaith, Intercultural, Intergenerational, Inter-social classes,…), we can seek to establish a common agenda for the development of women and to ensure that women's views are taken into consideration whenever decisions are taken on all issues that impact on our lives. And even if we cannot establish this common agenda on a short term period, the process of dialogue is an aim in itself, where the participants should learn to respect and enrich each other in spite of, and because of the differences. Even if we have the same aim of making women visible and empowered inside the religious traditions, understanding the role and reason of being a woman may in practice take different ways. Even if we do not have the same concept of what it means to be a woman, we can challenge, enrich and empower each other. It can become an educational process in living in a plural society.

Last but not least, women living and doing dialogue is a must, but we should never forget that we are and we should seek to be partners with men, in order not to be considered as voiceless victims or enemies and continue on being marginalized, and because the well being of Humanity and the advancement of our societies are partly based on a productive cooperation/partnership/relation between genders.