BEIRUT: Lebanese coexistence was being championed Monday as visitors from across the world gathered for a workshop inside the St. Georges Cathedral in Downtown Beirut.
At a time when many Lebanese are longing to escape the country’s woes, the participants in Rebuild Together’s coexistence workshop were delighted to be here.
The organization brings people from diverse countries and backgrounds together and Beirut’s event was no different, with visitors from Europe and other Arab countries part of the smiling crowd.
“I don’t have [wide capacity] to change society, but if I can change [how people in society think] then this is convergence,” said Father Hani Tawk.
Tawk, the organization’s general coordinator, was speaking to The Daily Star as participants were roaming around the cathedral. The Mohammad al-Amin Mosque was their next spot to visit.
During the nine-day forum, participants will learn more about the history and motivation of Lebanese coexistence, while visiting different areas and getting to know more about the country’s diversity.
“I don’t want them to change me and I don’t want them to change,” added Tawk, saying that acceptance was essential to coexistence.
The organization champions mutual respect and understanding as vital ingredients for Lebanon, the region and the world at large.
According the president of Rebuild Together in Switzerland, the country is comparable to Lebanon, with an equally diverse society.
“Switzerland is a multicultural country and we can recognize each other as two small countries, which try to avoid being a battlefield for other countries,” explained Marie-Laure Sturm.
Sturm argued for the importance of sharing and learning between the two countries, as coexistence was as vital in Europe as it was in Lebanon, especially with the rise of the right wing.
“The extreme right doesn’t like foreigners; they want to keep their rights for themselves and they exclude the others,” Sturm told The Daily Star.
Although Sturm believed that the reason behind the rise of extremism in the Middle East wasn’t similar to that of the right wing in Europe, she argued that the spirit was similar.
The current turmoil in the region, the prosecution of Christians in Iraq by ISIS and the rise of Islamist extremism were inevitable topics to be discussed at the forum.
Boulos Matar, the Maronite bishop of Beirut, told the visitors that Lebanon would continue to be a country for both Muslims and Christians, during a meeting at the Maronite Archdiocese.
“Because we are surrounded by wars and conflicts, Sunni-Shiite peace will not be easily achieved in Lebanon,” Boulos said.
“But we must be firm, and say that no matter what’s going on between Sunnis and Shiites, and between Christians and Muslims [in the region] we don’t want war,” he added, saying that the civil war that broke out in 1975 was not based on religious conflict.
Boulos also explained that killing in the name of religion was something denounced by both Muslims and Christians.
His comments were also echoed by another participant at the forum.
“The truth is the Levant is currently suffering from a crisis that’s dividing Muslims and Christians,” said journalist Ahmad Shraideh, arguing that this crisis has been a major setback for the foundations of coexistence.
“This meeting taking place in Lebanon is to say that many have the [intention] to protect this,” he added, saying that terrorists would not succeed in dividing the two religions.
Sturm believed that minorities in general are being threatened by those aiming to create instability in the world.
“What’s happening to Christians is horrible, but it’s not only them. Refugees and minorities [are being targeted] as well,” she said.
“This trend to try to build states on ethnic and religious identity basis [means we] need to have more inclusive circles and processes.”
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