The Centre for Religious Education of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts in Ain Najm, in cooperation with the schools of Al-Mabarrat Charitable Association, held the celebratory meeting of the fourth Youth Forum, Faces of Dialogue 2016, entitled “Together We Live Mercy”, under the patronage of the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi represented by Bishop Paul Abdel Sater, and in the presence of the papal ambassador Monsignor Gabriele Caccia, Sheikh Fouad Khreiss representing the director general of Al-Mabarrat schools Mohammad Baqir Fadlallah, the superior general of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts Mother Daniela Harrouk, and teachers and pupils.
The forum brought together pupils of schools of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts (Beit Chabab, Bouchrieh, Jezzine, Kfardebian, Marjeyoun and Mashghara) and schools of Al-Mabarrat Charitable Association (Al-Hassan, Al-Kawthar and Dar Al-Sadek (Beirut), Issa Bin Maryam (Khiam), Al-Rahma (Nabatieh) and Al-Hussein (Sohmor)), who met in pairs, got to know one another over the course of the year, built real bridges between themselves, carried out joint works of mercy, documented them in films and competed in presenting them.
As for this year's panel of judges, it was chaired by Bishop Shukrallah Al-Hajj and was composed of the director Father Charles Sawaya, the Reverend Dr Riad Jarjour, Mrs Ayat Nourredine of Al-Mabarrat Association and the artist Nahla Daoud.
To begin with, a welcoming speech delivered by the director of the Centre for Religious Education and founder of the forum Sister Warda Maksour, in which she said: “How beautiful it is that we should gather together and meet from the four corners of Lebanon; and more beautiful still this year is that mercy - which takes its name from the mother's womb that embraces life and nourishes it, the mercy that is the face of God the Merciful, the Compassionate - gathers us.”
She continued: “This mercy has stirred our innermost being and our hearts have beaten with joy for it, and so together we sought to embody it in our lives and our relations, and the work with the young people began. Today we are celebrating the fourth Youth Forum, Faces of Dialogue 2016, and in this celebration each team will present the work of mercy it lived and through which it touched God's mercy.”
She added: “Our meeting at this closing celebration is not to watch mere films, but to light a candle of mercy in the darkness of our society. Our meeting is a cry in the face of fanaticism and in the face of everyone who tries to take us away from one another and to create discord and fragment our relations - namely ‘the accursed devil'.”
She concluded by saying: “Young people of Al-Mabarrat and of the Sacred Hearts, carry the torch of Christ's merciful love into the settings of your daily life and to the ends of the earth. Blessed are you; you are the future of Lebanon the message, you are the echo of mercy. Persevere in the works of mercy and love; cry out with your young, promising voices and say with me: ‘Enough, enough fanaticism and sectarianism; enough of no state and no institutions; enough lying, corruption and theft; enough waste of every kind; enough terrorism and evil. We want love and life, we want tolerance and we want mercy.'”
There was a speech by Mother Daniela Harrouk in which she welcomed everyone and thanked all those in charge of this forum, “which pours directly into the heart and core of the message of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts”.
There was also a brief speech by the papal ambassador in which he expressed his pleasure at being among the young people because he “has learned much from them”.
Afterwards the documentary films made by the students of the participating schools were shown. The ceremony included an expressive tableau by the pupils of the Sacred Hearts High School in Beit Chabab to the tune of the song “We Don't Quarrel Over God”, and the hymn “The Good Tidings Have Come” by the choir of Al-Sayyeda Mariam Mabarrat of Al-Mabarrat Association.
Announcement of the results
Then Bishop Shukrallah Al-Hajj announced the results, which were as follows: a certificate of participation and appreciation for the film of the two schools Sacred Hearts Mashghara and Al-Mabarrat Sohmor, and for the film of the two schools Sacred Hearts Marjeyoun and Al-Mabarrat Khiam; a certificate of participation and distinction in the grade eight category for the film of the two schools Sacred Hearts Jezzine and Al-Mabarrat Nabatieh; the prize for best scenario for the film of the two schools Sacred Hearts Beit Chabab and Al-Mabarrat Dar Al-Sadek; as well as the prize for best idea and creativity and best fulfilment of the aim for the film of the two schools Sacred Hearts Kfardebian and Al-Mabarrat Al-Kawthar; in addition to the prize for best cinematography, best direction and best music suited to the subject for the film of the two schools Sacred Hearts Bouchrieh and Al-Mabarrat Imam Al-Hassan.
