On the occasion of the anniversary of the noble Prophetic Birth and of glorious Christmas, the Al-Mabarrat Scouts Association held the festival “Our Joy Is in Our Gathering” in the hall of the Islamic Cultural Centre in Haret Hreik, with the participation of scout troops and orphans from various educational and care institutions.
The festival was patronized by the president of the Scouts of Lebanon Union Joseph Khalil, in the presence of the president of the Al-Mabarrat Scouts Association Afif Zayat, members of the administrative body of the Scouts of Lebanon Union, members of the general commission of the Scouts of Lebanon Union, presidents of scout associations and commissioners general, directors of educational and care institutions, associations, children and parents.
The festival opened with the national anthem, then the commissioner general of the Al-Mabarrat Scouts Mustafa Abdo spoke and pointed out “that the sects, in their variety, their plurality, their history and their spiritual, moral and humane values, are a richness for the human being”.
Then Joseph Khalil delivered a speech in which he expressed his happiness at taking part in the festival and said: “This is not the first time I have joined the Al-Mabarrat Scouts Association in its social, educational and scouting activities, nor the first time I have visited this dear area. But we had a special visit that left a fine, indelible impression, the day I visited Allama Marja' Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah and found in his personality the great spiritual authority and the national figure we miss in every time and place.”
He added: “My participation today has its special resonance, because the invitation was addressed to me by a dear association and by the president Afif Al-Zayat to patronize the central celebration on the occasion of the two feasts falling within a shared span of time that does not recur except after decades.”
He pointed out that “scouting is a free school in giving; it is the conduct of the individual within the group that gathers for service, generosity and sacrifice without reward, for the sake of the future of an aware young person committed to his homeland and his land”.
Afterwards there was an artistic segment by the Al-Sayyeda Mariam Mabarrat troop entitled “Christ Is Born” and “Arise, O Muhammad”, followed by the play “Rain, O World, Chicks” by the director Karim Dakroub.
