ALREEHAN – On March 17th, 2022, a three-day conference focusing on the schools of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in Palestine was inaugurated on the campus of the Arab American University, in AlReehan. Entitled “Building Educators’ Capacities… Challenges and Opportunities”, the conference was held under the patronage of Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Ministry of Education and the Arab American University.
Apart from Mgr Pizzaballa, the participants included Mgr William Shomali, General Vicar for Jerusalem and Palestine; Sami El-Yousef, CEO of the Latin Patriarchate; Fr. Davide Meli, Chancellor; Fr. Yacoub Rafidi, Director of the Latin Patriarchate Schools in Palestine; Dr. Suhair Qassem, representative of the Ministry of Education ; Dr. Muayad Abu Sa`a, representative of the Arab Ametrican University; representatives of the French Consulate in Jerusalem; priests and staff members of the Latin Patriarchate and its schools; and staff members and students of the Arab American University.
After the screening of a video presenting the LPJ schools in Palestine, the Patriarch gave a speech thanking all the people who, every day, contribute to maintaining the LPJ schools all over the territory. “Schools are the main mission of the Church of the Holy Land, and perhaps the most visible form of its presence,” he also said. “[…] Precisely because their presence is distributed over a vast territory, and is made up of very different modalities according to the need of local realities, it must face increasingly complex challenges due to the changes in society, the families, expectations… It has thus become urgent to support all the operators of our shcools.”
Afterward the speech, the orchestra of the Beit Sahour school and the dance group of the Zababdeh school, both from the Latin Patriarchate, were able to demonstrate their musical and dancing talents to the audience. Their performance was followed by the disclosure of the winners of the “Creative Teacher” competition, Ms. Nihad Abu Ziada, Ms. Thaera Fawadleh and Ms. Rosy Ahmed Mahmoud Afana – respectively teaching in Jaffna, Aboud and Ramallah.
The conference, which will last three days, will include interventions from various participants as well as workshops and lectures, specifically designed to serve the needs of school staff members.
By: Cécile Leca/ lpj.org
