A Ramadan of reconciliation
We wish all our Muslim members and friends a joyful and holy month of Ramadan. We have started our special Ramadan activities with Syrian refugees in Lebanon but also in our national chapters in Europe. Muslims or not: many of us have started fasting in spiritual solidarity. We all hope that Ramadan 2013 will become a month of repentance and reconciliation.
We started into the holy month with a March into Ramadan with Syrian refugee kids in Halba (Lebanon), close to our first Peace Centre. Together with a local partner organisation, we had a cheerful walk, ending in the distribution of several hundreds of Iftar packs to poor families in need. In the coming weeks, we are organising Peace Iftars with Syrian refugees and with different communities in Lebanon: Sunni, Shiite, Catholic, Orthodox, Alawite and Druze. We wish to contribute a little bit to easing the tensions between Sunnis and Shiites that are currently devoring Syria, Lebanon and many other countries of the Middle East.
As European organisation, from a continent that had colonialised the world and that had itself been destroyed by the most horrible forms of totalitarianism and hatred, we are not in a position to lecture. All we can do is trying to alleviate the suffering and to offer ourselves as servants to those individuals and local communities who want to reach out to their neighbours. We are neighbours ourselves and we cannot remain indifferent when the sanctity of the human person is violated.
As Christians, Muslims, Jews or other believers, agnostics or atheists, we are joining the Greater Jihad as Islam has defined it over centuries: the inner struggle for righteousness, justice and peace. We chose for ourselves the principle of non-violent action, but we are not condemning those fighting to defend themselves. In the midst of the night, we are not losing hope for justice and peace, truth and forgiveness.
United, we will be stronger than any division, hatred and prejudice. United, we can make a difference, midst in the nightmares of humanity. Please join and support us in our struggle. Please make a donation here to support our cause!