“Remember – Forgive – Change” was the slogan of this year’s commemoration day of the civil war, an activity funded by zivik/ IFA Institute for Foreign Relations Germany. On 13th April, around 600 students from 20 high schools had set up “check points” all over the country, distributing 4000 white roses and 15000 flyers, in order to commemorate the Lebanese civil war.Another 5000 flyers from the NGO WahdatounaHallasouna were also distributed by the students, who were wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Remember – Forgive – Change”. The checkpoints spread from North Lebanon to the mountains to Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the South. All locations chosen had had a historical meaning in the civil war. In Shwaifat and in DhourShweir, in cooperation with the Lebanese army and the Ministry of Displaced People and the Ministry of Education, the students had organized a walk through the town, where representatives of the municipality joined them. The Lebanese students chanted slogans against the war and its tragedies condemning the acts of killing, displacement, and destruction it caused.
The war generation of “WahdatounaKhalasouna” also conveyed a message to the new generation, by sharing with them the tough experience and tragedies they went through during the war, for 15 years (1975-1990), calling them to join efforts in order to avoid repeating this experience and in order to work on building a democratic, fair, stable, safe and prosper Lebanon, where all citizens have the same rights and obligations. The mentioned association aimed, through addressing this message, to invite all the Lebanese people to react with the content of this message and to spread it, on the one hand, and to share their opinions and suggestions with the association, on the other hand given that the protection of civil security is the responsibility of all of us.
In parallel to the “check points”, several high schools organized theater performances, dance, poems and painting competitions. The zivik-funded student film “War Stories” was shown in the municipality of Ajaltoun, and another film showcasing two former fighters were shown in the high school of Ghobeiri, followed by a discussion between one of the former fighters and the students.
Several Lebanese media covered this event, among them Al Arabiya TV, Future TV, NBN, An Nahar newspaper, Al Safir newspaper, Al Mustaqbal Newspaper, among many others.