BEQAA, LEBANON — Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), launched on Sunday a cooperative program with UNESCO to provide elementary education for Syrian refugees in Beqaa, Lebanon. The work is being carried out in partnership with UNESCO’s Regional Office for Education in the Arab States and the Kayany Foundation.

The launching ceremony was attended by Akram Chehayeb, the Lebanese minister of education, Wael Abou Faour, the Lebanese minister of industry, Walid Bukhari, Saudi ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Hamed Al Hammami, director of UNESCO Lebanon, Philippe Lazzarini, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, Nora Joumblatt, the founder and director of Kayany Foundation, and heads of several municipalities.

Dr. Al-Hammami talked about the UNESCO’s keenness to ensure comprehensive, quality basic education to all children, and to support the efforts of member states to work toward sustainable development. UNESCO's partnership with KSrelief in this initiative will provide hope to Syrian refugee children and support the stability of family structures.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah thanked the Lebanon leadership, government and people for hosting refugees from Syria, Palestine, Iraq and other countries. “Your pain is our pain,” he said, addressing the Syrian refugees. “We know that you have suffered from conflict, displacement and the loss of family members, and the least we can do is to support you. This is one of several programs that we are happy to offer you.”

He stressed that KSrelief gives a great amount of attention to supporting the education sector in needy countries, including additional layers of assistance for IDPs and refugees.

KSrelief, he added, has provided 996 humanitarian projects in 44 countries at a cost of more than $3.25 billion. “We are happy about the launching of these schools,” he said.

Chehayeb, the Lebanese minister of education, said providing education to refugee and IDP students is a humanitarian and moral obligation that benefits both Lebanon and the refugees.

Education, he asserted, strengthens the culture of dialogue and helps to steer young people away from violence and extremism. He added that education unites refugees and exposes them to values and skills that will undoubtedly help them to rebuild Syria.

He pointed out that the education of refugees in Lebanon is a huge task that is increasingly burdened with expanding needs and limited resources. The government of Lebanon wouldn’t be able to manage without the donors and international organizations that stood by the country in its role as a host community for refugees from a number of countries.

He stressed that the financial support provided by Saudi Arabia through KSrelief is greatly appreciated and is a continuation of the Kingdom’s long history of standing by Lebanon during challenging times.

UN Resident Lazzarini said, "The UNESCO schools we are launching today are an example of a comprehensive approach that seeks to make education a transformative power in the life and future of students.”

He noted that these schools focus on teaching skills, not just information, providing education to all groups, adding that no one should be deprived of their right to receive a decent education.

He appreciated the efforts of KSrelief in the field of education, stressing that helping refugees to complete their education is a matter of human dignity and shared responsibility. “We need a greater commitment to investing in education,” he added.

Nora Joumblatt pointed out the importance of the UNESCO schools, which will help providing a safe space for learning and will give Syrian refugees opportunities for a better future by preparing them for employment to support themselves and their families. She also mentioned that the schools would give Syrian students information and skills to prepare them to participate in the reconstruction of their country upon their return. — SG