Launch
of the Arabic Version of the Documentary Film
'The
Imam and the Pastor'
The
Arabic version of
the award winning documentary film The Imam and the Pastor was
launched in Lebanon on 27th March under the slogan ‘Together in service
of sustainable Reconciliation’. The launch was part of a Reconciliation
Programme organized by ADYAN: Lebanese foundation for interfaith
studies and spiritual solidarity.
The protagonists of the film Imam Mohammed Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye
and the film makers Dr Imad Karam and Dr Alan Channer are visiting the
country to mark the launch and dissemination of the film and to engage
with local and national audiences.
The
President of Adyan, Father Fadi Daou said that Adyan believes that Imam
Ashafa and Pastor James can encourage coexistence initiatives in
Lebanon to take root and grow. According to
Father Daou, the mission of
Adyan is to participate in ‘securing peace in Lebanon through
encouraging the building and strengthening of solidarity and positive
interacting among people belonging to different religious groups in
Lebanon through dialogue and common
commitment’.
Karam and
Channer address the audience
(Photo: Mary
Winstanley Channer)
The
official launch took place on Friday at the Humanities campus of Saint
Joseph University in Beirut under the patronage of the President of the
Republic, represented by Mr Ibrahim
Shamseldeen, Minister of
Development and also attended by Dr Tariq Mitri, the Minister of
Information. The 650 seats capacity hall was over filled with people
including members of the media, spiritual and religious leaders,
politicians, national
organizations working for dialogue and peace,
academics and students as well as invited members of the public.
Side of the audience
at the
official launch
listening
to Ashafa and James
speaking (Photo: Adyan)
Father
Fadi Daou welcomed the guests and invited the film makers to introduce
the film. After screening the Arabic version, the Lebanese Minister of
Information, Dr Tariq Mitri, spoke urging the Lebanese media to follow
the example of the film makers
and produce
positive stories about
reconciliation. He said that ‘covering reconciliation is much harder
than covering clashes’. Imam Ashafa and Pastor James also addressed the
audiences urging the new generations not to inherit the pains of their
fathers. Following the event, the audience had the chance to
interact with the film makers
and protagonists.
Imam
Ashafa and Pastor James speaking to students
(Photo:
Mary Winstanley
Channer)
Earlier
in the week, the programme started with a press conference attended by
Lebanon’s main national TV, radio and newspaper representatives. The
organizers of the programme and Dr Imad Karam briefed the journalists
of the programme of the launch of the Arabic
version of the film in
Lebanon followed by a word from Imam Ashafa and Pastor James. At the
end of the press conference, Father Fadi Daou announced that Imam
Ashafa and Pastor James have been selected by Adyan Foundation to be
the winners of their 2009 Spiritual Solidarity Award.
Imam
Ashafa and Pastor James receive the 2009
Spiritual
Solidarity Award
from Father Daou (Photo: Adyan)
Imam
Ashafa and
Pastor James were later interviewed for Lebanon’s most watched talk
show Kalam AlNas (What’s on people’s heart) on LBC (Lebanese
Broadcasting Corporation).
The first screening
of the Arabic version took place on Tuesday 24th
in Lebanon’s second city, Tripoli, which has seen Lebanon’s most recent
and worst communal clashes. The event took place in coordination with
the municipality of Triploi and the Safadi Cultural Centre. There were
over 500 people including prominent spiritual leaders from all faith
communities, local leaders, media representatives, academics, students
and members of the general public representing the different sectors of
society in northern Lebanon. After the screening of the film and before
engaging the audience in question and answer, there were brief speeches
by the local hosts, Imam Ashafa and Pastor James and Dr Imad Karam.
On
Wednesday 25th, the film was screened to 300 university students, both
Muslim and Christian, at the Science and Engineering College of the
University of St Joseph outside Beirut. Following the screening, the
students engaged in a discussion with Imam Ashafa and Pastor James and
the film makers.
Students
clapping after the launch of the film
(Photo: Alan
Channer)
On Thursday 26th,
the
film was screened at Nazareth school. The
organizers brought together over 300 students aged between 15 and 17
from 7 different schools from all over the country representing all
faith traditions. The screening was followed by a question and answer
session with the film makers and protagonists, followed by a singing
and dancing led by Lebanese singer Nicolas AlAsta who sang for peace,
reconciliation and national unity. At the end of the event, the
students were invited to write their comments and feedback on two large
Lebanese and Nigerian flags.
The
various events and the visit of the film makers and protagonists and
their message to Lebanon were covered in the major Lebanese national
media including the following
newspapers: Al-Mustagbal (26 and
29/3), Annahar (18 and 27/3), Assafir (25/3), L’Orient Le
Jour
(26/3), Al-Akhbar and Assharg
newspaper (26/3).
Equally, the stories were carried in Lebanon’s main
TV news programmes including those of LBC, OTV, ANB, Télé
Lumière,
AlJadeed TV, Future TV and other channels.
Students
writing on the Nigerian flag (Photo: Adyan)
Lebanon is a country
that is rich in diversity and boasts a long
history of interfaith coexistence. It has also suffered horrifically
due to violence between religious communities. Its latest chapter of
civil strife ended in May 2008 with a political agreement in Qatar and
the election of Michel Suleiman as the President of the Republic. In
his inaugural speech, President Suleiman offered a clear call for
reconciliation: ‘let’s unite and move forward toward a stable
reconciliation to provide our children with hope’.