Independence Day

Independence Day
Nov 26, 2001, 2:52pm

His Excellency Boutros Harb spoke to students and took their questions about independence.

Middle School students in Ras Beirut and Ain Aar marked Independence Day with special events. In Ras Beirut fourth and third intermediate students enjoyed a distinguished guest from the government. H.E. Boutros Harb visited IC on the day before the holiday to address students and answer their questions. H.E. Harb is currently serving as Deputy from Beytroun in the House of Representatives. In the past he has served as a minister in several terms and was Minister of Education for some time.
Mr. Harb conveys his positive attitude in his remarks to students about the meanings of independence and democracy. He describes his view of independence as having two interpretations. The first is truly governing your land through your own institutions without any influence from outside. The second, he believes, is when our government respects our personal liberties, then this is an independence. In his discussion of democracy, he points out the importance of holding politicians accountable in an elected government.

Students listened with rapt attention while H.E. Harb spoke about democracy and the meaning of independence.

Mr. Harb feels optimistic about the future and places the responsibility for it squarely with his young audience. He reminds them how easy it is to complain about what is wrong and needs to be changed and that it is their responsibility to seek solutions to problems. His focus was also on young people leaving the country. Lebanon is more than a piece of land, it is a feeling, a spirit and if your country has problems then you need to be here to find its answers.

The young woman receives the special container to protect.

At Ain Aar the 5ème class performed a pantomime sketch written for them by their Arabic teacher, Mrs. Claude Khalil. The story was emotional for the audience of students, parents and friends and made more profound in its silence. The opening scene is an encounter between a young Lebanese person and an immigrant leaving the country because he can not afford to stay. He presents her with a box and charges her with the protection of its contents at all costs. She accepts the responsibility and then is tested as each of several different groups of people try to entice her to give them the box with its precious contents.

This is fun, but she admonishes the clowns 'this is no joke.'

Clowns surround and entertain her and want to leave with the box. She refuses telling them ‘this is not a joke.’ Robbers threaten her, but she is adamant ‘this can not be stolen.’ When teachers approach her, she has to tell them ‘this can not be studied.’ Merchants come – this is not for sale, a basketball team plays for her amusement and temptation, her answer is ‘No, this is not a game.’ And so it goes with spies, doctors and others until it is nearly taken from her at gunpoint, at the last moment she is rescued.

Even when threatened the protector must be true to her committment.

She opens the box with the message that the heart is very big and strong, it is the past, present and future. The flag is pulled from the box and all those who have pressed her to give it to them, now join together in holding it up.

The box is opened and the precious contents shared.

The class first presented their play on the Saturday before Independence Day at the Casino du Liban for a large appreciative audience. A tape of that performance has been broadcast on Teleluminar television.