The Arab Encounter June 21 to June 24, 2001_ Sayda, Salhiyeh, Jezzine, Nabatiyyeh, Khyam, Chakif, Sour and Khirbit Selim South Lebanon
Between June 21 and June 24, South Lebanon, one year after its liberation from the Israeli occupation, will host 30 activists, academics, politicians and representatives of social movements from Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Lebanon, to discuss challenges facing the Arab world in the third millennium. Friends and allies from India, Bolivia and France will join the encounter as well, and create human bridges with the continental meetings.
The Arab encounter will be organized by the Cultural Council of South Lebanon (CCSL), and will look like a caravan in its mobility, since the working sessions will take place in different cities and villages in the south, and the participants will visit many cites in the region. Among these cites is the Khyam prison, where thousands of Lebanese resistants were arrested and tortured during the 22 years of occupation. Ex- prisoners will guide the visit to Khyam.
In addition to the working sessions and visits, an artistic event will be organized. It will consist of a photo exhibition and a folk music play.
An Arab declaration for universal solidarity and progress will be read in the last day, and a report gathering papers and interventions will be prepared after the encounter, and will be added to the series of publications that the CCSL has already produced with the support of the FPH through the Alliance.
The coordination team for the encounter is formed by Ziad Majed (zmajed@hotmail.com) and Nadia Aissaoui (nadia@echo.org), with the support of Gustavo Marin (gustavo@fph.fr).
For any more detail, please contact the Cultural Council of South Lebanon (Tel 961 1 815 519 and Fax 961 1 703 630).
Enclosed is the detailed programme of the encounter.
Wednesday, June 20, 2001 Arrival of the participants to Beirut International Airport, where colleagues from the CCSL will receive them and accompany them to the Hotel in the city.
Thursday, June 21 09:30 Departure from the hotel in Beirut to Dar-al-Inaya in the South 12:00 Press Conference in Sayda Mr. Habib Sadek and Mr. Gustavo Marin will present the programme of the meeting, its objectives, and its relation with other encounters within the dynamics of the Alliance. 13:30 Lunch 15:00 Tour in Sayda, its Souq and visit to its historical cites. 17:30 Departure to Dar al-Inaya 19:00 Presentation on the history of the occupation and liberation of the south 20:00 Dinner Friday, June 22 08:30 Breakfast 09:00 Reception and registration 09:30 Opening letters Mr. Emile Iskandar Mr. Habib Sadek Mr. Gustavo Marin 11:00 First Session President Bishop Salim Ghazal Presentation on the situation in Egypt - Dr. Awatef Abdel-Rahman Presentation on the situation in Iraq - Dr. Mahdi Al-Hafez Presentation on the situation in Tunisia - Dr. Al-Arbi Bouguerra Discussions 13:30 Lunch 15:00 Second session President Mr. Gustavo Marin The image of the Arab world as seen in Latin America - Mrs. Maria Teresa Hosse The image of the Arab world as seen in Asia - Mr. Ramjan Darga Discussions 17:30 Departure to Jezzine, and tour in the city. 20:00 Dinner
Saturday, June 23 08:30 Breakfast 09:00 Departure to Nabatiyyeh 10:00 Expo and music in the branch of the CCSL in the city 11:00 Third Session President Mrs. Nadia Aissaoui The situation in Palestine - Dr. Maher Charif The situation in Syria - Dr. Michel Kilo The Situation in Lebanon - Dr. Mohamad Ali Mokalled Discussions 13:30 Lunch at Chaquif club 15:00 Departure to Khyam and visit to the prison (Under the Israeli occupation, Lebanese resistants were held and tortured in the Khyam prison. A group of ex-prisoners will accompany us in the visit). 17:30 Depature from Khyam and visit to the Beaufort 20:00 Dinner
Sunday, June 24 08:30 Breakfast 09:00 Fourth session President Dr. Tannous Bassil Discussion of the Arab declaration for a responsible world. (A first draft of the declaration will be distributed prior to the discussions). 11:00 Press Conference Mr. Ziad Majed will hold the press conference and read the declaration 12:00 Departure to Sour and visit to its historical cites. 13:30 Departure to Khirbit Silim and lunch (Ziad Majed, in his parents' house in the village of Khirbit Silim will host the lunch. The village was partially destroyed during the Israeli occupation and bombardments, and has been rebuilt recently). 18:00 Departure to Dar-al-Inaya and then to Beirut.:
