In a Book and Seminar

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs from the Antonine University in Lebanon:

Disability is a path of sustainable dynamism which needs continuous update

and will remain a priority on the MECC’s agenda

Fadi El Halabi: Dignity and diversity are the foundations to build citizenship

and our slogan will remain 'no to despair'

Aiming at raising awareness on the issue of disability and its concepts in the Arab world, a seminar was organized on the newly released book “The Question of Disability in the Arab World, A Roadmap for the Future”, at the invitation of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network (EDAN), in partnership with the Middle East Council of Churches. It was held on Friday 16 December 2022, at the Antonine University in Lebanon, with the participation of the University’s Rector Father Michel Jalkh and the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, alongside persons with disabilities, academics, specialists and guests from various fields.

The book was prepared and supervised by Mr. Fadi El Halabi, a person with disabilities who uses a wheelchair, reviewed by Late Professor Antoine Romanos, and published by Dar Saer Al Mashrek. Many academics and specialists in the field of disability from various universities in Lebanon and abroad contributed to this book. Noting, that it aims to be a reference in Arabic for students, university professors, researchers, interested people and those who are working in the field of disability, so they can be updated on the latest concepts and experiences related to disability in several fields.

The seminar began with a welcome speech by Mr. Fadi El Halabi, in which he thanked the attendees for their participation and revealed that the book will be distributed in universities and in all Arab countries. He said, "we wanted, through this book, to motivate people to prepare studies on disability, which are not available today in universities, despite our scientific progress, especially that universities have an important role in the development of societies and respect of human dignity. All Western countries have centers for disability that set a special vision and strategy, and publish several studies and researches.”

He added, "the book is a model which urges universities to take the responsibility and work on establishing a center for disability studies. The late Professor Antoine Romanos put all his energies and expertise to the book. Searching for academics specialized in specific topics related to disability was not easy. The book includes three segments written for the first time in Arabic. The first segment is conceptual, dealing with disability issues in terms of terminology, classifications, and models... The second segment includes researches related to all specializations. The last segment is dedicated for religion."

He ended, "Dignity and diversity are the foundations to build citizenship. Our slogan will remain 'no to despair', and the last word remains for life."

Then, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs delivered a speech in which he said, "we still have a lot to do, especially in the Arab world, and the book constitutes a cornerstone in understanding the issue of persons with disabilities and in preparing society better to accommodate and integrate them."

He also said, "we can praise the steps made by Arab societies towards dealing with disability... However, it is not a goal that we only seek to reach. It is a path of sustainable dynamism which needs continuous update at all levels, because life does not stop and neither does disability and dealing with it... The three segments of the book, as well as its many chapters constitute a road map for the work in the field of disability in the Arab world..."

He added, "the Middle East Council of Churches has a long history in dealing with disability, as we were the first to establish rehabilitation centers for the disabled people in Lebanon during war... The Council was active in all activities implemented in Lebanon and the region in the field of disability, as it participated with all coordination bodies to work for disability. MECC also provided support to many disability institutions, from small immediate needs to long-term support, including construction.”

He continued, "yes, disability was, and will remain, a priority on the MECC’s agenda, from the perspective of preserving human dignity which it adopts, as well as from the perspective of comprehensive citizenship... Following the steps of the Incarnate God, we continue our work in the field of disability, and through the guidance of his actions towards people with special needs, we are working..."

Full speech of Dr. Michel Abs in Arabic.

The seminar included two sessions during which the participants discussed the issue of disability from scientific views in various fields related to faith, religions, empowerment, capacity building, media and arts... They also exchanged their expertise and experiences.

The first session was entitled "On Citizenship and the Development Dimension" with Professor Antoine Messarra, President of the UNESCO Chair in Comparative Religious Studies, Mediation and Dialogue (CHUR), and Professor Adib Nehmeh, researcher and expert in development. The session was moderated by Mrs. Hala Raad, Senior Special Education Teacher and Manager of the Learning Center at the American University of Beirut - Department of Psychiatry.

The second session focused on the topic of “Perceptions about Disability in Art, Media and Religion”. It was moderated by Professor Vivian Matar Touma, a clinical and analytical psychologist and Professor at Saint Joseph University in Beirut. Speakers were Professor Karim Dakroub, a psychotherapist and theatre director, and Father Guy Sarkis, a university lecturer in Islamic-Christian studies.

The seminar ended with a vin d'honneur.