Humanitarian Sister Micheline Lattouf of the Good Shepherd Sisters was honored by Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPP with the annual Sister Mary Byles Peace and Justice Prize & Lecture in April.<\/p>\n
Lattouf was recognized for her work with the refugees of the Syrian conflict. Lattouf heads the Good Shepherd Social and Community Center in Deir al-Ahmar, a village in Lebanon\u2019s northern Bekaa Valley. Thousands of families have crossed the border since the onset of Syria\u2019s civil war.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I arrived in the community, the people were like sheep without a shepherd,\u201d Lattouf said. \u201cIt was a very poor area and there was a great need. The children especially did not have a place to learn or a place to play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, the Center provides education for more than 300 refugee children, with many classes taught by Syrian teachers. School brings structure and a sense of normalcy to these children\u2019s lives during wartime.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Lattouf and her staff work with adult refugees to help them find employment options in the face of long-term displacement. They also provide the basics for survival including distributing shelter materials, food, water and clothing to families.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the day, Lattouf met with Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPPstudents during a class taught by Germaine Murray, PhD, professor of English. The group discussed contemporary events, trends and issues facing citizens and leaders around the world. That discussion continued during Lattouf’s presentation. She shared that she believes conflicts can be resolved not through the lens of religion or politics, but through the lens of people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we want to change something in the world, we need to start with the children,\u201d she said. \u201cIf we want a more tolerant world, we need to be more tolerant in front of children. If we want a kinder world, we need to be more kind in front of children. They learn so much from our behaviors and our actions, and it\u2019s our responsibility to teach them how we want it to be in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
To view photos from the event, please click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPP the Sister Mary Byles Peace and Justice Prize & Lecture<\/strong><\/p>\n