Mirroring the Cooperation Between St. Francis of and Sultan al-Malik al-Kamil of Egypt

In 1219, St. Francis of Assis and Sultan of Egypt Sultan Al-Malik met with the hopes of bringing peace in the war-ravaged region of Holy Land where Christians and Muslims are fighting. Eight hundred years later, a Franciscan and a Muslim leader bonded together and formed a friendship motivated by the hope that together, they can find a resolution to the inequities of the war-ravaged Syria in the region of Holy Land.

One humanitarian emergency that is so serious yet less known, is the social crisis in Aleppo, Syria that has been going on and is already on its tenth year. It is a product of the civil war and the deteriorating national economy and now even made worse by lockdown due to the virus pandemic. An international NGO, Associazione Pro Terra Sancta which supports the mission of the Custodiae Terra Sancta (, the organization composed of of Holy Land preserving the Holy Sites and supporting the local communities surrounding them), is implementing the project called “A Name and A Future”.

“A Name and A Future” Project (Aleppo, Syria)

Born to women who were raped during the civil war, these children cannot be recorded at the registry office because they are considered “children of sin.” They are marginalized by the society and are desperate for every basic need (food, ware, shelter) and most especially psychological recovery and social integration.

• In March 2011, a small rally similar to the Arab Spring in Egypt erupted and escalated into a civil war that lasted for 9 years where several women were raped and abused. These “jihad brides”, usually teenagers coming from a very poor and uncultured background, were left with no protection or future in 2016 when Aleppo was conquered again by the State. The UN granted the militia a humanitarian corridor to flee North toward Idlib whilst their women and kids where left rejected.

The forgotten and abandoned children of Aleppo, Syria

• In 2017 the phenomenon was denounced by Muftì Mahmoud Akam and Fr. Firas Lutfi took action by founding two (2) rehabilitation centers for those anonymous and forgotten kids. He ignited a children recognition process and made many women register their “sons of the sin” in order to let them be part of basic state services as the scholastic and sanitary system. This project is highly supported and collaborated by Bishop George Abou Khazen, Apostolic Vicar of Aleppo, Fr. Firas Lutfi, Superior of the Franciscan community at Terra Sancta College St. Paul Region (Lebanon, Syria and Jordan), and Mahmoud Akam, Mufti of Aleppo.

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(L-R) Fr. Firas Lutfi, Muftì Mahmoud Akam, and Bishop George Abou Khazen

• Pro Terra Sancta opened four (4) emergency centres in the Syrian cities of Aleppo, Damascus, Knaye, and Latakia. In East Aleppo, the two (2) support centers are in the areas of Al-Sha'ar and Karm Al-Dou'dou' where 1050 children and 400 women are currently being assisted. • In 2018, Pro Terra Sancta shifted attention to helping not only the children but also to include their mothers. Association coordinates and fosters projects concerning Aleppo’s mothers in order to make them self-sufficient. The activities carried out at the two support centers in Eastern Aleppo are described below: o Psychological support activities: Children are followed in a rehabilitation process that includes activities aimed at improving their ability to express themselves and their emotions through dialogues and other specific exercises. Support activities are also extended to mothers and are managed by a supervisor, a psychologist, a psychotherapist, an educator and two social assistants. We offer the mothers sanitary and psychological assistance: many of these women were raped and mentally abused both from the militia and their families, as they were identified as sinners. o Educational activities: Children participate in educational activities such as music therapy courses in which the use of music facilitates and fosters their communication, relationship, learning, expression and motor skills. In addition, many of the children who have severe learning and concentration difficulties participate in after-school activities where they are followed carefully to enhance the study of the main subjects. o Arabic language courses: Arabic language courses are organized at the centers to encourage literacy and school integration. The courses are also organized for the mothers to foster their literacy and facilitate their social and work integration. o Legal assistance: Legal assistance services are offered to the mothers of unregistered children and unaccompanied minors to obtain and complete the necessary identification documents within the Syrian state and guarantee them the same rights as Syrian citizens. o Food and medical assistance activities: A monthly distribution of food baskets, medicines and other primary need goods to the most vulnerable women asking for assistance at the centers. Moreover, there is a small clinic inside the Al Sha’ar center where children receive free monitoring visits.

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• It is estimated that there are 3,000 children in Aleppo born to raped women. It is the hope to reach most of them. • The children are hosted and supported until they are registered which averages a year.

The children, their mothers, and families being assisted by the program.

The Associazione Pro Terra Sancta (PTS) is a non-profit organization – NGO legally registered in Israel and Palestinian Territories that carries out projects for the preservation of the Holy Places, support to local communities and aid in humanitarian emergencies. The Association is implementing a range of projects in several countries in the Middle East, wherever the Franciscan of the Custody of Holy Land are. Pro Terra Sancta directly reports to the Custos of Holy Land, Franciscan Friar Fr. Francesco Patton OFM. The headquarters of Pro Terra Sancta is in Milan, Italy with Operations in Jerusalem, Israel holding office in the St. Savior Monastery where the Franciscan Friars of Holy Land are.

For background information on the project “A Name and A Future”, click on link below: https://www.proterrasancta.org/project/en/syria-aleppo-a-name-and-a-future-support-for-the- children-of-no-one/

Representing Pro Terra Sancta in the US is a parishioner of the Diocese of Richmond, and can be reached at: [email protected]

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