The Arabic version of the award winning documentary film The Imam and the Pastor was launched in Lebanon on 27th March under the slogan ‘Together in service of sustainable Reconciliation’. The launch was part of a Reconciliation Programme organized by ADYAN: Lebanese foundation for interfaith studies and spiritual solidarity. The protagonists of the film Imam Mohammed Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye and the film makers Dr Imad Karam and Dr Alan Channer are visiting the country to mark the launch and dissemination of the film and to engage with local and national audiences.

The President of Adyan, Father Fadi Daou said that Adyan believes that Imam Ashafa and Pastor James can encourage coexistence initiatives in Lebanon to take root and grow. According to Father Daou, the mission of Adyan is to participate in ‘securing peace in Lebanon through encouraging the building and strengthening of solidarity and positive interacting among people belonging to different religious groups in Lebanon through dialogue and common commitment’.

The official launch took place on Friday at the Humanities campus of Saint Joseph University in Beirut under the patronage of the President of the Republic, represented by Mr Ibrahim Shamseldeen, Minister of Development and also attended by Dr Tariq Mitri, the Minister of Information. The 650 seats capacity hall was over filled with people including members of the media, spiritual and religious leaders, politicians, national organizations working for dialogue and peace, academics and students as well as invited members of the public.

Father Fadi Daou welcomed the guests and invited the film makers to introduce the film. After screening the Arabic version, the Lebanese Minister of Information, Dr Tariq Mitri, spoke urging the Lebanese media to follow the example of the film makers and produce positive stories about reconciliation. He said that ‘covering reconciliation is much harder than covering clashes’. Imam Ashafa and Pastor James also addressed the audiences urging the new generations not to inherit the pains of their fathers. Following the event, the audience had the chance to interact with the film makers and protagonists.

Earlier in the week, the programme started with a press conference attended by Lebanon’s main national TV, radio and newspaper representatives. The organizers of the programme and Dr Imad Karam briefed the journalists of the programme of the launch of the Arabic version of the film in Lebanon followed by a word from Imam Ashafa and Pastor James. At the end of the press conference, Father Fadi Daou announced that Imam Ashafa and Pastor James have been selected by Adyan Foundation to be the winners of their 2009 Spiritual Solidarity Award.

Imam Ashafa and Pastor James were later interviewed for Lebanon’s most watched talk show Kalam AlNas (What’s on people’s heart) on LBC (Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation).

The first screening of the Arabic version took place on Tuesday 24th in Lebanon’s second city, Tripoli, which has seen Lebanon’s most recent and worst communal clashes. The event took place in coordination with the municipality of Triploi and the Safadi Cultural Centre. There were over 500 people including prominent spiritual leaders from all faith communities, local leaders, media representatives, academics, students and members of the general public representing the different sectors of society in northern Lebanon. After the screening of the film and before engaging the audience in question and answer, there were brief speeches by the local hosts, Imam Ashafa and Pastor James and Dr Imad Karam.

On Wednesday 25th, the film was screened to 300 university students, both Muslim and Christian, at the Science and Engineering College of the University of St Joseph outside Beirut. Following the screening, the students engaged in a discussion with Imam Ashafa and Pastor James and the film makers.

On Thursday 26th, the film was screened at Nazareth school. The organizers brought together over 300 students aged between 15 and 17 from 7 different schools from all over the country representing all faith traditions. The screening was followed by a question and answer session with the film makers and protagonists, followed by a singing and dancing led by Lebanese singer Nicolas AlAsta who sang for peace, reconciliation and national unity. At the end of the event, the students were invited to write their comments and feedback on two large Lebanese and Nigerian flags.

The various events and the visit of the film makers and protagonists and their message to Lebanon were covered in the major Lebanese national media including the following newspapers: Al-Mustagbal (26 and 29/3), Annahar (18 and 27/3), Assafir (25/3), L’Orient Le Jour (26/3), Al-Akhbar and Assharg newspaper (26/3). Equally, the stories were carried in Lebanon’s main TV news programmes including those of LBC, OTV, ANB, Télé Lumière, AlJadeed TV, Future TV and other channels.

Lebanon is a country that is rich in diversity and boasts a long history of interfaith coexistence. It has also suffered horrifically due to violence between religious communities. Its latest chapter of civil strife ended in May 2008 with a political agreement in Qatar and the election of Michel Suleiman as the President of the Republic. In his inaugural speech, President Suleiman offered a clear call for reconciliation: ‘let’s unite and move forward toward a stable reconciliation to provide our children with hope’.

Imad Karam
Beirut, Lebanon