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| Nahla Harb |
IFPNP-2024
Speech of Guest of Honour:AUNOHR University , Lebanon
On behalf of Dr. Ogarit Younan
by
Dr. Nahla Harb
Clinical Psychologist Senior Expert and Trainer In Nonviolent Education
Thank you word…
Thank
you Dr. Siby Joseph, the dear friend of Dr. Ogarit and Dr. Walid, and the
director of this promising program.
Also,
a special thanks to the organizers.
Regards
for the lecturers, the trainers and the students from all around the world.
From the complexity of the context to the hope of nonviolence
Some
people may find it a little bit weird to speak about nonviolence while we are
under harsh attacks; while our children, women, elderly and men are being
killed, displaced and suffering from cold, hunger and different types of trauma
etc.; while governments of the “strong” world” are parachuting theories and
modalities on how the shooting and bombing should or could stop.
Millions
of people are displaced and lost loved ones in allover our area.
The
balance of the so-called “POWERS” lost all kind of reason and humane
interpretation, whereas all what remains are the justifications of murders and
the tears of victims.
The 2nd of October:
Luckily
the 2nd of October provides “a moment of reflection” for all of us,
about the past (Gandhi and the pioneers of nonviolence), present (the pioneers
of nonviolence nowadays, including all of you) and the future.
The
2nd of October brings us hope and challenge: Hope that nonviolence
could lead us to justice, real existence and co-existence; and a challenge to
find the right modality. (No recipes; not “one” certain way, nothing such “One
size fits all”, but, different choices and different ways to be tailored)
Who are we (as AUNOHR)?
AUNOHR: (Academic
University College for Nonviolence & Human Rights). It was recently founded as a
private independent higher education institution serving Lebanon and the Arab
region. Although, the activities started long time before that, in 1983, when the founders: Dr. Walid
SLAYBI and Dr. Ogarit YOUNAN met, and started their journey together.
Both Pioneers of nonviolence in the Arab region,
as well as of modern interactive training.
AUNOHR is their
academic institutional mirror.
Dr. Walid Slaybi: from a civil engineer to a civil society engineer (if I may say)
as he became an innovator in civil strategies for change. He is a nonviolent
thinker and activist, and a writer in the philosophy of violence and
nonviolence. He specialized in economics, social sciences and physics, as well
as in political psychology and socio-economic rights;
As for Dr. Ogarit Younan: she is
specialized in social sciences, and a thinker in the field of education, through
a unique method of interactive training of which she became an author and a
trainer, nonviolent activist; a social researcher who proposed various
alternatives and who drafted laws for human rights.
The students: activists, researchers, education specialist, legal
specialist, social and politics specialists, mental health specialist,
philosophy etc. and many others fields that arrive to AUNOHR from different
countries (Egypt, Syria, Palestine and of course Lebanon from different areas
and religions). They seem to look for something new and constructive (a
solution maybe) and they hope to actively incorporate what they learn to
improve their societies.
The professors: from all over the world, who have a great knowledge and
experience, and who are so generous to share it and to support our students to
grow and to benefit to the maximum.
Therefore, AUNOHR is an interactive
university, that is grounded in evidence and research, and connected practically
to every day’s circumstances. Through its contribution to the formation of new
generations of activists, trainers and facilitators in non-violence,
citizenship, human rights, conflict resolution, nonviolent education, civil
campaigns, and anti-sectarianism.
AUNOHR has a vision and a mission of
co-building with the community (students, professors, civil society and other
universities etc.) a “strong”, nonviolent society. A society of diversity, of
mutual respect, of coexistence, of dialogue, of generosity, of justice…. A
nonviolent society and yet “well established”, protected and a nurturing
society.
It introduced also a key transformative
element toward a new approach of civil society in Lebanon and the Arab
countries and worldwide; by institutionalizing the culture of non-violence and
bridging knowledge, attitudes and behaviors between academic and practice.
AUNOHR aims to develop both human and
social capitals through a paradigm shift from “the winner takes it all” (the
destructive modality) towards “we can coexist, despite all odds” (the
constructive modality).
Finally, our dear students, we would
like to welcome you to this journey of non-violence across this course. We hope
that you will be able to benefit from every detail and to be able to dive into
both the philosophy and the strategies of non-violence. From the stories
from all around the world to potential actions that you can make.
Open your hearts and minds since this
journey would not be a classical one.
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