However, the need to assimilate these people in Lebanese society has prompted the organizers of the center to hold joint activities to bring together Lebanese and Syrians, aided by the efforts of some Lebanese.
The activities aimed at achieving cultural and social coexistence, began in July 2014 in the town of Saadnayel, with an Eid al-Fitr festival for Syrian and Lebanese children. It was staged with the supervision of the center’s Syrian staff, with the help of the municipality and a number of young people.
Majd Sharbaji is the director of the Nisaa al-Aan center
«The festival offered a mini-amusement park, along with theater and music show,» she recalls. «Around 3,000 Syrian and Lebanese children attended, which helped boost social solidarity between young people and their elders on this occasion».
In order to arrive at coexistence and cultural assimilation, even in a narrow scope, the center employed Lebanese trainers and trainees along with Syrian ones in the courses that are offered.
Ghina, 24, is a French language teacher from the Bekaa who currently works at the center; she describes her experience in teaching women: «At first, I was afraid that they would reject me because I’m Lebanese and a stranger to them. Their damaged psychological state, because of the war in their country, presented an obstacle for me. But I think this disappeared quickly, after a few days when the trainees responded to me quite well. I didn’t feel like there were any barriers between us,» she says.
Ghina added that the good relationship between the Lebanese and Syrian people requires a bit of interaction in order to grow.
«I became friends with my students and we went places together; I always catch up on their news» she says.
This is what Marwa, a 25 year old Syrian student, recalls: «Ghina was able to quickly fit in with us,» she recalls, «and added some fun to the lessons. She would repeat things more than once until we understand them. I didn’t expect this from a Lebanese woman; I had preconceptions. But after I met her and her family, I changed my negative view about Lebanese.»
In order to encourage Lebanese and Syrians to come together, the center, along with some Lebanese activists, opened a club called the «Bekaa Sports Academy» in Jalala, a neighborhood. At the Academy, where Lebanese and Syrian youth are joined together on a single team in order to merge them together and develop their skills.
Lawyer Rami Zammar, 36, a friend of the center said that the project was one of the initiatives of Nisaa al-Aan that impressed him.
«It helps ease the process of coexistence through sports and group competitions noting the lack of sporting facilities in the area. We gave them the space for the project and the center was responsible of the planning and execution,» Zammar says, noting the Lebanese contribution to the project.
Sharbaji ends by saying that the club will be ready soon and that it will work on developing Lebanese-Syrian sporting activities, and protecting young people from extremism and racist and social problems.
Several other similar initiatives have emerged recently in the central Bekaa, aimed at promoting coexistence between Lebanese and Syrians, such as the cultural center sponsored by «World Vision» in Kfar Zabad, and life skills courses organized by «Save the Children» in Bar Elias, Qabb Elias, and elsewhere.