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Safety through Arts in Lebanon

Save the Children Sweden is working in partnership with “Together For a Safe Childhood” (TFSC),a non-profit association established in Lebanon in 2010 on the "Safety through Arts" Project.

The TFSC association has dedicated its mission to the personal safety of children. It contributes to creating safer, healthier environments that protect children and youth from abuse and exploitation. Its primary objective is to initiate, promote and assist any action related to children’s safety, from the prevention, detection and treatment of violence and sexual abuse to the spread of effective safety measures.

Through the "Safety through Arts" project, a group of children participating in a session on protection measures developed a simple song, using the key protection messages learned.  The song was then presented to the community through a concert which had an amazing impact on both children and parents.  

Through the project, we are working closely with 150 children, betwen the ages of 6 and 12, and their parents. 150 children and 150 parents will be involved in a series of awareness raising sessions using art techniques to capture their attention, facilitate self-expression and motivate them towards change. The children most motivated and willing to use their artistic talent to convey protective messages to other children and care-givers will be trained to perform on stage and will be involved in a concert addressing the whole community. The concert will focus on one main song titled “You Are Soooooo Special”. It is foreseen that over 800 children will attend the concert as well as adults members of the communities targeted through this project.

Please join us on the 11th of March at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut to watch the "You are soooooo special" concert!  

Overall goal and specific objectives:

The project aims to empower children from the most at risk and vulnerable areas of Lebanon, to become actively engaged in preventing and responding to violence, abuse and exploitation they encounter in their daily life.

Through the activities, children will learn to identify and effectively respond to potential unsafe situations. It is important for children to be aware of their right to safety and protection and understand if they do not feel safe that they can do something about it. Furthermore, through the “Expect Respect” sessions, children will first learn that others treat us how we allow them to. Teaching children to expect respect from themselves and others is an important step to building a healthy self-esteem.

We assist children to set boundaries of unacceptable behavior from others. Discuss with children steps they could take if people “cross the line” of acceptable behavior.

Teaching children the importance of showing others respect and how they can do this, is another crucial concept. Consider setting rules of acceptable behavior at home or in the classroom to ensure boundaries are readily identified and agreed consequences are consistently enforced when a rule is broken.

Through the sessions the children will:

  • Strengthen their self-esteem
  • Know how to say "no" while reinforcing the "No! Go tell!" strategy
  • Come up with ideas to avoid potentially dangerous situations
  •  Express their feelings and emotions freely and positively

 

The final concert at UNESCO - You are so special!

Finally the moment had come for 165 children from all areas of Lebanon to come together to sing in a concert which they had been looking forward to for months! The excitement in the air was contagious as the star performers filled up the UNESCO Palace in Beirut on Sunday. Children from Khalil Shehab-Makassed School in Beirut, LIBAMI Association in Beirut, Rahmeh High school - Mabarrat in South Lebanon and children from Women Programs Association- Burj al Barajneh, a Palestinian refugee camp located in the southern suburbs of Beirut all came together to sing a number of songs which included messages on safety, child protection and children’s rights.  Read more here.

 

Invitation to the Concert on Sunday 11 March at 3pm in Beirut!

English

Arabic

 

Perfecting choreography at Mabarrat School, February 2012

On Saturday February 24 2012, 60 boys and girls at Mabarrat School took part in their final rehearsal for the “You are so special” concert, which will take place in March 2012 at UNESCO palace in Beirut, bringing children to sing together from all over Lebanon, including children from Palestinian camps.  According to Ms Nidal Jouni, Principal of Mabarrat School, “The children have really enjoyed getting ready for the concert.  Although the project focuses on children from the 5th grade, children from other classes have heard them singing the songs and now sing along when they hear them practising. The messages in the “You are so special song” are important for children of all ages, so we have decided to teach it in other music classes, and the pre-school class will sing the song at the school assembly in March too.”  Read more here.

 

A special welcome at Khalil Shehab School, February 2012

February 16 2011 - The atmosphere at Khalil Shehab School in Hamra, Beirut, was buzzing this morning, as the children got ready to welcome Dr. Elie Mekhael, Director of the Higher Council for Childhood in Lebanon, and Muhammad Mashnouk, the Educational Board Director within Makassed Association.  Khalil Shehab school is one of four schools in which the "Safety through Arts" project is being implemented.  Read more about the visit here.

Children hold up signs containing messages demanding their right to protection

 

 

February Rocks!  February 2012

The first  week of February focused on rehearsals of children on different songs including "you are so special" song as well as awareness raising for both parents and children on child rights and child protection. The aim is to finish all preparations one week before the concert at UNESCO palace in Beirut in March 2012. Children and parents were very excited and were actively taking part in the sessions. Read more here.

 

The Beat Goes on, February 2012

On Saturday 4 February 2012, Together for Safe Childhood met with 35 children from LIBAMI Association, to practice for the concert which is coming up on 11 March!  Read more about the practice session here.

Because every child is special, January 2012

On a cold, foggy and rainy Saturday in January 2012, Together for a Safe Childhood and Save the Children headed towards Nabatieh in South Lebanon to meet with children from Mabarrat School. The purpose of the visit was to introduce 60 girls and boys to the project "You are so special" which aims to ensure protection for children through arts. 5 songs in Arabic, English and French were to be taught to two groups of children in grade 7 in order to have a performance in March 2012 at UNESCO theatre in Beirut along with other children from all over the country including Palestinian camps.  Read more here.