Pen Thoughts

I find it really weird! On the outset of the 17th October uprising, I started a daily ritual of packing a bag and going to Riad El Soleh area. Though the first day of the uprising I was angry because what motivated people to react on unbelievable, shameless actions of the political elite, was mainly the proposition on Whatsup tax. For me, people reaction was more insulting than the proposition itself. Yet, after the fourth day of the uprising, I only got the sensation of hope and beauty in this new strange movement. I even was fearful the whole thing would end at any second. I woke up every day with an urge that took me to the screens hoping to see roads are blocked, people are in the streets shouting angerly, defying and fighting for their most basic rights. I find it weird, finally courageous and hopeful! In its seventy days anniversary, with lots of ups and downs, resistance, perseverance, and commitment, this uprising still breathing. It was reduced, however, no d...

Though it was the worst year of my life, I can still see the positive things that happened to me, on a personal and professional level. This year, I had the chance to take part in wonderful events and traveled twice to western countries, London during August and the USA/Maryland Baltimore during October and November. At work, my team organized countless training, camps, and activities during this year, that gathered people from different sides of the globe. it was exciting for me to witness cultural bridges being shaped, dialogue and friendship in the making between people that have absolutely nothing in common, except humor, love, and humanity. Even now, at the moment I'm writing this blog, my colleagues arranged a workshop for humanitarian workers on conserving wellbeing in the distressful environment. most of the participants are from Syria. for the last two days, I'm having a wonderful time interacting with them. For these little blessings, I'm grateful  ...

It has been a long time since I wrote to this blog. on many occasions, I wanted to write but felt that I have nothing serious to share. The last couple of days, I started reading a book about ancient Chinese wisdom. I got the book while I was in Paris, in a visit arranged by UNESCO. at the same time as the conference, I participated in, there was a Chinese cultural seminar within the UNESCO building. I got the chance to see actual monks and to speak with wise elderlies. one of whom gave me a movie on a USB stick and a bunch of books about religions and wisdom. I shelved the books for a long time before deciding to start reading it. Now I regret every moment I left these books in solitude and didn't get into it sooner! yet I believe that books have their own spirit and from my experience, it calls you to the read. The first book I snatched from the counter, was "The Governing Principles of Ancient China". the book is based on 360 passages excerpted from the origi...

In the 73rd memorial of the Lebanese Independence Day, still, a deep surge of wonder and uncertainty circulate my shallow conception about the country I was born, raised and reborn many times into. A question mark keeps lingering in my head while no definite answer can be reached. Is Lebanon as we know it today, deserve to be an entity inclusive to all its indigenous residents? I was born in 1981, a considerably dangerous year to be alive, or at least to be aware in Lebanon. As it was mentioned on my ID, my residential birth was the nearest hospital possible to the shelter where my parents used to take cover. Up until my 9th birthday, most of my childhood memories were made either in shelters or in a 5 Km radius away from. The crystal clear images in my head remained from the year 1990, when I had my first communion and the battles between the Christian faction “Lebanese Forces” and the Lebanese army. I remember the shelling, I remember death, I remember the voices o...

Regarding the unlawfully Parliamentarian Elie Marouny comment on the role that women play in leading men into rape. A couple of questions should be asked to the parliamentarian, in order to approach the campaign building up against him subjectively: What is the sexual desire that might intrigue him to rape a woman ? If such sexual desire exist in his mind  and he or any other man did the action of rape upon this trigger, shall the rape be justified than ? Wait a minute. This is the "rape" definition in the dictionary:  unlawful sexual intercourse or any other sexual penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth of another person, with or without force, by a sex organ, other body part, or foreign object, without the consent of the victim. DO WE AGREE ON THE SAME DEFINITION ? I personally consider that Elie Marouny committed a stupid gaff over a crucial issue Lebanese women are fighting for and didn't have enough ...

في الذكرى ال38 لتغييب الإمام موسى الصدر يحكى عن بائع المثلجات المسيحي العتيق في صور، الذي لجأ الى الإمام الصدر بعدما بدأ يعاني من ضائقة مادية، سببها مقاطعة المسلمين له في تلك المنطقة، بعد افتتاح محل لبائع آخر للمثلجات في جواره من الطائفة المسلمة. في احد الأيام، بعد صلاة الجمعة، توجه الامام الصدر مع مرافقيه وعدد من المصلّين الى محلة البائع المسيحي واكلوا المثلجات عنده. لم تكن تلك البادرة تمثيلية تعايش وطني وما شابه الاقاويل التي تلوث اذاننا عن الوحدة والاخوة بين الطوائف في لبنان وشاكلاتها من الأدبيات الخشبية الكاذبة. ارادها الامام رسالة الى اهل بيته والى العالم بأجمعه بأنه اولاً يحب المثلجات، وثانياً يحب الانسان كما خلقه الله وليس كما صبغه المجتمع . عظمة الانسان ليس بالشعر الذي يمدح أعماله ويهديه صفة البطولة عن حق او عن غير حق. عظمة الانسان ليس في تأليه غير مجدي وغير واقعي وملوث بمصالح وغايات. عظمة الانسان هي بالأعمال الصغيرة التي يتحدى بها كل المعايير، حتى ولو انبثقة عن بيئته ومجتمعه . لهذا، كان الإمام الصدر عظيماً !

Amran Picture from the media outlets The whole world was disturbed when Amran picture caught the eyes. Everybody felt heart aching pain for that it is a very excruciating thing to see.  The matter of fact, when I saw Amran picture I was happy, I was happy for him being alive !! Nobody care about war zone atrocities. All of us are busy with our lives and nothing else matter for us. Suddenly we see a picture and we feel deeply disturbed ! Humans are such an Hippocratic creatures

Leonard Cohen Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That’s how the light gets in.

للعباقرة والمحللين السياسيين والعسكريين يلي متلين الدني تحاليل وتهاليل عن التدخل الروسي المبارك بسوريا، اليكم بعض الحقائق: - المشكلة الكبرى انو سعر الصاروخ يلي بتطلقو السوخوي وف16 اثمن بحوالي 50 مرة من سعر المركبات المقاتلة يلي بيستعملها داعش (يلي يملك ما يزيد عن 12000 مركبة) زائد في حال كانت المركبة مليانة مقاتلين، سعرهم اقل من كلب الشيواوا تبع "باريس هلتون". لأجل هالسبب الحملات الجوية لا تنجح. - مخازن الأسلحة هي مخططة على طريقة العصابات. يعني سعر مجموع الأسلحة والعتاد والزخيرة بكل مخزن أقل من سعر الصاروخ، و هذه المخازن عديدة وموزعة جغرافياً. يعني مستر بوتين ولو استعار حصان مار جرجس وسيف مار ايليا، ما ممكن يقضي على مخازن اسلحة داعش (بفتكر حزب الله استعمل الاستراتيجية ذاتها في حرب تموز) الله بخليكون، حلو عن ربنا تحاليل. وماعاش تشاركونا بمعلومات مدري من وين عن سقوط المنظومة الكونية بهل يوميين. عند القيامة، الله مش بس راح يسأل شو عملت منيح وقبيح، رح يسألك ليش الجدب؟ شو عملت بالمخ يلي عطيتك اياه؟ وشكراً

Remi Kanazi is an Palestinian-American performance poet and human rights activist based in New York City. Born 1981 in United States of America. He published "Poetic Injustice: writings on resistance and Palestine" a book that illustrate the struggle of Palestinian people enduring the Israeli occupation. In his new book "Before the Next Bomb Drops", Kanazi wrote "A Grin Behind the Tears", a poem expressed by Samir, a young Palestinian who has experienced the brutality of occupation. it goes like this: "No matter how tight Israel thinks its grip is the bullets, the bombs, the checkpoints the UN vetoes, the congressional applauding these children are more powerful than F-16s more assured than U.S. military aid they will climb walls, skirt roadblocks, dodge teargas they will unravel injustice by their very existence in every breath they take, every wedding that's held every newborn they bring into this world, ...