Tanenbaum Peacemaker Hind Kabawat recently visited Syria, her homeland. The trip marked her first return to the country since the beginning of its uprising in March 2011, though she has been actively working for peace and reconciliation throughout the conflict. While much of the media coverage of Syria has worried over sectarian violence and the involvement of extremist groups, including Al Qaeda, Hind tells of a very different experience on the ground. In an article for the National Post, a Canadian newspaper, she writes,
“While crossing the border into free Syria, I wondered whether, as a Christian, I should wear my cross and keep my head uncovered. Kafarnabel is a conservative Sunni Muslim village, but I was struck by the community’s openness and tolerance. When I raised the issue with a young man I knew, Qutaiba Khalil, he replied: “No, Madame, you must wear your cross, it is a sign of your faith.”
Read more about Hind’s experience in Syria at the National Post website.