“Begin with Ourselves”, say Lebanon Youth in Call for Peace
Lebanon’s young people are considering their own responsibility to “truly become makers of peace” in a country and region devastated by conflict and division.
Speaking to SAT-7 ARABIC’s You Are Not Alone program ahead of the Pope’s meeting on 1 December with young people in Bkerké, Lebanon, event organiser Dalia Abboud reflected on the theme, “Blessed are the peacemakers”: “It is a call to positive action, a call to begin with ourselves and truly become makers of peace. If each of us starts individually, we can reach this goal.”
Leading up to the gathering, young people across Lebanon were invited to submit their questions through a public online form. These messages were compiled and handed directly to the Pope ahead of his address. From the outset, this ensured that the youth’s concerns, priorities, and expectations would shape the event.
The issues they raised are starkly familiar:
- Migration pressures, as many feel pushed to leave in search of opportunity elsewhere.
- Unemployment and economic uncertainty, with entire families living under constant financial strain.
- The longing for stability after years of crisis, conflict and national trauma.
“Our concerns are the same as those of every young man and woman in this country and abroad,” said Dalia, coordinator of the Secretariat Committees, preparing for the gathering. She and others see the Bkerké event as vital because it channels these concerns into a shared public moment.
More than a thousand young people from across Lebanon are now registered to attend, with hundreds more travelling from abroad – including groups from Syria, Poland, Australia, several African nations, and neighbouring Arab countries. The sheer diversity of those present underlines a growing sense that this is not just a ceremonial visit but a regional conversation about the future of a generation.
Recent bombings in southern Lebanon and an explosion in Beirut briefly cast a question mark over the visit, but preparations continued uninterrupted. Organisers confirmed that the programme remained unchanged, echoing Pope Leo’s message to Lebanese youth: “I’m coming, no matter what.”
Pope Leo’s address is expected to speak to young people not only in Lebanon but across the Middle East, many of whom face similar pressures around opportunity, identity, and stability. From projects like Lebanon Our Story to live programs such as You Are Not Alone, SAT-7 has seen again and again that young people are asking to be taken seriously as partners in building a different future for their region.
Dalia added, “We’re all waiting for this moment that will leave a deep spiritual and national mark on us as the youth of Lebanon. We also remember the youth of the Middle East… they too need this level of hope.”
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