Patriarch Bechara calls for peace in Middle East

The UNESCO has welcomed Bechara Boutros Rahi, the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and the Whole Levant, on the 70th anniversary of its establishment.

The Patriarch said he was glad to attend the celebration and seeks to evaluate its performance to guarantee the continuation of its targets and mission for the coming decades.

Patriarch Bechara reviewed the history of Christianity in the Middle East, saying that the presence of Christian teachings in school curricula has helped maintain peace in the region.

Establishing Christian schools during the 16th and 17th centuries was a direct cause of creating the culture of peace among youth with all its spiritual, social, economic and political aspects, he said.

He called for the need to reach a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and resolving problems of the Palestinians.

He called for making the Mediterranean a cultural bridge rather than a front for conflicts.

He also called for the need to exert necessary efforts to spread the correct image of Islam worldwide in order to avoid violence.

The session was attended by UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova, Head of UNESCO Executive Board and Egypt's Ambassador to the organization Dr Mohamed Sameh Amr and a number of ambassadors to the UNESCO.