Palestinian child shows lust for learning

Six-year old Palestinian Hassan Haitham Abouchaban is a quiet, smiley child. At first glance you might not spot his profound fondness for art and poetry or his mastery of language and mathematics. Hassan is no ordinary child. He has a natural curiosity, always examining and linking thoughts in a quest for new and interesting facts, solving difficult questions and composing riddles. Speaking to Hassan, he takes you on a journey into his own little world, one characterised by meditation, modesty and calmness. In short, he is a very thoughtful child, a polymath way beyond his years. Hassan is currently studying at Gaza City’s elementary school and is always keen to maintain his first place in the school, he says. His artistic work reveals an obsession with art and sculpture, as he comfortably lists the names of prominent artists like Ismail Shammout and Naji al-Ali, as well as other pioneers in Palestinian art. After art, reading has always been the second love in Hassan’s life. He is interested in buying books with colourful graphics -- in Arabic as well as English -- avidly reading them on a daily basis. This startling six-year-old is also interested in new technology, computer games and even developing software. On top of that Hassan is passionate about science, travel and “new and mysterious things.” Hanadi Surani, Hassan’s mother, says that having discovered her son’s talents so early on, she always tries to encourage him and open his mind to new discoveries. “This is the best way to nurture a creative child,” she says. She is incredibly proud of her son, Hassan, along with his three siblings, Walid, Omar and Karma. “When a child feels important,” Hanadi says, “he will develop the self-confidence and security to unveil his hidden talents.”