Rama Krishna Sangem
A Christmas eve celebrations were conducted by Hyderabad based Montfort Social Institute (MSI) at its campus in Ramanthapur in the city on December 21, Thursday. The theme of this year’s fete was to express solidarity with the children victims of war in Gaza, Palestine and elsewhere. MSI works with the moto of empowerment of the just.
MSI director Brother T Vargheese, explaining the theme of this year’s Christmas celebrations at his institute, said that it is the duty of everyone to protect children and women anywhere in the world, especially in times of war. He voiced anguish over killing of hundreds of children in Gaza strip of Palestine in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, a terror outfit.
Br Vargheese also lamented killing of hundreds of children in the war in Ukraine too. Though there were many UN and other world bodies resolutions condemning violence against children and women, a large number of them are dying in times of turbulence and global conflicts. It was disheartening to see the helpless children dying in wars, which could be solved through other ways, no- violently.
Speakers who included a range of walks of life – social activists, singers, students, poets and LGBTQ etc; expressed their solidarity to the children trapped in war zones across the world. Most of them also mentioned about children in Manipur in India in recent violence and felt that stringent steps must be taken to protect them. Some of the boys who fled Manipur in recent violence sang Christmas caroles.
Solution must be found
Prof Kanche Ilaiah who spoke on the occasion said that it was important to find solutions to every global conflict within the framework of established norms. If two countries theory must be accepted as solution to Israel and Palestine war, refusal of military invasion by any country to alter international boundaries is a solution to Ukraine war. In Manipur, we all must fight for protecting cultural diversity within India, as per our laws, he said.
Many youngsters, members of LGBTQ expressed their solidarity with the children of Gaza. A qawwali programme calling for love, but not hatred, a Bharata Natyam dance event, and recital of poetry stood out on the occasion. Artists took brushes to express their emotions in solidarity with the children. MSI’s children’s parliament members too took part in the fete. Br Vargheese and others cut a cake to celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth on December 25.
