American students attend anniversary of Document on Human fraternity
By Francesca Merlo
Dr Michael Bates 鈥渃an鈥檛 believe鈥 that so much has happened in the past year since Pope Francis visited the UAE. While speaking to Vatican Radio鈥檚 Sr Bernadette Reis, he explains that a delegation from the US embassy visited the students of Cleveland鈥檚 Notre Dame School. They watched a film on the Pope鈥檚 visit and 鈥渂roke bread between our students and Emirati students outside Cleveland鈥, he says. Dr Bates explains that he was later contacted by the embassy, who asked him to 鈥渂ring students from Cleveland, here to Abu Dhabi, for this occasion鈥.
Abu Dhabi is currently hosting an event to mark the one year anniversary since Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar signed the Document on Human Fraternity.
Dr Bates explains that he has experienced a strong 鈥渟ense of faith and inspiration鈥 to peace-making since his arrival in Abu Dhabi. Everywhere he has felt 鈥渢he atmosphere of love and care鈥, and the desire to 鈥渞ecognize that we need not spend all our resources to enforce hate and to enforce war鈥. All this, he says, shows that 鈥渨e can build peace with one another just by simply engaging one another and love鈥.
The Ministry of Education in Abu Dhabi in the UAE 鈥渋s implementing the Human Fraternity Document in grades seven through to twelve鈥. So, far, Dr Bates says that back home they have implemented it in their grade 12, and 鈥渁re looking forward to expanding that鈥.
The 11 students that travelled with him to Abu Dhabi 鈥渁re in awe鈥, he says. Not just 鈥渙f the ability to travel 7000 miles to be here鈥, nor of the 鈥渨onder of what this place is鈥. Dr Bates says they are in awe about what it has meant to them to 鈥渕eet other students鈥.
They 鈥渂roke barriers so quickly鈥, he says, discussing their lives, their homework apps and their school lunches. Dr Bates says that the children were especially 鈥渉umbled鈥 when they learned that the children attending one of the school they visited learn 鈥渢hree languages: English, Arabic and Chinese鈥. They exchanged contacts, he says, and 鈥渆xcitingly鈥, promised to stay in contact.
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