Yesterday, Thursday, the Emlison Women’s Association held a graduation ceremony for the nineteenth batch of children from its kindergarten in Ras Al Amud, under the name “Challenge Batch.”

The ceremony was held at the National Theater - Al-Hakawati, under the supervision of the association’s board member Fatima Nimr, the administrative coordinator of Ras Al-Amoud kindergartens Abla Salem, and the kindergartens’ administrative and teaching staff, in the presence of the association’s president, educator Rehab Obeidieh, the director of the general assembly, educator Dalal Lafi, a number of the association’s board members, the director of Al-Issawiya kindergarten, educator Lina Obeidieh, and a crowd of students’ parents. The ceremony was hosted by educator Maryam Salem.

The graduation ceremony began with standing for the Palestinian national anthem, then student Anas Bibouh recited verses from the Holy Quran. After that, a group of kindergarten children saluted and appreciated the kindergarten director and teachers, the association’s management, and the members of its board of directors.

The Director General of the Emlison Association, educator Dalal Lafi, said, “We, the people of Jerusalem, have learned to create life from death and to transform the desert into a lush oasis. Our children are its beautiful flowers and basil that will pave their way towards success and creativity to provide happiness and giving to their country and people.”

“We at Emlison Ladies Association attach special importance to the internalization of the English language among our children through developing the curriculum and enriching the performance of teachers. An English language coordinator was appointed this year. In addition, there is special attention and ample space to help children who are struggling and delayed in their developmental aspects through the educational support program in kindergartens,” added the educator “Lafi” in her speech on behalf of the association.

For his part, journalist Rasem Obeidat praised the association’s management for naming its graduating classes of school and kindergarten students as the “Challenge” class, due to the daily challenges that the city of Jerusalem is experiencing with the occupation, which aims to uproot, displace and distance the people of Jerusalem from their city.

“The occupation wants to tamper with the minds of our students and children, by targeting their awareness, these children and students, whose elders the occupier bet was that they would die and their young ones would forget, but it has been proven that these young ones have not and will not forget, and they are continuing on the path of those who came before them in preserving their identity, culture, kinship and narrative,” Obeidat added in his speech.

Obeidat called for the necessity of not exchanging the Palestinian curriculum for money in the city of Jerusalem, due to the serious risks that this poses to the awareness of students. He concluded by saying, “With the challenge, the two teachers, Rahab Obeida and Dalal Lafi, were able to bring about a qualitative shift in the progress of the association, its educational and teaching roles, its activities, events and services, from an association that started with two rooms in a marginalized neighborhood in Jabal al-Mukaber, to an association that includes seven branches and a compulsory school in various suburbs of the city of Jerusalem.”

At the end of the ceremony, the association’s president, educator Rehab Obeidieh, its general manager, educator Dalal Lafi, and the association’s media advisor, Rasem Obeidat, were honored by the kindergarten administration. The teachers Fatina Al-Qawasmeh, Khawla Badran, Roula Nasser, Suham Asi, Wafaa Salhab, Ahlam Fawaqa, Ghadir Al-Muhtaseb, Shaima Ayoub, Ne’ma Awisat, Hanadi Adila, Shadia Balbisi, Amira Al-Hallaq, Arej Nasser, Lubna Shahada, Hadeel Abu Kharoub, and Walaa Abu Hamed were also honored.

The management of the Emlison Association and its kindergarten in Ras Al-Amoud honored Mr. Basem Alian for his services and support to the association and its progress.

The ceremony included a number of plays, songs, hymns and theatrical scenes that emphasized belonging to the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem and its sanctities, respect for the value of knowledge and education, and the necessity of perseverance and diligence in order to achieve the goal and work to change the reality of Jerusalem.