Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Justice Chakib Qortbawi and as part of the "Alfa 4-Life" CSR program, two stair climbers were inaugurated today at the Ministry of Justice. They were donated by Alfa, managed by Orascom Telecom, in collaboration with Sesobel, to the Ministry of Justice and the Palace of Justice in order to facilitate the mobility of persons with special needs when they visit these public facilities. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Alfa CEO and Chairman Marwan Hayek, the head of the Supreme Judicial Council Judge Jean Fahd, the head of the State Council Judge Shukri Sader, the acting Director General of the Ministry of Justice Judge Marwan Karkabi, and the general director of Sesobel Fadia Safi. This is in addition to Alfa executives, Sesobel team members and youth, and media representatives.
Qortbawi
Minister Qortbawi reminded the audience in his speech that disability can be an incentive for people with special needs to display their abilities wherever they can excel. He thanked Alfa and Sesobel for providing the Palace of Justice and the Ministry of Justice with the stair climbers, which allow people with special needs to easily complete their business in these two locations just like everyone else. He hoped that the media would show that the social condition of people with special needs concerns us all, and that nothing differentiates us or sets us apart from each other. We are all equal as human beings, and disability may affect anyone without exception.
The Minister also talked about receiving once a letter from an association denouncing the term "handicap" which appeared in advertisements by the Ministry of Justice and which represents an insult to people with special needs. He pointed out that the terms used in the ads are obsolete, and that he hastened to send back a personal apology on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, adding that it was a mistake and that we need to know how to deal with our brothers and sisters in humanity.
The minister also said that when the Ministry of Justice conducted a recruitment contest more than a year ago for clerks and bailiffs, the ministry excluded people with special needs from the ranking requirement. Indeed, the eight persons with special needs who passed the test were all recruited, and would not have been so if the ranking requirement had been applied.
Minister Qortbawi highlighted the fact that the employees with special needs at the Ministry of Justice and the Palace of Justice have not faced any problems whatsoever since their recruitment. He then addressed himself to judges Jean Fahd and Marwan Karkabi, hoping for the rights of people with special needs to remain protected, and stressing that the Ministry of Justice is for all the Lebanese. He praised the work of the ministries of social affairs and education aiming to help people with special needs, and concluded, "May the Lebanese society remain aware of this issue, and may people with special needs remain our equals in rights and obligations!"
Hayek
In his speech, Hayek thanked "H.E. the Minister of Justice for welcoming and embracing this initiative". He pointed out that "Alfa is proud of this initiative, which is part of the now-renowned "Alfa 4-Life" CSR program through which we support a number of associations, including Sesobel". Hayek indicated that "the importance of this event is that it is conducted directly at the Ministry of Justice, which is the ministry of law and equality among everyone. Today, we are sending a message that it is the duty of every citizen to achieve equality and apply the law, namely the laws that govern the rights of persons with special needs, and to support them in easing their mobility on a daily basis, which is a basic need for them". He added that "this step and the small financial support are part of Alfa's commitment to community issues, which is at the heart of our priorities".
Safi
In her speech, Safi considered that "this initiative is symbolic as it contributes to the integration of every person with special needs in the community, because they are human beings who have the same rights and freedoms as everyone else". She thanked the Minister of Justice "for everything he has done for the sake of integration" and also thanked Alfa, saying that "awareness is very important, and this is what made Alfa take the initiative to provide two stair climbers for the Ministry of Justice and the Palace of Justice". She concluded by addressing the Minister of Justice, "We hope, your excellency, that we will have your sufficient support to continue our journey".
The ceremony ended with a speech by Elie Tawk from the Sesobel youth. He affirmed that people with special needs do not want to be dealt with on the basis of compassion, but rather on the basis of respect and equality. He told the audience that he refused to give an interview to a media outlet when he found out that accessing the studio would require him to be carried by others because he had to take a long staircase before reaching the elevator. After discussing the issue with the outlet's executives, they decided to conduct the interview in another location that is accessible by people with special needs. He said, "This was an important step in terms of giving importance to people with special needs", and called for looking at others beyond appearances.
Then the Sesobel youth offered minister Qortbawi a book entitled "The Road of Challenge", which details their experiences and the evolution of society's perception toward them. There was also a live demonstration for the stair climbers in presence of the Minister and the audience.
