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On November 11, House of Wisdom Institute for Consultancy and Conflict Resolution, in collaboration with the YMCA – Gaza City, organized a signing ceremony for Dr. Ahmed Yousef’s book: “Father Manuel Musallam: Homeland Symbol “, in the presence of cultural, political, religious, academic and Christian figures.
The book includes chapter about former Jerusalem Patriarch Mashel Sabbah, former head of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) Khaled Mashaal, and former Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs Dr. Hassan al-Saifi.
In his speech, Dr. Ahmed Yousef, Head of House of Wisdom Institute, said that Father Manuel Muslim is a figure who represents the model and example of what we look forward to in building the Palestinian personality, and therefore it is necessary to have a book that is studied by generations that includes the biography and attitudes of this Christian man, a national and religious symbol,
Dr. Yusuf added that the book has chapters about Father Manuel’s family, youth, and attitudes before becoming a national and religious figure, pointing out that he searched for other national, political, religious and academic figures to help him well in understanding Father Manuel’s personality.
In a recorded speech to Father Manuel Musallam, he said: “Your loyalty was special to me. Thank you”. He sent his greetings to Gaza and its people saying: “My beloved Gaza and my dear people, it’s so great and influential your honor to me. Without the good seeds of this sacred and fertile land, my efforts would be nothing .”
Father Manuel presented his religious and academic life, from the beginning to completing studying philosophy at 25years to deciding to become a cleric, showing his love for the Church, Christians, the Gospel, school and kindergartens. He said: “I have loved my Muslim brothers and opened the Christian schools in the Zababda for them and then conducted a national dialogue in Gaza.”
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He ended his speech saying, “ “I have never lived as a symbol in a country, as much as the country has been a symbol to me”, noting that since 2009 he was in Birzeit, planting figs, olives, apples and thyme.
The book is divided into nine sections in which the author reviews the biography of Father Musallam, his life in Palestine, what he presented to the Palestinian cause, the father’s work in Jordan, his challenges to occupation, his human manifestations, witnesses and testimonies about Father Manuel Musallam.
The book published is the first part of the volume. The second part will include political positions, articles, and poetry and poems written by Father Manuel Musallam.
