Al-Farah Choir brings joy to inmates at Damascus Central Prison

DAMASCUS, (ST)- In a unique initiative, the Al-Farah Choir held a concert at the Damascus Central Prison to bring happiness and enhance hope among inmates. The concert included presenting several songs some of which were performed and composed by the prisoners themselves.

The concert was held in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the prison and in partnership with al-Amal music band which consists of a number of inmates.

Father Ilias Zahlawi, the founder of al-Farah Choir, said addressing the inmates “we wanted to bring you some happiness, because we sing for the life and the freedom we hope for you when you return to your families and warmly immerse them.” 

He called on authorities at the prison to do their best to boost the hope for better life inside the inmates.

In a statement to journalists, Father Zahlawi said that this artistic activities aims at communicating  with the inmates of Damascus prison and help them return to their normal life, stressing that “what we want today is to sow the seeds of amity in the hearts of each other so that this amity will rebuild better Syria that would be an example to follow by other Arab countries which tried to destroy it.”

 One of the inmates, who is a member of al-Amal music band, said that holding such events , enable the inmates to develop their artistic talents, pointing out that the band has trained for a month to take part in this concert with al-Farah Choir.  He added that the band presented four songs that were written and composed by its members.

On his part, Head of the Damascus Central Prison branch, Brigader Abdo Karam said that artistic and cultural activities are held monthly at the prison’s cultural center in order to stress that the prison is a place for reformation and care and to help the prisoners do important things in their lives.

Hamda Mustafa