Children of Martyrs in Lattakia Celebrate Army Day

“Music affects the heart and our entire being, thus hope of starting a new life revives our soul.  The  Syrian children and youths, who have suffered because of the foreign-backed terrorist groups, insist on singing for peace not for war and destruction ”, Maestro  Ahmed Hammoudi,  the founder  of “ Qanadil Al- Wattan” ( the homeland’s lamps)  choir in Lattakia province said in a statement to the Syriatimes e-newspaper on the sideline of a celebration held on Thursday at “Dar Al-Assad” for Culture in Lattakia marking the 74th anniversary of the Syrian Arab Army foundation.

The event was organized by the Lattakia branch of the Revolution Youth Union ( RYU).

The celebration included a concert in which 140 children of martyrs as well as wounded and kidnapped people from a number of Syrian provinces took part within a choir that sang several patriotic songs glorifying the homeland and the army.

The Maestro, who is also the head of the arts office of the Lattakia’s branch of the RYU, stressed that being part of a choir can give the children a feeling of self-confidence, develop their imagination and creativity and support their emotional development.

The Syriatimes e-newspaper attended the celebration and met some of the children and youths participating in the choir.

Batool Massri from Jisr Al-Shugour city in Idlib said “ the terrorists groups attacked us in our home, killed my brother and tortured us savagely before taking us to an unknown place”, adding “ after three years of being kidnapped we were released thanks to the brave Syrian Arab Army and came to Lattakia.”

She made it clear that “the choir is my family, freedom , security and hope. When I sing I feel as if I am greeting everyone who has  sacrificed for the sake of his homeland”.

Jana Al-Hasna from Lattakia province said “ I am proud of being a martyr’s daughter , who sacrificed his soul in defending his homeland in Quaris airport in Aleppo province”.

“This is a choir of love and peace through which we want to send all the world a message  saying that the Syrian children, especially the  children of martyrs and kidnapped, can challenge and confront all the difficult circumstances by education and singing” she stressed.

On his part , Nabil Yousef, the Secretary of the RYU branch in Lattakia, told the Syriatimes that “the choir is an artistic activity that provides the children and youths with a chance to stand on the stage and express their feelings and reflect their suffering ”. He underscored that despite their young age, these children can fight through their voices and can participate in rebuilding Syria”.

Okba Wakeel, Head of the RYU Artistic activities department, said that “most members of the choir were subjected to brutal and aggressive acts by the terrorists, especially those who witnessed the bloody massacres committed in the countryside of Lattakia.”

He highly appreciated the choir’s role in supporting children psychologically and helping them overcome the difficult circumstances they have faced .

Wakeel stressed that the Syrian Arab Army’s day is a day for all the Syrians, because the Syrian Arab Army will remain the protector of the homeland and the staunch defender of its sovereignty, independence and unity.

Interviewed by : Rawaa Ghanam