Damascus countryside, Dec. 31 (SANA) The Cultural Bus of the Damascus Countryside Directorate of Culture continued its tours across the governorate, stopping in the town of Saidnaya in the Western Qalamoun region, where it offered recreational and educational activities for local children.
The activities, hosted by Al-Inaya Private Kindergarten at the Monastery of the Transfiguration on the occasion of the Feast of Liberation and Christmas, involved 75 children.
They included a mobile cultural bus carrying a library of stories, educational games, competitions, storytelling sessions, and performances of holiday songs in Arabic, English and French in front of the church tree.
In a statement to a SANA reporter, Father Taher Youssef, parish priest of Hagia Sophia for the Melkite Greek Catholics, said the event helps raise awareness among children and youth and spreads a cultural atmosphere despite the effects of war. He stressed the importance of building children’s culture, spirit and values from an early age through education, art and dialogue.
Shireen Al-Khoury, supervisor of Al-Inaya Private Kindergarten, said the initiative brought children back to printed books, away from electronic games and mobile phones, praising cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the Cultural Window in Saidnaya and young volunteers.
For his part, Mohammad Murad, supervisor of the Cultural Bus, said the event was organized to celebrate Christmas and comes within structured programs aimed at engaging children in interactive cultural activities such as writing and drawing workshops and cultural competitions.
Manal Azar, Director of the Cultural Window in Saidnaya, described the event as innovative and essential for strengthening children’s relationship with reading and knowledge, contributing to building a conscious generation capable of taking part in rebuilding Syria.
