Aleppo Incident: Harsh Comment on Christians Sparks Widespread Outrage
Despite voluntary efforts organized by some groups to support the community, the recent incident in Aleppo reveals the deep sectarian divisions and their impact on the cohesion of Syrian society
April 3, 2025, 6:09 pm

Aleppo Incident: Harsh Comment on Christians Sparks Widespread Outrage

حلب \ متداولة

As part of voluntary initiatives aimed at promoting cooperation and solidarity among the components of Syrian society, young members of the Christian education group from the Latin Church in Aleppo organized a campaign to feed 250 fasting people at the Al-Muhajireen Mosque.

Despite the noble goal of the initiative, which reflects interfaith coexistence, the incident had unexpected repercussions. One mosque attendee interrupted Father Bahjat's speech, who was introducing the initiative, by making harsh comments against the participants in the campaign, calling Christians "impure" and stating, "It does not honor us to have them as brothers, and they will never be."

This incident, which occurred a few days ago, sparked a wave of reactions on social media platforms, with many users expressing their dismay at these remarks, which caused controversy among different sects.

Although the campaign aimed to support the poor and needy during the month of Ramadan, some of the comments discussing this issue highlighted the extent of deep sectarian divisions that still affect relationships between Syrians.

Many commentators reminded that such statements reflect a bitter reality that escalates tensions between different sects. For example, one commenter said, "This extremist Salafi ideology cannot coexist under any social contract," while others argued that the violent remarks negatively impact Syria's social fabric, threatening efforts for peaceful coexistence under the current political circumstances.

Amidst this controversy, questions remain open regarding the Syrian community's ability to overcome these divisions and move towards enhancing interfaith dialogue in the future.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”