In recent days, the Italian soldiers of the UNIFIL mission welcomed about seventy children from the public school of Houla, a village along Blue Line.
The pupils, accompanied by some teachers and members of the local NGO “Mother's Association”, had for the first time the opportunity to visit the UNIFIL mission headquarters in Naqoura. The activity is part of the initiatives carried out by the Italian Blue Helmets in South Lebanon between the end of March and the beginning of April, as part of the Lebanese celebrations of Mother's and Child's Day.
The departments visited
The event was organized and coordinated by the UNIFIL CIMIC UNIT (United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon - Civil Military Coordination), where Italian soldiers of the Multinational CIMIC Group of Motta di Livenza (TV), multinational unit of the Army and joint forces specialized in civil-military cooperation.
During the day spent at the Mission Command the children, aged between 5 and 12, were able to attend a display of military dogs in operational activities (by the Sri Lankan dog operators), discover the work of the firefighters and observe their equipment (thanks to the collaboration of the Austrian Fire and Rescue Unit) and see closely the helicopters used by the pilots of the ITALAIR Task Force (the only joint flight department deployed by Italy in international peace missions).
Children's experience
For the young visitors it was a special occasion to spend a different day, give vent to their curiosity through a unique experience and learn more about how the peacekeepers operate in the Lebanese territory. The head of the Non Governmental Organization thanked the Italian Blue Helmets for the opportunity of the visit stating that "the military are a source of tranquility, stability and security and are with us on beautiful days and in difficult times".
The Multinatioal Cimic Group
The Italian CIMIC military in Southern Lebanon, in full compliance with Resolution no. 1701 of the United Nations Security Council, conduct operational activities aimed at increasing the confidence of local inhabitants towards the Mission and maintaining situational awareness by interacting with the population, local authorities and international organizations present in the territory.
