Iraqi Abdul Sattar Younus, 33, made his first visit to the United States last week — and found a far different face of America than he had ever known in his native land.
Instead of American soldiers, a common sight in his homeland, he met the faces of Rockport High art students while he was visiting this country to receive the International Pfeffer Peace Prize, which honors those working for peace with justice.
Younus was accompanied to the school by Tarek El Heneidy of Rockport, who assisted as his translator if needed, and who is a fellow peace activist.
Younus, director of the Iraqi Kurdistan NGO Network and a member of a peace group called La'Onf, received the Pfeffer Award from the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the oldest peace and justice organization in the United States, based in Nyack, N.Y. La'Onf — which means "No Violence" in Arabic — seeks nonviolent solutions in Iraq.
An accountant by profession, Younus talked to the students about La'Onf, which was founded in 2006.
"I told them of our main activities last year," he said. "It's dangerous in our world and the students have many questions about the situation right now in Iraq and why I joined La'Onf."
El Heneidy saw the students absorbed in the discussion.
Born in 1976, Younus said that, since 1980 — when Saddam Hussein declared war on Iran — he has lived a life with war.
"People in my country are killed and wounded," he said, recalling the time his secondary school was bombed by Iranians in the eight-year war. "Then there are the terrorists and Gulf War and many people killed in war and violence, and then civil war.
"All my life, he said, "I have been effected by war and violence."
Against that backdrop of war, a group of Iraqis wanted to employ peaceful methods used by Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
"So in this spirit of finding a better way, we say this is what we need, this is what Iraq needs and this is what the world needs," said Younus, who comes from Erbil, one of the oldest cities in the world.
He gave the students an example of the organization's work in one area of Iraq racked by violence. He explained that the children had toy weapons that the military mistook for real weapons — and that, at times, led to injury and death of children.
"They stopped the sales and marketing of toy guns, and the program is to exchange toy guns with soccer balls," said Younus.
Younus left the school pleased at meeting the young people of Rockport — and the U.S.
"The students here wanted to know if they can send soccer balls overseas and they want to participate any way they can," he said. "They will attempt to do to open exchanges via e-mail and to exchange art because of the art teacher's involvement.
"I see soldiers in Iraq so when I come to see the kind and very nice people here, this is very important to give me hope especially when the kids today ask how can we help you," he added. "I have very big hope to the future relations between our country and the United States."
While in Massachusetts, Younus also met with members of the Sept. 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, which sponsored his three-week stay in the United States and nominated him for the Pfeffer Peace Prize. He also he gave a presentation at Harvard, addressing participants in the Pluralism Project. After leaving New England, he will travel to Tennessee, Arizona and California.
Before he came to Rockport, he had met with 19 Iraqi families who settled recently in Lowell and who gathered for his presentation, sponsored by the Merrimack Valley People for Peace.
"Every little success for La'Onf means something big for them," said El Heneidy.
Rockport left an impression with Younus.
"When we went to Old Garden Beach, I think this is driving me out of my mind. It is so beautiful," he said. "Everywhere I look it's colorful. What I'm seeing here is unbelievable."
Gail McCarthy can be reached at gmccarthy@gloucestertimes.com
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