PRESS RELEASE
6 October 2009

Spain contributes to rebuild Deir Yassin School in Tyre Area

Beirut, 06 October 2009

Beirut - 06 October 2009: Deir Yassin newly reconstructed school was officially inaugurated in El Buss camp in Tyre area under the patronage and the presence of his Excellency H.E. Juan Carlos Gafo, the Spanish Ambassador to Lebanon and Mr. Salvatore Lombardo, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon.

With a generous donation from the Government of Spain, UNRWA was able to reconstruct and furnish a school premises namely Deir Yassin, which can fit 550 students from grades 1 to 7. The students will indeed be benefiting from a single shift system through which the teaching time will be increased. Moreover, and with the large space available, Deir Yassin school creates opportunities for after school recreational and educational activities.

In his address to the representatives of the local community, students and parents of students attending the inauguration, the Spanish Ambassador H.E. Juan Carlos Gafo said: "The reconstruction of Deir Yassin school will significantly contribute to offer more and better opportunities to El Buss Camp children as well as to its entire community. Education is not only a basic right but, I believe, the basis for conflict prevention and access to labour market. Spanish commitment to the Palestinian people remains unaltered. I praise UNRWA’s work and its constant efforts to dignify the living conditions of the Palestinians in the camps."

Salvatore Lombardo, Director of UNRWA Affairs, Lebanon, took the opportunity to thank the Spanish Government for their generous support. "The reconstruction of this school has tremendously changed the learning environment for the 450 students of Deir Yassin," he said, "the new premises also will serve the community much better overall, with the possibility of utilizing the building for after school activities."

Spain is amongst UNRWA's ten most generous donors and provides contributions to both the Agency's General Fund and regular and emergency projects. Last year, the Government of Spain contributed to the reconstruction of Nahr el-Bared Camp (NBC) in North Lebanon through the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, with Euro 6 million, and donated Euro 0.5 million for rubble removal activities in NBC channeled through UNDP. Previously, in the aftermath of the July 2006 war, Spain contributed to UNRWA's Early Recovery Plan with Euro 2 million, followed in 2007 by a donation of EUR 300,000 towards UNRWA's 2007 Flash Appeal in response to the humanitarian crisis in North Lebanon.

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