Our world’s pace has changed a lot in the past 20 years, consequently affecting people’s lives. Nowadays, one has to be efficient, proactive and flexible at the same time and that puts a lot of pressure on everyone’s shoulders. The Antonine University (UA) is very much aware of the challenges that today’s students have to tackle, and thus has decided to give them the “keys of happiness” with the objective to help them alleviate the psychological burden that weighs heavily upon them.
In that perspective, the date of March 4, 2019, will go down as a milestone; it all started that day with the launch of UA’s annual week dedicated to wellness and mental health. For four days, fifteen workshops, open to everyone, were given by local and international key experts—a first in the Lebanese university landscape!
UA is determined to make things change on several levels. On the official level, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Public Health represented by Dr. Rabieh El Chammay and the Antonine University represented by Father Michel Jalakh.
On a practical level, UA’s engagement translated into the creation of a vice-rectorate devoted to integral human development; its task is to create a "culture of well-being" by implementing several actions, beginning with the Wellness Week that will provide participants with hands-on tools in order to make them realize the several dimensions of well-being. This week will also be, from now on, the opportunity to assess the approaches and practices put in place the previous year.
That is not all. In addition, UA is determined to focus on promoting wellness and supporting its students through the Center for Relational Ecology whose door is always open to all. At the Center, they can find an attentive ear and psychological support to help them overcome the difficulties of everyday life. In keeping with its objective, the University is also committed to encouraging positive actions and projects that students, teachers or administrative staff would suggest. It is what one could call a strong signal of UA’s concrete involvement!