This call is hosted by the Christian Peacebuilding Network (CPN), a multi-org group we helped found, and is part of a series of monthly conversations to help connect Christian peacebuilders and discuss themes related to peacebuilding and the Christian faith.

In May, we will be joined by Ramy Taleb, founder of Al Shabiba Risala (ASR), a grassroots movement equipping young people across Lebanon to become peacebuilders in the midst of ongoing fragility and division. Ramy’s journey into peacebuilding began through a transformative experience of reconciliation work in Northern Ireland, which reshaped how he understood faith, conflict, and what it means to follow Jesus. Yet this shift was not without cost. As he began engaging peacebuilding and forgiveness in the Lebanese context, he often encountered confusion—and at times resistance—from fellow Christians and people of other faiths whose inherited frameworks did not easily make space for this kind of work.

Through ASR, Ramy and his team are nurturing a new generation of leaders by attending to the whole person—emotionally, socially, physically, and spiritually—and equipping them with tools for forgiveness, conflict transformation, and peace. From school-based curricula and psychosocial support to sports-based initiatives like “Play for Peace,” their work creates spaces where young people explore their own stories, learn to see the “other” differently, and build relationships across lines of difference. In the context of Lebanon’s ongoing instability and fragile ceasefire, we will listen to Ramy’s story, explore the tensions of faith and peacebuilding, and reflect on what it means to cultivate resilient, hope-filled communities amid uncertainty and violence.

Time:

3:00pm Central Europe & Central Africa (2:00pm UK & Western Africa, 4:00pm East Africa and Eastern Europe, 9:00am USA Eastern, 6:30pm India Time)

Facilitator:

Ramy Taleb

Ramy is the founder of “Al Shabiba Risala”. His journey into the world of peacebuilding began with a life-changing experience in the UK, where he delved into a Reconciliation DTS with YWAM Northern Ireland. This eye-opening adventure ignited his desire to bridge divides and build communities, rooted in his own experiences growing up amidst the turmoil of the Lebanese civil war.

Living among people from diverse backgrounds became a turning point for Ramy. It was here that he discovered the power of empathy in breaking down barriers and fostering mutual respect. Driven by this newfound understanding, he immersed himself in various peacebuilding initiatives such as leading Forgiveness curriculum sessions in integrated Catholic-Protestant schools or taking peacebuilding tools across Lebanon and South Africa.

Upon returning to Lebanon, Ramy took on the role of Peacebuilding Coordinator for Caritas, further solidifying his commitment to creating positive change. Together with his wife, Roula, he laid the foundation for the Foundation for Forgiveness and Reconciliation, which would later become Al Shabiba Risala.

Ramy is married to Roula and they have 2 children: Jonathan and Debora.