NNA - Minister of Culture Dr. Ghassan Salameh praised the role played by the Lebanese Center for Special Education (CLES) in society, noting that he has been following its work for 27 years, since its establishment. He stressed that one in every five children needs assistance.

Minister Salameh made these remarks during his participation in a special celebration organised by the association on the steps of the National Museum of Beirut to mark World Dyslexia Day, observed annually on 10 October.

Around 30 children receiving support from the association presented demonstrations of the activities they undertake as part of their programmes at the centre on the museum’s outdoor steps.

On this occasion, Salameh said: "For 27 years, since the establishment of this association, I have been following the tremendous and essential work carried out by the Lebanese Center for Special Education in supporting children who need specialised education. These children do not represent a small segment of society; one in every five children needs our help to improve their ability to concentrate."

He added: "I greatly admire the dedication and support the centre provides to our children, whose abilities differ from our own. We must help unlock these latent abilities, which we do not readily acknowledge, yet which undoubtedly exist. We know that, if given sufficient space to develop, these abilities will find their expression and enable these children to integrate into the wider student community."

Salameh noted that "the need has become even more pressing today because the technological revolution has accustomed all of us, adults and children alike, to fragmented reading rather than sustained reading, which requires concentration. The work of this association is therefore truly remarkable and deserves the highest praise. We hope it will continue its work and grow, because we are in urgent need of this type of organisation."