ROME: Food and sanitary aids, along with materials for schools and sports equipment, were distributed by Italian soldiers of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon to residents of southern Lebanon on the occasion of Christmas. Sanitary materials and personal protection tools and detergents were offered by the soldiers of the Lancieri di Novara Regiment to the residents of the city of Tyre. The Kana Technical School received medical supplies such as face masks and hand detergents to fight COVID-19, in addition to educational equipment such as chairs, desks, blackboards and maps. These were donated by the municipality of Trieste, a city in the northeast of Italy, following a round of fundraising. “The Kana Technical School represents a point of reference for the community as here lots of local students gain mechanical, technical and commercial skills, which will be an asset for the economic relaunch of the area,” Col. Marco Licari from the Italian Army told Arab News. “This is why we’re trying to do our best to help this school along with many other educational institutions in the area,” he added. “We try to be close in a concrete way to the population, especially to the young people who are the future of this country.” The school’s principal, Farid Shaaban, expressed his thanks to the Italian Army for its active contribution in the light of a centuries-old cultural link binding Italy and Lebanon. More personal protective equipment and school furniture were given by Italian soldiers in the town of Al-Mansouri, where the director of the local public primary school Mohammed Shoueikh remarked on how the material offered by the Italians “is essential to allow young students to follow their lessons regularly and safely.” Gen. Stefano Lagorio, commander of the Italian contingent of UNIFIL, said: “The situation here is not easy. It got even worse with the political and financial crisis, which has been affecting this country and the population for so long. We are soldiers, but we try to do our best so that people can live this Christmas with a little bit more serenity.” UNIFIL operates in Lebanon under UN Security Council resolution 1701, constantly monitoring the cessation of hostilities in southern Lebanon and providing support to the Lebanese Armed Forces and people. The Italian blue helmets of UNIFIL gave sports material to children and young people of needy families from the municipalities of Abbasyiah and Bidyas. In a small ceremony held in a local football field, sweatpants, soccer balls and shoes were donated for Christmas to the Lebanese population by companies based in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy.