While procedures are being put in place for Syrians to return to their war-torn country from neighboring Lebanon, the refugee crisis continues to linger and remains largely unchanged, a Caritas Lebanon official said.

Held in a school, the seven-week day camp combines sports, games, art and activities such as cooking, music and dance with a mix of instruction in nutrition, hygiene, math, English and Bible study.

In seven years of civil war, the Discalced Carmelites convent has suffered many food, water and electricity shortages, seen its windows shattered and a surrounding wall destroyed.

“This is our homeland and we insist (we) remain here.”

Catholic leaders in Lebanon urged the international community to stop wars and bring peace to the Middle East.

Nearly 500 young people from other countries joined 1,000 Maronite Catholic youths from Lebanon for World Maronite Youth Days.

Cardinal Bechara Rai, patriarch of Maronite Catholics, appealed to the international community to work to end terrorism "that is killing and displacing families and depriving them of their rights and dignities."

"We urge all Iraqi politicians to adopt wisdom and quietness.”

There are no formal refugee camps in Lebanon. Rather, some Syrians establish informal tent settlements. Others find ways to rent space in apartments or squat in abandoned buildings. As of November, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees calculated there were nearly 1.1 million registered refugees

Syriac Catholic bishops, meeting in Lebanon during their annual synod, called for a diplomatic solution to achieve peace in Syria and Iraq.In a statement released at the conclusion of the synod, the bishops pleaded for an end to the civil was in Syria, now in its fifth year and urged countries&