Faraaz means friendship

After Faraaz Hossain, the 20-year-old Bangladeshi boy, stood up against militants for the sake of his friends in a terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan café in July 2016, he became a symbol of friendship and courage. GARIWO, a non-profit organisation based in Italy's Milan that aims to prevent cases of genocide and crimes against humanity, was moved by his innate integrity and bestowed a special honour upon Faraaz, planting the first tree in the Garden of Righteous in Tunis a few days after his death. Now on 6 March, European Day of the Righteous, students of Rummo High School in Benevento in Italy, accepted Faraaz as “the first Righteous” and planted a tree in the “Garden of the Righteous” on their school grounds.

Enza Nunziato journalist and GARIWO representative recently wrote a touching poem in memory of Faraaz. The poem is just another reminder of all the Faraaz has come to mean.   

To Faraaz 

I listen to your breath of child,

and the hand that looks for me in the world.

Roads and paths open to infinity

in a sky full of stars.

Books and smiles, vaulting of knowledge

Pages to write and sheets to paint

In the heart a generous breath of love

Of just mentioned dreams in friendship

Memories to leave at the moment of the day

That alone, goes away without you

Giving to me the wait's hour

of that searching look

that still... in suspension of sweetness

meets the life 

(Translated from Italian)