Wyszomirska wears a blue veil over her UN beret in a bid to break ice with Lebanese villagers.

MARJAYOUN — Trading her UN peacekeeper's beret for hijab during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, a Catholic polish soldier is breaking the ice with local villagers in south Lebanon.

"Out of respect for the environment I work in, I feel I need to try to integrate myself during Ramadan," Sylvia Monika Wyszomirska told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Friday, September 12.

"And since my contingent is deployed in a Muslim area, I have decided to wear the hijab."

Wyszomirska, a mother of a little girl, was deployed in south Lebanon to work as a translator for the 200-member Polish contingent of UNIFIL.

Her job brought her into direct contact with Lebanese Muslims live in villages across the Marjayoun region.

"At first relations were lukewarm, especially since we don't come from a rich country with things to offer the people," said Wyszomirska, who lived for some time in Kuwait, Iraq and Syria.

"All we can offer them is respect and a smile.

But the treatment totally changed after the Polish soldier donned the veil.

"Since I started wearing the veil, people have been more welcoming with me and also with my colleagues.

"This has opened more doors and opportunities to strike up friendships."

The UNIFIL was created by the United Nations to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. The first UNIFIL troops were deployed in the area on March 23, 1978.

Gesture

Wyszomirska said that wearing the veil was "a gesture from the heart".

"It was not imposed on me," she said.

Zyszomirska's superior welcomed her decision to take on the veil during the holy month of Ramadan.

"He also suggested to me that I explain Ramadan customs to the other soldiers so they can respect the traditions and refrain from eating and drinking in public during fasting," she said.

In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

Muslims also dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer and self-restraint.

Many Lebanese villagers were taken by surprise to see the fatigues-clad Wyszomirska wearing a veil.

"I was surprised to see Sylvia wearing the headscarf, because I know she's not a Muslim," said Zahraa Hijazi, a hijab-clad student from the village of Debbine.

"But in any case nuns wear veils even though they are Christian," she added.

Debbine mayor Mohammed Sherif Ibrahim agreed many of his constituents were surprised by Wyszomirska's decision to wear the veil "because it is out of the ordinary".

"But it is also a nice gesture that breaks down barriers between UNIFIL and the local people."