The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs Participates in the Christmas Charity Gathering of the Roots Never Die Association
You can find some photos at the end of the text.
At the invitation of the Priest of Mar Behnam and Sarah Syriac Catholic Church and President of the Roots Never Die Association Father David Melki, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs participated in the Christmas charity gathering, heading a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat. The delegation included Professor Laure Abi Khalil, Coordinator of Dialogue and Human Dignity Programs, and the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Coordinator of Media and Church Relations.
Attendees were also Their Eminences: Bishop Mar Matthias Charles Mrad, Metropolitan George Bacouni, Bishop Mar Severios Roger Akhrass, Bishop Krikor Badishah, Monsignor Raphael Traboulsi, Father Antoine Chammaa, and Father Jean-Paul Bou Ghazaleh.
The gathering began with a word delivered by Father David Melki, who welcomed the attendees and said: "Roots Never Die is not just an association, but a life project that grows yearly thanks to your love and support. Roots Never Die aims to reach every person passing through sorrow and pain. Roots Never Die is a spiritual, cultural, social, and humanitarian project that touches every human being. Yes, our motto is: Hand in hand, we build tomorrow... and tomorrow will be better than today."
Then, the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary delivered a brief word praising the humanitarian, cultural, and social mission of the Roots Never Die Association. She then introduced the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs who, in turn, delivered a word in which he said:
"Documentation remains a fundamental challenge for communities that have been exposed to persecution, displacement, or the confiscation of their properties. Another challenge lies in preserving the historical memory of these uprooted communities. This can be achieved, firstly, through teaching their written and spoken languages, and secondly, through teaching their cultural and civilizational history, linking this history to the geographical sites that were confiscated after witnessing the genocide."
He continued: "This association embodies the social dimension of the Church, acting upon the commandments of the Incarnate Lord, who fed the hungry, healed the sick, and redeemed us with his precious blood. The yearning for salvation cannot be fulfilled far from the needs of humankind."
He added: “I say to Father Melki, to those in charge of this institution with him, and to those who support this blessed work in private and public, may your souls, minds and hands be blessed for what you have done, and may you be a model to be followed and generalized to the various groups that make up our societies. This is because there is no social progress, no development and nor growth without institutions that form the framework which guarantees synergy and effectiveness in every collective work.”
