MECC implemented a WASH campaign within its Cash for Work Program aiming at providing a temporary employment to unemployed people in Izraa and Sheikh Meskin in Dara’a.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 30 November to 7 December 2020

Developing together the ecumenical and ecclesiastical relations

Dr. Michel Abs, the Middle East Council of Churches Secretary General, held on 2 December, an online meeting with the Gulf Fellowship of Churches (GFC) Executive Board Moderator HE Bishop Mesrob Sarkissian.

French President Emmanuel Macron and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres chaired on the 2nd of November, Wednesday, a virtual international conference to "support the Lebanese people", four months after the devastating explosion in the Beirut port. Heads of state, international organizations, multilateral donors, non-governmental organizations and representatives of the Lebanese civil society were invited to participate in this conference.

“The Churches Witnessing with Migrants” (CWWM)

Dr. Michel Abs, the Middle East Council of Churches Secretary-General, and Mrs. Seta Hadeshian, MECC’s Executive Assistant has responded to the call of “The Churches Witnessing with Migrants” (CWWM) organization, for an online meeting, that gathered a group of partners, Churches’ representatives, and leaders from many international and Middle Eastern organizations.

The directors and communication officers of the regional councils and faith-based organizations held their online monthly meeting in response to the call of the Communication Department at the World Council of Churches.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 16 to 23 November 2020

Dutch Subtitles

Dr. Michel Abs, MECC Secretary General, was the guest of “Wakfe… wa Mawkaf” program on Voice of Van, with the journalist Hala Haddad to discuss the statement issued by the Council in which it calls the parties and international stakeholders to guarantee that the ceasefire holds in Artsakh.

The Middle East Council of Churches, its General Secretary Dr. Michel Abs, and the entire family of the Council’s General Secretariat, congratulates His Excellency Dr. Aude Kawas, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Department of the Service for Palestinian Refugees in MECC, for being nominated as a member of the Jordanian Senate on November 26, 2020.

Qatar supports the Lebanese education sector

In a constructive step forward, a fragrance of hope transpired over the past few days. According to a judicial source, the investigator assigned on the Beirut Port bombing case asked Parliament to investigate current and former ministers on suspicion of committing violations or crimes related to the disaster in the Lebanese capital.

Keep talking about Beirut

In two minutes and 17 seconds, the Lebanese director Nadine Labaki conveyed the first horrifying minutes of the Beirut Blast on the 4th of August, which took place at 6:07 PM, and destroyed the entire capital. She documented these moments in a new video that will be added to the archive of this apocalyptic explosion.

As an aim to serve society, MECC team visited 1000 families in Al Mesmieh, in order to raise health awareness about Covid-19. The team provided all necessary information related to the virus transmission, the infection and ways to strengthen the immune system.

Dr. Michel Abs: El sangrado del Líbano necesita todo tipo de apoyo

El Dr. Michel Abs, Secretario General del MECC, participó en un seminario web organizado por el Grupo PPE - Unidad de Diálogo Intercultural y Religioso del Parlamento Europeo, con el tema "El Líbano después de la explosión del puerto marítimo de Beirut". Durante este seminario web, el Dr. Abs pronunció un discurso sobre la situación política y económica del Líbano, las repercusiones de la explosión y la labor de socorro del MECC en caso de desastre.

Las seis semanas de sangriento conflicto armado que tuvieron lugar hace unas semanas en Artsaj, nombre armenio de Nagorno–Karabaj, terminaron, en efecto, con un alto al fuego desde la medianoche del 9-10 de noviembre, así como con un acuerdo que deja a la región sin una paz clara, sostenible y duradera. Fue un acuerdo lo suficientemente débil como para mantener una tensa coexistencia sin una base fiable para una paz más duradera.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 16 to 23 November 2020

The six weeks of bloody armed conflict that occurred a few weeks ago in Artsakh- Armenian name of Nagorno -Karabakh- ended with a ceasefire, in effect as of midnight November 9-10, as well as with a deal that leaves the region short of a clear and sustainable and long-lasting peace. It was an arrangement loose enough to maintain a tense coexistence with no reliable foundation for more durable peace.

Dr. Michel Abs: Bleeding Lebanon is in need of all sort of support

Dr. Michel Abs, MECC Secretary General, participated in a webinar organized by the EPP Group - Intercultural and Religious Dialogue Unit in the European Parliament, under the topic of “Lebanon after the Beirut seaport explosion”. During this webinar, Dr. Abs delivered a speech about the political and economic situation in Lebanon, the blast’s repercussions and the MECC disaster relief work.

Father Rachad Jaber: Our hope is to live the values of love, Brotherhood, tolerance and supporting others

We felt the monastery building shaking, and we got bombarded by phone calls, no one knew what happened until we learned about the disaster on TV. We started to receive videos on our mobile phones; we could not believe the horror and destruction scenes!

Three months following the Beirut Blast, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) pursues its disaster relief work on the field. Therefore, the Department of Service and Relief - Diakonia provided a new batch of relief supplies to the member Churches, to be distributed accordingly to the poorest and most in need families.