The Middle East Council of Churches General Secretariat issued its annual report for the year 2020, a year in review burdened by challenges and obstacles in the world in general, and the Middle East in particular. The East witnessed a never-ending cycle of crises for decades now.

The deadly outbreak of the Coronavirus has had many negative repercussions on people’s mental health, especially women and children, who are considered to be the most vulnerable. The Service and Relief Department - Diakonia, Beirut office, organized many psychological and social support sessions allowing participants to restore their normal life activities.

An online meeting will be held next week, and will include the Associates General Secretaries and the staff team of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), with the Council's partners in the international ecumenical family.

This meeting, which is held annually, and sometimes at a higher pace, is usually a platform for interaction, exchange of ideas and discussion on forward-looking directions and action plans for the Middle East Council of Churches.

MECC provided awarenes for COVID-19 to families in Deir Al Bakeht, Dara’a Governorate, through visiting 2047 families in their homes.

The families were introduced to disease transmission methods and infection symptoms and were given tips on how to strengthen their immune system.

8 months following the catastrophic Beirut Port Blast, the Middle East Council of Churches continues its response to the urgent necessities and losses resulting from it and its tremendous repercussions, through supporting the affected people, especially amid the deteriorating living conditions in the country.

Report: 6 April 2021

In a bid to fight the pandemic in the Middle East and worldwide, the UAE declared that it will start producing Chinese Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine from April.

This is especially good news for the countries of the Arab world as the UAE, which has always been the benefactor of many ME nations.

Actualmente, Francia y Alemania lideran los esfuerzos para reparar los daños causados por la explosión del puerto. Francia está aportando €500,000 euros para restaurar los vitrales y el histórico primer piso del Museo Sursock de Beirut.

Por su parte, Alemania tiene previsto presentar una propuesta en la que detallará sus posibles esfuerzos de reconstrucción.

Currently, France and Germany are leading efforts to repair the damage caused by the port blast. France is contributing €500,000 to restore the vibrant stained-glass windows and historic first floor of Beirut’s Sursock Museum. As for Germany, it plans to submit a proposal detailing its prospective reconstruction efforts. However, Germany’s assistance will only come at a price Lebanese politician cannot afford: the formation of a government with a clear anti-corruption agenda.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 29 March to 6 April 2021

Celebrating together the Feast of the Resurrection Deepens Fraternal Communion And Solidifies the Spirit of Unity

Will the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea in 2025 be the date that will unite Christians on Easter?

For several decades now, unifying the date of Easter among all churches has been a problem that goes back to the emergence of early Christianity. However, the dream of “unity” on Easter, at least, has become something believers are thirsty for today, especially with massive differences and divisions in the Middle East where different ecclesiastical families live.

The slaves and their servants did not know in the presence of whom they were, so they acted in a mad, cruel, and arbitrary way!

The day the master stood before his executioners, with their different appellations, listening and bearing all the accusations and insults, he knew that he would redeem those who were waiting for him and did not know that he had come to them as a redeemer.

Should we come to consider the church calendars showing the date of the feasts that we celebrate, both according to the Eastern as well as well as according to the Western Church Traditions, we will find out that they all show a period of 18 to 19 weeks revolving around the celebration of Easter. And should we take a closer look, we would realize that the date of the celebration of the Feast of Easter changes from one year to another.

From the archive of the Middle East Council of Churches: an enlightening stance of its role in building bridges and interfaith dialogue dating back to 1997.

MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of a special episode about the Middle East Council of Churches on “Tourath Men Nour" program (Arabic for: “Heritage of Light") broadcasted on Télé Lumière and Noursat, and produced by the Romanian Cultural Society. During the episode, Dr. Abs shed the light on the Council’s history, mission, structure, role, past accomplishments and future goals.

En una actualización que podría alegrar el día, el nuevo juez comisionado está investigando a la empresa registrada en el Reino Unido Savaro Ltd, la entidad que compró las 2,750 toneladas de nitrato de amonio que explotó en el puerto de Beirut. Según Al-Jadeed, el juez Tarek Bitar está presentando una solicitud para que Suiza, Estados Unidos, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, Chipre y Alemania levanten el secreto bancario de las cuentas de la empresa.

Amid dire living conditions in Lebanon, Our Lady Dispensary Team, affiliated to the Middle East Council of Churches and located in Sabtiyeh - Lebanon, supported the neediest people by providing medical services, the prices of which have dramatically increased with the deterioration of the economic situation in the country.

In another new update that might make your day a little better, the newly commissioned judge is now investigating the United Kingdom-registered company Savaro Ltd; the entity that bought 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, which blew up at Beirut ‘s Port. According to Al-Jadeed, Judge Tarek Bitar is submitting a request for Switzerland, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, and Germany to lift banking secrecy from the company’s accounts.

Report: 29 March 2021

So far, 193 countries have ordered over 20 billion vials of vaccines to be delivered by the end of 2021. However, the total production capacity of all the vaccines in that timeframe is 9.2 billion does.

Report: 16 to 30 March 2021

Throughout the past few years, foreign powers have slapped sanctions on ME nations in an attempt to coerce them to change their actions. Instead, the regimes that they have targeted remain standing while ordinary citizens suffer. Poverty is on the rise and so are the cries of anguish. Drawing from what Caritas International had to comment on the matter, the sanctions must stop and foreign nations must rethink their strategies when tackling the ME.

Syria and Lebanon

Humanitarian Update

Reporting period: from 22 to 29 March 2021