In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches you can find the message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, which was entitled this week “Child Labor and Afflicted Humanity”, coinciding with the World Day Against Child Labour on June 12.

The issue also presents an interview with the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs on MTV Lebanon, during which he was accompanied by the Director of the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department Mrs. Huguette Salameh, to shed light on the activities of the MECC 12th General Assembly. This is in addition to another interview with Dr. Abs on Radio Liban Libre, about the General Assembly and the Christian presence in the region.

The twelfth of June is the Day against Child Labor. This is how it was delimited by the United Nations, which, through its various institutions, is considered as a spearhead in the fight against this scourge that wounds humanity to its core.

The statistics included on the United Nations website dealing with this topic consider that during the year 2020, ten percent of children 5 years and above participated in child labor worldwide, or a total of 160 million children, sixty percent of whom were boys.

This phenomenon is not new and should not surprise the reader.

Entitled by Pope Francis “Listening with the Ear of the Heart”

The world is celebrating the International Day of Social Media in its 56th edition this year, which is scheduled on June 30 of each year, aiming at enhancing awareness and spreading knowledge about the social media platforms to be used in a better way, especially in spreading and consolidating human values ​​based on peace, love and brotherhood, avoiding hate speech and conflicts.

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of “Azamat Wa Kadaya” program (which means “Crises and Issues”) on Radio Liban Libre with Houda Eid, on Saturday, June 4, 2022. During the interview, Dr. Abs pointed out the activities of the MECC 12th General Assembly and its objectives, as well as, the Christian presence in the region and the importance of the Christians’ role, especially in overcoming all their challenges.

On his first tour in the Middle East following the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, the Executive Director of the international organizations, Global Ministries of the Christian Church and the United Church of Christ, in the Middle East and Europe, Dr. Peter Makari visited the headquarters of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut, on Monday, June 6, 2022, with a delegation that included the Associate General Minister and Co-Executive of Global Ministries Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, and the President of the Division of Overseas and Co-Executive of Global Ministries Rev. Marco Cable. MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs welcomed them alongside with the General Secretariat's team.

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of MTV Lebanon, on Sunday, June 5, 2022, in "With Jesus" segment during the morning show “Alive” with Elie Ahwash, in order to shed light on the MECC 12th General Assembly event and the post General Assembly activities. Dr. Abs tackled the importance of the General Assembly, its objectives and the framework of its convening, highlighting its theme "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27), agenda and activities, especially the visit of the Heads of the Eastern Churches to the President of the Arabic Republic of Egypt Mr. Abdel Fattah El Sisi.

In the context of strengthening communication and building bridges between the ecumenical and humanitarian organizations in the world and the East, the Middle East Council of Churches participated in the periodic meeting of the Governing Board of ACT Alliance organization, held between May 30 and June 2, 2022 in Geneva.

On behalf of the Middle East, Reverend Dr. Rima Nasrallah, from the Evangelical Church in Beirut, represented the Middle East Council of Churches, and Ms. Sally Azar from Jerusalem, represented the youth in the region, alongside with representatives of the concerned ecumenical and humanitarian organizations.

Cambridge, UK

Bible Society Lebanon (Syria & Iraq) in partnership with the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) and in collaboration with St Mellitus College, the Cambridge Center for Christianity Worldwide and the Middle East Council of Churches organized the second inter-confessional, ecumenical dialogue conference among church leaders entitled “The Magi Initiative: East ⇆ West”.

After more than two years of the first Magi conference that took place on October 10-12, 2019 in Beirut (in the East), and after the long phase of lockdowns due to the pandemic, the second conference was hosted in Cambridge, England on May 12-14, 2022 (in the West).

Le courage de la vérité,

du témoignage et du patrimoine séculaire

Ecrit par Professeur Antoine Messarra, Chaire Unesco-USJ, Liban

Cet article a été publié sur le site web de “L’Orient Le Jour”

La 12e Assemblée générale du Conseil des Eglises du Moyen-Orient (MECC-CEMO), tenue au Centre papal Anba Bishop à Wadi el-Natrun en Egypte, les 16-20 mai 2022, avec la participation de plus de cent des plus hauts représentants de toutes les églises du Moyen-Orient, constitue une étape renouvelée pour le Conseil dont la fondation remonte à 1974. La 12e Assemblée, organisée par le secrétaire général, Dr. Michel Abs et l’équipe du CEMO, offre en effet un panorama global de la situation régionale actuelle et détermine les grandes priorités d’avenir.

Within the framework of the “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria” program which is implemented by MECC with the support of Kerk in Actie in Netherlands, in various Syrian governorates, you can find a new documentary entitled “The Missakian Cultural Center for the Armenian Protestant Community is Back to Life”. The documentary sheds lights on the restoration and rehabilitation work that brought life back to the Missakian Center located in Kessab town in the Latakia Governorate, which was victim of the destruction caused by terrorist attacks due to the Syrian war.

Report: May 2022

In spite of the receding global economy as detailed by the IMF, the Middle East is standing firm behind pre-approved projects being implemented. For every challenge that might arise as a result of events surrounding the region, most local governments are standing firm behind well-tailored policies. Unfortunately, others are still lagging behind in terms of tangible progress, due to shadowing state-corruption that is burdening societies at large.

Thank you from the Heart!

Wearing their white shirts and bright smiles, they spread life, hope and youth pulse at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natrun during the activities of the MECC 12th General Assembly, hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt.

They are volunteers. Young women and men who took a break from their universities and jobs and came to serve the heads and leaders of the Eastern Churches, and friends from all over the world, in an event hosted by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. They all translated their love to His Holiness by working hard and tirelessly, taking care of every detail from the smallest to the biggest one, aiming at making this historical event a great success.