With the International Human Rights Day on 10 December, the United Nations ends its international annual campaign “UNITE to End Violence Against Women”, which began with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, throughout 16 days of activism.

From its end, the Middle East Council of Churches renews its call for the necessity of serious work to end violence against women and to protect and preserve their dignity. Hence, MECC participated with ACT Alliance in the United Nations campaign through many photos especially taken by the ACT member organizations, which we will republish in the following.

Video - The 5th Monthly Webinar Organized by MECC

Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs: we consider in the Council that any discrimination is a betrayal of the Christian faith and belief

The Middle East Council of Churches held its fifth monthly webinar entitled “Living In Dignity For Persons With Disability”, on the evening of Thursday 8 December 2022, with the participation of university professors, academics, and interested attendees. Noting that the webinar is part of a series of monthly symposiums which are launched previously by MECC, in preparation for the project of Human Dignity and Social Capital Rehabilitation that the Council is planning.

The webinar was moderated by Dr. Laure Abi Khalil. It began with an opening note by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs who stressed that the Council is concerned with the fate of countries and citizens, cares about peoples' issues, pursues and protect their interests with all available capabilities. He added, "our Savior has fed the hungry and healed the sick without any type of discrimination. Therefore, we consider in MECC that any discrimination is a betrayal of the Christian faith and belief...".

Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs: the “Season of Creation” has become an essential part of the Middle Eastern culture, and an Ecumenical Occasion Bringing Churches Together

The Secretary General of the international organization Danmission Kristian Sloth Petersen visited the General Secretariat’s offices of the Middle East Council of Churches in Beirut, on Thursday 8 December 2022, at the head of a delegation from the organization including the Regional MENA Director Kirsten Auken, and the Programme Director Martin Rosenkilde Pedersen. During the visit, a new cooperation agreement between Danmission and MECC was signed for the next 2 years, especially in implementing the international "Season of Creation" project, which was launched for the first time in the Middle East two years ago. The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs and a team from the General Secretariat welcomed the delegation.

A crutch and a smartphone are all that is left to comfort loneliness for the majority of elderlies after the war in Syria. The sons and daughters of many families had to leave the country and their old mothers and fathers became alone with no one to provide them the needed care, making the wrinkles of sorrow and sadness appear on their faces.

According to the “Syrian Committee for Family and Population Affairs in Syria”, the percentage of persons above 60 years old constitutes more than 6% of the Syrian population and it is expected to increase to 10% by 2025.

La campaña de las Naciones Unidas «ÚNETE para poner fin a la violencia contra las mujeres» sigue en marcha durante 16 días de activismo en todo el mundo. El Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio participa con ACT Alliance en la campaña y alza su voz para proteger a las mujeres y preservar sus derechos.

Señalando que esta campaña anual de la ONU comenzó en el Día Internacional de la Eliminación de la Violencia contra la Mujer, el 25 de noviembre, y terminará en el Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos, el 10 de diciembre.

Más allá de la declaración de clausura y del acta de la reunión, debemos detenernos en la «experiencia» de la reunión del Comité Ejecutivo que se celebró durante los dos últimos días en un tranquilo monasterio del Monte Líbano.

No cabe duda de que no hay nada más entrañable que los encuentros entre hermanos después de una larga separación, sobre todo cuando es en el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo, y sobre cuestiones y preocupaciones comunes relacionadas con la región del Oriente Medio con todos sus componentes y sus diversas afiliaciones.

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches, the MECC invites you to its new monthly webinar entitled “Living In Dignity For Persons With Disability”, on Thursday 8 December 2022, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. You can participate in it via the following Zoom link: shorturl.at/bde19, and live on the MECC Facebook page.

As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Abs, it is entitled “Lebanon, the surrendered people, the persistent butcher, and the ray of hope”, in which he highlighted the circumstances in Lebanon, in light of the International Day of Commemoration, Honor and Prevention of the Crime of Genocide and the International Day Against Corruption on December 9, and the Human Rights Day on December 10.

This week includes three very important and prominent events in human life and the course of human civilization.

December 9 is the International Day of Commemoration, Honor and Prevention of the Crime of Genocide, as well as the International Day Against Corruption. The next day is Human Rights Day.

How solemn are these dates and facts that deal with them, and how applicable these occasions are to Lebanon, a country wracked with wounds, whose people are suffering significantly, and is still waiting for relief from a major event or from a divine miracle that removes from it the stone that weighs on its shoulders.

The themes of the three occasions apply to Lebanon.

The Lebanese people have been subject to genocide for years at all levels and by all means.

Cut, adulterated, forged, or expired medicines does its effects on people's health.

“The Church and Society: Institution and Leadership”

Under the patronage of His Beatitude John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and at the invitation of the Dean of St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Fr. Yacoub Khalil, the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs presented a lecture entitled “The Church and Society: The Institution and the Leadership”. It was held on the evening of Friday 2 December 2022 at the Institute’s campus in Balamand, Lebanon.

The lecture was part of the graduation ceremony of a new group of graduates from “Kalima” program for Theological education and the CBB for Biblical Studies in Spanish program.

28 and 29 November 2022 - Monastery of Notre-Dame du Puits in Bkennaya, Lebanon

The Middle East Council of Churches held its Executive Committee meeting on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 November 2022, at the Monastery of Notre-Dame du Puits in Bkennaya, Lebanon, to discuss the MECC Ecumenical and Humanitarian issues, as well as other issues related to the people and Christians of the Middle East. Attendees were the MECC Presidents, members of the Executive Committee from various countries of the region, and the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs heading the Council's General Secretariat team.

The video presents a report about the meeting’s activities and some interviews with participants. It was prepared by the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department.

During a time when Lebanon is suffering from economic hardship and the collapse of the health sector, ordinary citizens are unable to afford basic health coverage and medication. To make matters worse, organizations that used to provide medical assistance to those in need are unable to tend to the growing needs in Lebanon.

Luckily, the Middle East Council of Churches is still capable of being at the forefront of such a struggle. The MECC Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Beirut’s Office, was able, during the month of November 2022, to carry out medicine distribution to people from different walks of life.

“UNITE to End Violence Against Women” is the campaign leaded annually by the United Nations aiming at protecting women and reducing the risks which they may face.

Hence, the Middle East Council of Churches continues, this year, its participation with ACT Alliance in the campaign, stressing the need to preserve women’s dignity, especially since they have an essential role in building societies.

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches elected Mrs. Seta Hadeshian as Associate Secretary General for the Eastern Orthodox Family and re-elected the two former Associate Secretaries General, Reverend Refaat Fikri for the Evangelical Family and Father Nicolas Bustros for the Catholic Family. The election was made during the Executive Committee meeting which was held on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 November 2022, at Notre-Dame du Puits Monastery in Bkennaya, Lebanon.