Conference of European Churches - Office of Communications

Press release No. 08-29/e

Brussels, 16 May 2008

The Presidium of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), meeting in Brussels, Belgium from 13-16 May 2008, reflected with deep concern on the recent tragic developments in Beirut and other cities in Lebanon. Members of the Presidium were saddened in recent days by what has proved to be the worst internal unrest in Lebanon since the events of 1975-90.

A delegation from the Conference of European Churches spent time in Beirut at the beginning of 2007 and at that point was impressed by the longing of all responsible leaders, including those leaders of the churches whom we met, for further steps to be taken to promote peace and reconciliation in the city and throughout Lebanon.

We therefore strongly condemn, together with our sister organization the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the recent recourse to fighting, with the resulting fatalities, as well as the inevitable wider impact on human lives.

We also strongly support the appeals for peace and reconciliation which have been made by the Middle East Council of Churches. With them, we welcome the current mediation of the Arab League in the situation as a positive step in seeking to bring a resolution to the situation. We encourage the Arab League to continue in its efforts towards mediation. We also join with the MECC in urging all involved in Lebanese political life, as well as all who bear influence in the public life of the nation, to spare no effort at this difficult moment in the life of the nation to work against continued violence and to promote peace and reconciliation.

We invite our member churches, as well as praying for the situation in Lebanon in general, to call for prayer for the churches of Lebanon (for whom the present violence is an added cause of uncertainty), for their leaders, for all people of good will of every faith, and for all innocent victims of violence, especially children.

We encourage all those CEC member churches which already have contacts with churches in Lebanon to make use of those contacts in the next days to send messages of support and assurance of prayer.

***

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 120 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.

For more information
Luca M. Negro
CEC Office of Communications
Phone +41 22 791 64 85 or 791 63 25
e-mail: Luca.Negro@cec-kek.org