25 Representatives of persons with different disabilities from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine and from different Church traditions gathered from June 21 to 25 in Beirut at the invitation of the WCC/ME Desk and EDAN to discuss disability concerns in the churches and in society. The Middle East Council of Churches¹ General Secretary, Mr. Guirguis Saleh, led the Biblical morning meditation, addressed participants at the opening session, welcoming and assuring them of MECC¹s support to EDAN in the Middl e East region.
During the consultation, participants shared experiences on disability work and on how religious and secular organizations address disability concerns. Impressions of the various presentations were discussed and recommendations issued at the end of the meeting.
The statement issued highlights the differences in addressing disability issues between churches and NGOs; the work that should be done to change attitudes in the churches and in societies towards the integration of disabled persons at all levels; the necessity for churches in the region to work together and ecumenically; the capacity of churches to change attitude s towards disabled people and the resources as well as the spiritual and theological foundations to accomplish this work. The need for more information, awareness and orientation on disability issues was noted, at the levels of both church leadership and membership, underlining that disability studies should be integrated in the theological institutions as a way of preparing future clergy, pastors and leaders to work with persons with disabilities.
As persons with disabilities and colleagues and workers in disability, participants resolved to join together in a network and as part of the EDAN . Together with the churches in the region, the MECC and WCC to committed them-selves to work on those recommendations. For more information, kindly contact WCC/ME Secretary, Mr. Michel Nseir at: mns@wcc-coe.org
MECC General Secretary Receives the UNHCR Representative in Lebanon UNHCR Regional Representative in Lebanon, Mr. Stephane Jacquemet paid a visit to the MECC General Secretary on June 28, 2006. The two responsible s discussed the longstanding collaboration between their two organizations an d the ways and means of strengthening it.
MECC Justice Peace & Human Rights (JPHR) Program Bridges Gaps A series of on-line consultations were conducted in June with key church persons and NGO experts, aiming at bridging the gaps between the Church and civil society organizations. This has helped in reviewing the JPHR summer activities and shaping up the JPHR program for the coming three months.
A questionnaire has been circulated on-line to all JPHR workshop participants to evaluate results and impact of activities conducted earlier and to identify the most important topics JPHR should address in answer to the participants¹ needs at different levels.
Middle East Council of Churches Office of International Ecumenical Relations P.O. Box 5376, Beirut, Lebanon
Guirgis Ibrahim Saleh, General Secretary
mecc@cyberia.net.lb or guirgissaleh@cyberia.net.lb
+961-1-353-938 http://www.mec-churches.org/