WCC NEWS: Youth longing for peace in the Arab world

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World Council of Churches - News

YOUTH LONGING FOR PEACE IN THE ARAB WORLD

For immediate release: 06 February 2012

The key role played by young people during the transformations in the
Arab world throughout the past year was a recurrent theme for the recent
World Council of Churches (WCC) Christian-Muslim consultation on
“Christian Presence and Witness in the Arab World”.

The consultation was organized by the WCC programmes for Churches in the
Middle East (Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=54123897d102c68c7e09 
) and
Inter-religious Dialogue and Cooperation (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=edf53ebe58ad2fa359ac ) in collaboration 
with the Middle East
Council of Churches (Link: 
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=942788856f3d82d38f98 )
(MECC) in Antelias, Lebanon.

The consultation took place from 24 to 28 January and brought together a
number of religious leaders, scholars and young activists.

The participants' a passion and longing for political and religious
freedom, human dignity and rights, and social and economic justice for all
people of the Arab world marked the event.

The importance of equal citizenship for all was reiterated frequently. The
politics and relationships between the values of citizenship and its links
to religious institutions were debated.

Short but vivid sketches highlighted recent events, problems and signs of
hope in a wide range of countries. It was acknowledged that in some parts
of the Arab world, Christians and Muslims were afraid of the uncertainties
that the future might bring.

However, it was also noted that the people of God must not deal in the
currency of fear. It was important that the religions themselves were
willing to become part of the process of transformation.

As one participant put it, “We need religious leaders who are willing to
play a prophetic role, and to be people of vision and wisdom.”

A number of specific proposals and suggestions were put forward in the
final communiqué of the meeting.

This consultation was in one of a series of meetings being held in
preparation of a major international ecumenical gathering on the Christian
presence in the Middle East. This meeting is being planned by the WCC in
partnership with the MECC, and is due to take place in December 2012.

Read the full text of the communiqué  (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=2ae932742531d59d1bb0 )

Communiqué in Arabic  (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=4ec65e651a48960921c8
)(PDF) (Link: http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=b0e6a2793425fb3e2eb1 )

Religious leaders reflect on Christian presence in the Arab world
(Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=d046812a9f3d470f9f46
) (WCC press release of 27 January 2012)

WCC focus on the Middle East (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=85efc2256b15139fe696 )

WCC programme for inter-religious dialogue and cooperation
(Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=25c7b16fcec2e9d21fa2 )


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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