WCC NEWS: Bossey inaugurates its new guest house and conference hall

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World Council of Churches - News

BOSSEY INAUGURATES ITS NEW GUEST HOUSE AND CONFERENCE HALL

For immediate release: 16 February 2012

The Ecumenical Institute of Bossey inaugurated its recently renovated
guest house and a new conference hall on 14 February, expanding  its
facilities for the use of churches, ecumenical bodies, local and
international organizations and individual visitors.

The institute, which is part of the World Council of Churches (WCC), has
provided ecumenical formation and support to the churches, ecumenical
bodies and theological institutions through education and dialogue since
1946. The institute is located in a unique setting, overlooking Lake
Geneva and the French and Swiss Alps.

The newly renovated guest house, which was previously a traditional Swiss
barn, now contains 21 rooms with modern facilities. Similarly, the new
conference hall has the capacity of accommodating around 200 people, with
the special equipment and assistance required for organizing meetings and
events.

“In these times of financial crisis, it was only because of our faith and
confidence in this visionary project and the constant support from our
colleagues that we have been able to complete this work successfully,”
said Prof. Ioan Sauca, director of the Ecumenical Institute, at the
inauguration ceremony.  (Link:  )

Sauca talked about the financial and logistical constraints that had
hindered completion of the conference hall, which he said were overcome
with support from the WCC Executive Committee, the WCC general secretariat
and constant efforts by the Bossey faculty and administrative staff.

The Executive Committee began their February meetings in the new conference
hall shortly after the dedication. The committee meets every six months
and is a governing body of the WCC.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by around one hundred guests
including the WCC Executive Committee members, Jean-Marc Gambazzi
representing the mayor of Bogis-Bossey, Rev. Dr Walter Altmann, moderator
of the WCC Central Committee, and Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general
secretary of the WCC.

Among other guests were staff members of the WCC and its sister
organizations, representatives of Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist
communities in Geneva, the Friends of Bossey (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=8eff244ee22ac2a1fb1e ) and the local 
press.

At the ceremony Tveit was presented with a symbolic key on behalf of the
architect of the renovated facilities.

In his speech, Tveit commended the role of the institute in bringing
together people from diverse churches, cultures and regional backgrounds
for ecumenical learning, academic study and personal exchange.

He said that the “new facilities will strengthen the role of Bossey as a
place for international ecumenical formation as it will offer more space
to welcome guests, visitors, researchers and students.”

Tveit called Bossey an “ecumenical guest house”, where he said
individuals and groups can come and spend time on work, retreats and
celebrations.

Read also:

Website of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey  (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=8e151c21027ab7e8ca1b )


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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