"Christians are peace makers and bridge builders among conflicting parties"
Geneva, 8 May 2014 - Joint Communiqué by Syria's Christian leaders - Click here to download the communiqué in PDF
Christians are peace makers and bridge builders among conflicting parties
We, representatives of Christian Churches in Syria, send with one voice to the civil and spiritual leaders of the world up to their highest level this joint message: Christians speaking with one voice and joining their efforts can do a lot to restore the wounds that are bleeding and exhaust Syria and its people.
Christians and their values can bring together all people of good will from all clusters of Syrian society to work together in order to find ways to shape the future of the country, guaranteeing a good living based on the principles of social and economic justice, freedom of religion, democracy and respect of civil and political rights.
The Christian presence in Syria is rooted since the rise of Christianity. Such presence must be maintained and preserved by both Christians and Muslims who have been sharing historically the same destiny and daily life. This will guarantee living together in peace and harmony for the generations to come.
We call all parties in conflict and those supporting it in any way to stop fueling the war, supporting war crimes and crimes against humanity.
We call upon all international actors to support all Syrian people of good will to rebuild Syria based on principles of respect of all citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliation and personal convictions, and not to interfere into its internal matters.
We call the media to present the true reality of the Syrian conflict, based on the ethics of journalism, and not to reflect the interests of States and of individual parties.
We are certain that we are not left alone, because we have faith in the One who defeated death and resurrected from death on the third day.
We pray our Lord to send His Peace on our country and on humankind.
H.E. Dionysius Jean Kawak
Archbishop of Damascus in charge of the Patriarchal Office, Syriac Orthodox Church
H.E. Nicola Baalbaki
Bishop of Bloudan and Patriarcal Assistant in Damascus, Greek Orthodox Church
H.E. Mgr. Nicolas Antiba
Archbishop of Bosra and Hauran, Greek Melkite Catholic Church
H.E. Mgr. Giuseppe Nazzaro
Former Apostolic Vicar in Aleppo, Former Custos of the Holy Land, Roman Catholic Church
Samer Laham
Director of the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antiochia and all the East, Damascus
Ghassan Chahin
Representative of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church in the High Relief Committee at the Ministry of Social Affairs
Johny Messo
President of the World Council of Arameans (Syriacs), Syriac Orthodox Church
H.E. Anba Louka
Bishop of Romandie and the South of France, Coptic Orthodox Church
Fr. Goossan Aljanian
Locum Tenens of the Armenian Orthodox Diocese in Switzerland
Ms. Véronique Nebel opens the public conference on May 8, 2014 at the Espace Fusterie in Geneva
more photos and an activity report will follow soon!
