MECC Participates in a Forum on Citizenship and NGO
Organized by Saint Joseph University in Beirut
Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs: MECC is a place of Christian togetherness, as it aims to build bridges between the various Church families and all components of the society
The Saint Joseph University (USJ) in Beirut organized a forum on citizenship and NGO under the title "Advocating for a Better Tomorrow", with the participation of the Middle East Council of Churches along with more than 60 NGOs. The forum was held on Wednesday 26 April 2023, in the Human Sciences Campus (CSH) and Medical Sciences Campus (CSM).
During the forum’s activities, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs delivered a speech in which he presented an overview of the MECC mission, its desired goals and the most prominent programs it is working to implement in the Middle East. As well as, Dr. Abs stressed that the Council is a place of Christian togetherness, as it aims to build bridges between the various Church families and all components of the society. The Secretary General also stressed the dialogue culture of MECC since its establishment and the role it plays in various countries of the region in order to spread the culture of dialogue and encounter among the groups that constitute our societies. In the same context, he mentioned the MECC’s role in contributing to the rehabilitation of the social capital in our societies, which social structures have been disintegrated as a result of wars, displacement and poverty.
Within this context, the Middle East Council of Churches, as other participating organizations, had a stand that was moderated by the MECC team, which included the Coordinator of the Beirut Office of the Service and Relief Department - Diakonia Nina Hallak, and the Coordinator of the General Secretariat’s Activities Jean-Pierre Eid. They answered the participants’ questions and explained the MECC Ecumenical and Humanitarian mission.
In addition, many videos about the Middle East Council of Churches and its work were shown, and several publications issued by the Council were also distributed.