The Portal November 2016 | Page 20

THE P
RTAL

Aid to the Church in Need

November 2016 Page 20

Christian bishops unite for peace as “ warmongering ” continues in Syria

Murcadha O Flaherty

With the sixth year of civil war raging in Syria , an appeal for peace from more than one million children has been presented by bishops of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches to the UN and EU on behalf of all children suffering in this war .

From 10th to 13th October , Patriarch Gregorios III , head of the Melkite Greek Catholic church , Greek Orthodox Metropolitan George Abou Zakhem of Homs and Syriac Orthodox Bishop Selvanos Boutros Al Nemeh of Homs attended meetings at the EU parliament in Brussels and UN headquarters in Geneva . They requested that the children ’ s appeal for peace was acted upon by these two influential bodies .
In Geneva , Church leaders gave messages and drawings by Syria ’ s children to the High Commissioner for Refugees , Dr Filippo Grandi , and the High Commissioner for Human Rights , Prince Al-Huzain . The children ’ s messages calling for peace were organised by Aid to the Church in Need partners in Syria , including Sister Annie Demerjian .
Sister Annie ensures aid is given to all people in severe need in the cities of Aleppo and Hassake in northern Syria . Children of all faiths expressed their wish for peace through prayer , songs and activities during the nationwide ‘ Peace for the Children – Syria 2016 ’ on the 7th October .
The petition for peace on behalf on the children was a demonstration against the continued years of “ warmongering ” in Syria , as highlighted by Neville Kyrke-Smith , ACN UK National Director in August of this year . He said :
“ Through the Church , ACN is helping everyone in need , as demonstrated in the £ 8,500 given to Sister Annie Demerjian for the medication and emergency operations supplied across Syria for all people injured
by the sixth year of civil war , heightened by international warmongering .”
ACN is working with Church partners in Syria like Sister Annie to provide emergency parcels of medicine , food and blankets to all families remaining in Syria – irrespective of their religious background .
To date , more than £ 11.4 million in emergency aid has been given by ACN ’ s benefactors across the parishes of England , ACN benefactors are assisting both those Internally Displaced Persons ( IDP ) still in Syria and Christians refugees seeking the sanctuary of the Church in neighbouring countries , including Jordan and Lebanon .
In August this year , ACN provided humanitarian aid including : support of 600 Syrian refugees and their Lebanese host families for two months , £ 6,000 for feeding and caring for Syrian and Iraqi refugee children by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Lebanon . With the approach of winter , the charity is distributing heating for 135 families in Nebek , Syria as well as rebuilding homes for 30 Armenian Catholic families in Aleppo . Also in Syria more than £ 104,000 which will ensure emergency relief , including food for 650 children in Latakia , northern Syria .
For information about Aid to the
Church in Need and how you can help , please visit www . acnuk . org or contact us at acn @ acnuk . org or call us on 020 8642 8668