Syria: Church Leaders Bring Children’s Call for Peace to European Leaders

From The Zenit

“The more we Christians are united in our defense of peace and in our support, in particular of children in need, the stronger our voice and the more effective our efforts”

Belgium, 10th to 12th October: Brussels (European Union) Present the children’s letters and pictures from Syria to the political leaders in Brussels.
Over the last few days, more than one million Syrian children in over 2,000 schools across the country have signed an appeal for peace, written letters to political decision makers and made drawings - see you pictures. 
As “Ambassadors of the Children”, Patriarch Gregorios III, the head of the Melkite Greek Catholic church, as well as Metropolitan George Abou Zakhem of Homs, who will represent the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, and Bishop Selvanos Boutros Al Nemeh of Homs of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate will travel together to Brussels and Geneva from 10 to 13 October to present the children’s letters and drawings to high-ranking representatives of the European Union and United Nations. Among others, the church representatives will meet with the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, and the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. In Geneva, they will give the children’s messages to the High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr Filippo Grandi, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Al-Huzain. 
On the lepft: His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III Laham, Metropolitan George Abdou Zakhem of Homs, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Selwanos Boutros Al-Neme, (second row) Mark von Riedemann, Marcela Syzmanski, Fr. Oliver Picquillon, the Secretary General of COMECE (Commission for European Bishops Conferences)

From Left To Right: Bishop Selvanos Boutros Al Nemeh, Metropolitan George Abou Zakhem And Patriarch Gregorios III

Acting as “Ambassadors of the Children,” three prominent Syrian Church leaders—Patriarch Gregorios III, the head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church; Greek Orthodox Metropolitan George Abou Zakhem of Homs; and Syrian Orthodox Bishop Selvanos Boutros Al Nemeh of Homs—are this week visiting EU and UN officials, respectively in Brussels and Geneva.

They are carrying close to a million Syrian school children’s signatures on a petition for peace in their country as well as countless drawings expressing the youngsters’ longing for peace, which were formally presented in the Belgian capital to the President of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, and the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz.

In Geneva, they will present the children’s messages to the High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr. Filippo Grandi, and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Al-Huzain.

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