WCC presents Syria appeal to UN-Arab League envoy

(Vatican Radio) A statement from Christian churches around the world urging an end to the Syrian conflict was presented on Monday to Lakhdar Brahimi, the U N-Arab League joint representative for Syria by the World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit

The meeting between Brahimi and Fykse Tveit followed on from a WCC sponsored meeting on Syria last week, attended Middle Eastern and other Church leaders from concerned countries across the globe. Cardinal Jean Louis Tauran, head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, the Holy See's representative in Geneva were among the Catholic representatives at the meeting.

Despite the challenges facing the Geneva 2 talks which open on Wednesday, Rev Fykse Tveit says he still “sees hope for a cessation of conflict” in Syria and stresses the Churches, together, will continue to make all possible efforts to contribute to a just peace in the region.


Listen to Rev Olav Fykse Tveit speaking to WCC director of communications, Mark Beach:


"We though we also should gather to support those meeting on Syria to express how urgent this is and how we support any initiative to stop the violence and the killing....everybody realises there is no military solution and we as churches around the world, with our brothers and sisters in Syria, we call now for urgent action for a just peace in Syria....

First of all me make it clear that the Churches around the world, together with Churches of the Middle East, speak with one voice, whether we are Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant or whatever....calling on those who meet in Geneva 2 to pursue an immediate cessation of all armed confrontation......

Secondly we ask them to ensure that all vulnerable communities in Syria and around, in refugee camps and other places ,displaced from their homes, that they really get the humanitarian aid they need.....

And finally that a comprehensive and inclusive process starts to rebuild Syria as a place where people can live together as they did before...."