Belgium, Brussels, 10. October 2016
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)