Meldung
Ten Europeans are today joining local churches, church-related humanitarian organizations and Palestinian and Israeli health, peace and human rights organizations to provide international solidarity to organizations struggling to ensure daily services and a peace witness in the midst of the conflict. They are the first official participants in the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), coordinated by the World Council of Churches (WCC). The participants are sponsored by the Church of Sweden and Mission Covenant Church of Sweden, EED (Evangelische Entwicklungsdienst), and DanChurchAid.
Ranging in age from 23 to 67, the accompaniers completed a three-week training and local orientation before moving into the field. The first group anticipates staying in Palestine and Israel for periods ranging from three to six months.
The concept of an accompaniment programme was approved in September 2001 by the WCC Executive Committee within the framework of an Ecumenical Campaign to End the Illegal Occupation of Palestine: Support a Just Peace in the Middle East. The Programme's mission is the "accompaniment of Palestinians and Israelis in non-violent actions and concerted advocacy efforts to end the occupation". The accompaniers will work with local churches and Palestinian and Israeli peace and human rights organizations on a number of tasks, including human rights monitoring, advocacy, and supporting non-violent resistance.
A pilot Christian Accompaniment project carried by Danish and Icelandic church aid agencies ran from March to July this year. The Christian Peacemaker Team, based in Hebron since 1995, was another model for the programme.
The accompaniers will be placed in the following fields:
Alternative Information Centre, Jerusalem
Gaza Community Mental Health Center
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Gaza
Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC), Ramallah
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (ELCJ), Jerusalem
Lutheran World Federation/Augusta Victoria Hospital, Jerusalem
B'Tselem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), Beit Sahour
Health, Development, Information and Policy Institute (HDIP)/Palestine Monitor, Ramallah
Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), Jerusalem
Regular reports from the accompaniers will be on the web site:
www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/palestine/eap.html
For further information please contact:
WCC Media Relations, tel. +41-22-791-6398
EAPPI interim local coordination:
Craig Kippels, tel. +972-67-255 843
Rudolf Hinz, tel. +972-55-924 358
National EAPPI coordinators for the current group of accompaniers:
Denmark: Mr Uffe Gjerding, Coordinator, Middle East Desk, Danchurchaid,
tel. + 45-33-152 800
Sweden: Mr Emanuel Furbacken, Middle East Secretary , Mission Covenant Church of Sweden, tel. +46 73 94 62 93 918
Germany: Ms Sieglinde Weinbrenner, Middle East Desk / EED,
tel. + 49-(0)228-8101 2557