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The WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has called for prayers for healing, justice and peace for all Egyptians.

Der Generalsekretär des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (ÖRK), Pastor Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, ermutigt zu friedlichem und integrativem Wandel in den politischen Systemen Ägyptens und verleiht seiner „großen Sorge“ über die Eskalation der Gewalt in dem Land Ausdruck.

The WCC general secretary encouraged peaceful and inclusive transformation in political systems in Egypt, while expressing “deep concern” over the escalation of violence in the country.

Church leaders and government officials in Cuba have said that religious reforms introduced during the past two decades have improved religious policies in Cuba over earlier restrictive practices in place since 1959.

The WCC general secretary has issued a statement on recent violence in Syria targeting religious communities.

A WCC conference has issued a joint statement calling the churches and ecumenical actors to commit themselves to support one another in prayers and actions to support Christian presence and witness in the Middle East.

“We do not live in the mentality of the ghetto, nor in the mentality of a minority complex, nor do we live as dhimmi (dependent) people,” said Bishop Dr Munib A. Younan. “We have always been, as Arab Christians, building our societies, loyal to our countries and nationalities, bringing hope in hopeless situations.”

In an international conference on the situation of Christians in the Middle East, the WCC general secretary highlighted the significance of the cross as a symbol of hope for the global church in solidarity with Christians in the Arab world.

With rapidly changing political and social landscapes in the Middle East, church leaders have come together to strengthen pro-active Christian witness in the region.

Working in alliance with churches is strategically important, said a UN representative at the recent assembly of the Latin American Council of Churches.

Power, social injustice, the threat of extremism and Christian-Muslim relations will be among the main themes of a conference on the situation of Christians in the Middle East. The conference is set to take place next week in Lebanon.

For the first time in their history, the patriarch of the Antiochian Orthodox Church has asked the believers to adorn the traditional Palm Sunday processions with black ribbons tied on candles rather than the usual white ribbons expressing their sadness because of the two abducted church leaders from Aleppo, Syria.

Two Christian bishops from Aleppo, Syria, were supported in prayer at a special service in the chapel of the Ecumenical Centre, home of the World Council of Churches, in Geneva on Thursday, 25 April.

As the uncertainty of the whereabouts of two Syrian church leaders kidnapped in Syria on Monday continued Wednesday, the patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox churches have issued a joint communique calling on churches around the world to “stand fast in the face of what is going on and witness to their faith in the power of love in this world.”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, has strongly condemned the abduction of two Syrian archbishops who were kidnapped yesterday near Aleppo in Syria.

“The eyes of the world are looking towards Egyptian youth, who are capable of changing the future of their country by offering hope and inspiration to the world. We keep them in our prayers,” said Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the WCC.

The WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit met with Egypt's Grand Mufti Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim in Cairo. In their meeting the religious leaders engaged in in-depth dialogue to promote peaceful relations among diverse communities and values for equal citizenship.

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit met in Egypt on Sunday, 21 April, with Pope Tawadros II, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, discussing post-revolution developments in Egypt, the situation of Christians in the Arab world and ways to strengthen Christian-Muslim relations.

In a statement released on 9 April, the WCC general secretary has condemned the attacks against St Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo and killings of Christians in the village of Al-Khosous in Egypt.

Describing dramatic consequences of the Syrian civil war, Bishop Elia Toumeh of Marmarita said that when the difficulties pass, Christians must play a constructive role in the reconciliation of opposing factions for a new Syrian society.