The FPSC has participated in the 5th Meeting on the humanitarian crisis in Syria and Iraq, organized by the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, and held in Rome on September 29.
It has brought together members of Catholic charitable organizations working in the context of the humanitarian crisis in Syria, Iraq and neighbouring countries.
Pope Francisco opened the reunion with an audience, which has received participants in the Apostolic Palace (read speech).
The meeting continued with the introduction of Monsignor Giampietro Dal Toso, Secretary of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” and the intervention of Staffan de Mistura, UN special envoy for Syria. Subsequently it took place the presentation of the Second survey on the response of the ecclesial network to the Syrian and Iraqi humanitarian crisis 2015-2016, conducted by “Cor Unum”, and then, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, has pronounced his speech.
In the afternoon, after updates on the political and humanitarian situation by the archbishops Mario Zenari and Alberto Ortega, apostolic nuncios in Syria and Iraq respectively, participants met in working groups to deal with specific aspects of collaboration between the different subjects involved in the Middle East. Among the objectives include carrying out an assessment of the work done so far by the Catholic charitable agencies in the context of the crisis, sharing answers from the Church to the humanitarian situation; discuss emerging critical issues and identify priorities for the future; analyze the situation of resident Christian communities in countries affected by war, promoting synergy among dioceses, religious congregations and Church organisms.
(See full press release. Source: Cor Unum)
