Antelias – 20 January 2014. During the Ecumenical and International Consultation on Syria organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) 15-17 January in Geneva, participants also discussed the problem of emigration of Christians from the Middle East.
His Holiness Aram I shared his concern by reminding the participants that the conflicts and consequent violence of the past decades in the Middle East had forced Christians to emigrate from Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria to the West. Immigration to these countries had not only reduced the number of Christians in the regions, which is the cradle of Christianity, but also bled the communities from valuable human resources. The Catholicos then explained that Christian presence in the Middle East was important not only for the West but also for Muslims. His Holiness reminded the participants that the history of the Middle East had always been one of continual conflict nevertheless churches were determined to stay and defend their rights, preserve their traditions and values in their places of origin.
Addressing the representatives of Western churches, His Holiness thanked them for their humanitarian assistance and expression of solidarity by providing asylum to the refugees. However, he urged them to work for peace in the Middle East eventually and help the refugees return eventually to their countries to rebuild their lives and their societies.
The religious leaders of the Middle East joined the plea of Catholicos Aram I and requested from Western Churches to convince their governments to work for peace and strengthening Christian presence in the Middle East.