ecumenism" "
The Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old-Catholic Churches are also urging the “Convention on the future of Europe” to recognize the Churches and the religious communities as “partners in dialogue” of the European Union. The recommendation was unanimously adopted by the central Committee of the European Churches (KEK), at the end of its annual meeting, held in Morges (in Switzerland) from 3 to 9 June. In a press release put out in recent days, the KEK encourages the Christian Churches to “become actively engaged in the debate on the future of Europe”. But at the same time it appeals to the European institutions to establish as soon as soon as possible “an appropriate system of consultation” with the Churches. Composed of 40 members, KEK’s executive organ also took other decisions. At the level of relations with the Catholic Church, the KEK gave a favourable reception to the proposal to convene, in liaison with the Council of the European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE), a Third Ecumenical Assembly (after those of Basel and Graz) in 2006. The proposal to ask for “an Olympic truce” during the next Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 was also approved. “This initiative explains the KEK has the aim of reviving the old tradition that all wars be suspended during the Olympic games”.
