ECUMENISM
CEC: European Migration Year launchedPlacing migrants and their rights at the centre of the Churches’ action: that’s the idea of the Conference of European Churches (CEC/KEK), which will dedicate 2010 to the phenomenon of migrations. The “European Year of the Churches for Migrations” in 2010 was launched in Budapest (Hungary) on 26 November with a conference promoted by the Commission of the Churches for Migrants in Europe (CCME). For three days European Protestants, Anglicans and Orthodox, together with brothers and sisters in the faith who live in Europe but come from all over the world, reflected on how the Christian Churches can respond to the challenge of accepting and integrating foreigners in Europe. So immigration should be seen not only as an opportunity for the unity of the churches, but also as a challenge for Christian witness and for real commitment to defending the rights of migrants. Franca Di Lecce, deputy moderator of the CCME, comments as follows on CEC’s decision: “The churches have decided to dedicate 2010 – European Year for the struggle against poverty and social exclusion – also to migrations because migrations today are a microscope through which to look at the great transformations of contemporary societies. And at the same time they are a great ecumenical opportunity for our churches: the construction of a space of peace and reconciliation in which diversity is not a reason for exclusion but an opportunity for mutual growth”. The official launch of the initiative occurred with a celebration at the office of the Synod of the Reformed Church of Hungary, which was hosting the event. Taizé: 300,000 youth expected in Poland30,000 youth from all over Europe and from other continents are due to congregate at Poznan, in Poland, from 29 December to 2 January 2010 on the invitation of the Taizé community. This – explains a communiqué put out by Taizé – will be the 32nd European meeting of youth and is being held at the invitation of the Archbishop and also of the leaders of ecumenical relations in the diocese of Poznan. From Portugal to Russia, from Sweden to Croatia, all European countries will be represented. The European youth meetings animated by the Taizé brothers have been held annually since 1978. They have been held in Paris, Barcelona, London, Rome, and also in Vienna, Prague, Budapest, Milan and Brussels. The European meeting has already been held three times in Poland, twice in Wroclaw (1989 and 1995), and once in Warsaw (1999). These meetings form part of what Frère Roger, founder the Taizé community, called the “pilgrimage of trust on earth”. During this year’s meeting in Poland, the young participants will spend the mornings in 150 parishes in the dioceses of Poznan and Gniezno. In the afternoon they will gather in the city’s trade fair venue for common prayers and meetings on issues of a social and spiritual character. Testimonies will also be given in support of justice, solidarity and peace in the world. A theme for particular reflection will be that of freedom “for which many struggled in the twentieth century and which today may seem natural to those under the age of 25”. During evening prayers each day, Frère Alois, Prior of Taizé and successor of Frère Roger, will offer a meditation. To mark the meeting in Poznan, Frère Alois will also publish a “Letter from China” which will be translated into some fifty languages and which the young pilgrims will find on their arrival in Poland. Germany: books against intoleranceBooks against intolerance: that’s the new action being promoted by the ecumenical initiative “Looking – thinking – getting involved”, founded in the summer of 2007 as a reaction to the inauguration of the “Narvik” shop in Magdeburg. Committed to an open society and opposed to the extremism of the far right, the initiative is incorporated in the world movement of “Bookcrossing”, and also supported by the local diocese. It currently involves collecting books that express the themes of tolerance: novels, detective stories, children’s book, and also non-fiction books on democracy and civil courage. The books will be collected by 21 December at the diocesan curia in Magdeburg; they will then be completed with a special bookjacket and registered on the site www.bookcrossing.com. Between 9 and 10 January 2010 they will then be abandoned in the town centre of Magdeburg (in former East Germany) – on park benches, at bus stops, or close to trees. They will be discovered – casually or intentionally – by passers by and read, after which the books will be abandoned once again, ready to be found and read by someone else, or lent to friends. The members of the ecumenical initiative have decided to promote the action of bookcrossing to raise the awareness of the citizens of Magdeburg, also simultaneously with the second “Meile der Demokratie”, (“mile of democracy”), another event against extremism and antisemitism, planned for 16 January 2010.
