At the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Mar Awa III, Patriarch of the Church of the East, CAPNI participated along with 16 Christian faith based humanitarian organizations in the acquaintance and reception meeting called by His Holiness at the Patriarchate’s headquarters in Erbil on 23rd May 2023.
The meeting, which was attended by His Beatitude Metropolitan Mar Abram Athaniel, Metropolitan of Syria, and Bishop Mar Abris Youkhana, Patriarchal Assistant and Bishop of Kirkuk, began with the Lord’s Prayer, followed by a welcoming speech and thanks from His Holiness to the organizations, in which he valued their efforts in providing various humanitarian and development services to vulnerable communities and in a Christian spirit inspired by noble values in the service of humanity without regard to the religious and national backgrounds and affiliations.
Also speaking from the participating organizations were Ms. Rachel Luce of the Act Alliance, which includes the humanitarian organizations of the member churches of the World Council of Churches, Mr. Luc Boureau from the French Oeuvre d’Orient Foundation, Father Antoine Paumard from Jesuit Refugee Services, and Father Emmanuel Youkhna, Director of CAPNI.
In it, the speakers thanked His Holiness for the kind invitation and wished more mutual and cooperation meetings.
His Holiness presented souvenirs to the organizations consisting of the Lord’s Prayer in Syriac striped in Estrangelo script on a glass shield.
The Act Alliance also presented a commemorative gift to His Holiness.
At the end of the meeting, everyone participated in a dinner at the headquarters of the Patriarchate.
Luc Boureau
