THE P
RTAL
Aid to the Church in Need
January 2017 Page 20
Children in Aleppo tell MEPs “ bring peace to our country ”
This Christmas , children in Aleppo will continue to pray for peace as war rages in Syria – including six children who spoke to MEPs in Brussels via webcam ... Murcadha O ’ Flaherty of Aid to the Church in Need reports
Despite intense bombing on the 6th December , the feast of St Nicholas , six school children and Franciscan priest , Fr Ibrahim Alsabagh gave witness of the suffering Church to the European Parliament .
Huddled in a small room in the back of a church in west Aleppo they spoke via webcam with 15 MEPs .
At the same time as the web conversation there was an exhibition of Syrian children ’ s art in the European Parliament in Brussels . The display was organised by the European Parliament Vice-President Antonio Tajani and the Catholic charity , Aid to the Church in Need .
The drawings were produced as part of the ‘ Syria ’ s Day for Peace 2016 ’ initiative which ACN supported . The pictures in the exhibit displayed the children ’ s hopes for peace and revealed the impact of the trauma inflicted upon them after the war in Syria .
The war has ended more than 400,000 lives in Syria – only 30,000 Christians remain of the 120,000 in Aleppo before the war began .
Fr Ibrahim said : “ Peace is possible … after six years of an absurd war . Those who suffer most are the most weak – in this case the children … [ we ] hope that this intervention with the EU will change this situation in Aleppo – so that young people will continue to live in this country and stay .” He added : “ We as Church are trying to do our best … We need your help – we have hope in Europe so that we can have our dignity in our country …”
Speaking to the MEPs , Paul , aged ten , said : “ I don ’ t sleep at night because of the bombs . I have lost a lot of friends because of the war …” Christine , also 10 years of age , said : “ Each day I leave my house and each day I am not sure if I can return … Many of our friends are dead .” She cried as she spoke , many of the parliamentarians wept with her .
Salim , aged 14 , said : “ I live in west Aleppo … All of my friends have died or have travelled to other countries because they are afraid to die . And we are also afraid of the bombs dropping on us .”
Ten year-old Syline added : “ When we go to school we are afraid of being bombed and not to return to our homes … we have no water , our parents cannot work and there is no work in Aleppo and difficulties to eat and our parents cannot buy chocolate or meat and clothes .” She went on to say : “ We hope that you can help us bring peace to our country .”
ACN ’ s Projects Co-ordinator for Syria , Fr Ziad Hilal said : “ Without peace we will lose a people , a culture and a civilisation in Syria which will need many years to rebuild .”
Fr Ziad added : “ As a priest we need peace to continue our mission in the Middle East as a bridge between East and West , Christians and Muslims … That is our vocation – and without this the Middle East will be emptied of its mediator of peace .”
ACN supports 140 projects in the Middle East , including assistance to Fr Ibrahim in Aleppo so that emergency and pastoral care is given to those people suffering this Christmas .
For information about Aid to the Church in Need and how you can help , please visit www . acnuk . org or contact Aid to the Church in Need at acn @ acnuk . org or call them on 020 8642 8668 .