Representatives of Ukrainian Churches Participate in International Conference on Migration

On 15 September, the Center of Science and Culture of the Theological Department of the Opole University in the village of Kamin Silezki (Poland), an International Conference «Migration in the Central and eastern Europe: problems of reconciliation and co-existence of cultures» was launched. The conference is organized by an international group «Reconciliation as an objective of the Churches of Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Germany,» which includes representatives of the Christian denominations of the four countries.

In addition to the representatives of the Christian denominations, the forum is attended by representatives of the Polish National Bureau of the Supreme Commissar of UN on matters of refugees, the Department of Migration Policy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland, various social and humanitarian organizations dealing with problems of migrants in Europe. In addition to plenary sessions, it is planned to hold a seminar «Attitude of Churches to the problem of migration.» The participants of the conference plan to pay special attention to the problems of adaptation and integration of migrants into the new cultural environment, coexistence of cultures in the context of active migration in Europe, preservation of the cultural and confessional identity of migrants, specificities of the pastoral ministry for migrants and refugees.

Representatives of the Ecumenical Committee of UGCC, Rev. Dr Ihor Shaban, reported to RISU that in addition to the plenary sessions of the conference, a seminar «Attitude of Churches to Migration» was held during the conference. A representative of UGCC, Fr. Vasyl Potochniak made a report on the work which is being developed by UGCC on the pastoral care for Greek Catholic emigrants in the countries of Europe. He also touched upon the problem of adaptation and integration of migrants in the new cultural environment.

The Roman Catholic Church was represented at the conference by Bishop Ordinary Marian Buchek of the Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia Diocese of RCC, and Director of the European Institute of Social Communications, Oleksandr Dobroier.

The German Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Ukraine was represented at the conference by pastor Andrii Hamburg, who is the deputy head of the Group «Reconciliation in Europe as an objective of the Churches of Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Germany.»

Information:
The International ecumenical work team «reconciliation» has existed for over 10 years. The Group includes official representatives of the Orthodox, Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic Churches of the Central and Eastern Europe. Several times per year, representatives of this group (delegates of Churches) meet to discuss the ecumenical affairs. The main objective of the group is to reach reconciliation between peoples and Churches.

RISU