PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE MEETING OF EDAN

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has been actively involved in issues
related to the disabled since 1971. For the first time ever, 21 disabled
people participated in the WCC 6th Assembly in Vancouver in 1983.

EDAN, the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network was established by the WCC
8th Assembly in Zimbabwe in 1998. The aim behind founding the network was to
invite churches to provide more opportunities to the disabled and to involve
them in the churches’ mission. The network today has disabled
representatives in seven regions. They coordinate the union’s works.

A consultation meeting organized by the WCC Middle East office, was held
21-24 June 2006 at the Bristol Hotel, between the general secretary of EDAN,
Samuel Kabue (a blind man from Kenya), representatives from the WCC Middle
East office, the general secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches
(MECC), Gerges Saleh, as well as disabled representatives of churches from
Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Palestine and spiritual and lay social
workers.

Kevork Merdjanian represented the Catholicosate of Cilicia in this meeting.
The disabled expressed their concerns and praised the work of the network in
the life of churches. They presented proposals on developing the work of the
network in the Middle East. Two people from Lebanon were appointed to
coordinate the network’s activities in the Middle East.

Representatives from several communities were present at the meeting’s
concluding session. Rev. Fr. Housig Mardirossian represented the Armenian
Church at this session. Conveying the Pontiff’s greetings to the meeting,
the reverend said: "the disabled have always been in the prayers of His
Holiness Aram I throughout his 15 year chairmanship of WCC as well as
today." He added: "Rest assured that the concerns of the disabled are the
concerns of our churches and our personal concerns. We hope that the
creation of this union in this region would further obligate the churches
you represent and particularly yourselves and that you would exert all
efforts for its success.’ He then thanked the organizers of the meeting.

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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.