BQ 872 – 52/2025
Meeting to strengthen Christians in the Middle East

3. September 2025

Syriac Catholic Patriarch Younan receives global Christian and human rights leader Bishop Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher to strengthen Christian presence in Middle East

Press release from the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate in Beirut (https://syriacpress.com/?p=72587)

(Beirut/Bonn, 01.09.2025) In a bid to strengthen the Christian presence in the Middle East and promote human rights and human dignity, Syriac Catholic Patriarch Mar Ignatius Youssef III Younan welcomed Bishop Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher, former Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and President of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), at the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon.

Bishop Schirrmacher was accompanied by a dele­gation from the One Voice Foundation, along with Prof. Lara Wakim, National Coordinator of the United Nations Environment Pro­gramme’s Faith for Earth Initiative. The meeting was also attended by Mon­signor Habib Murad, Fr. Karim Kalash, lawyer Mai Bulos, and Diyaa Naasani.

The delegations accompanying the Syriac Catholic Patriarch and Thomas Schirrmacher © IIRF/Esther Schirrmacher

Discussions covered the Syriac presence in Lebanon, the history and global reach of the Syriac Catholic Church, and an overview of the International Society for Human Rights’ major initiatives. The talks also addressed the current situation in Lebanon and the wider Middle East, the challen­ges confronting the Chris­tian faith and Church, and the essential role of dia­logue in achieving lasting peace in the region.

The meeting underscored a shared commitment to interfaith cooperation, the defense of human rights, and the preservation of Christian heritage in the Middle East.

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  • Photo 1: The Syriac Catholic Patriarch in Beirut greets Thomas Schirrmacher © IIRF/Esther Schirrmacher
  • Photo 2: The Syriac Catholic Patriarch in Beirut explains the situation of Christians in the Middle East to Thomas Schirrmacher © IIRF/Esther Schirrmacher
  • Photo 3: Meeting with the leaders of Caritas in the Patriarchate as SOS World and the Royal House of Ghassan cooperate with them © IIRF/Esther Schirrmacher
  • Photo 4: The delegations accompanying the Syriac Catholic Patriarch and Thomas Schirrmacher © IIRF/Esther Schirrmacher
  • Photo 5: The Patriarch explains the Chaple of the Patriarchate © IIRF/Esther Schirrmacher
  • Photo 6: The Patriarch receives the highest rank in the Order of Christ the Pantokrater of the Royal House of Ghassan © IIRF/Esther Schirrmacher
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