Boletín de la región de Cáritas MONA

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Dear partners, members and friends,
We are pleased to introduce you to the first edition of Caritas MONA’s bulletin. Through
this Newsletter, we hope to keep you informed about important activities in the region as
well as news and developments relating to the Regional Secretariat office.
In this first issue, you will have a chance to read about the events that marked our last
months of activities, between May and December 2015.
We seize this opportunity to sincerely thank you for the kindred spirit of cooperation and
friendship, shared during the last months of our common mission.
Sincerely yours,
Rosette Héchaïmé
Regional Coordinator, Caritas M.O.N.A
Bulletin
On the occasion of the CI General Assembly and the
regional conference of MONA in May 2015, our region
has welcomed with joy the election of Mr. Gabriel Hatti
(President of Caritas Mauritania) as President of the
MONA Region for a four-year mandate (2015-2019). The
members of the MONA Regional Commission for the next
four years are: Caritas Somalia (Mgr Giorgio Bertin),
Caritas Algeria (P. Cesare Baldi) and Caritas Syria (Mgr
Antoine Audo - also representing Caritas MONA at the
RepCo).
We welcome this new team that will accompany us for the coming years and express our deep gratitude to
Mr. Joseph Farah and the regional commission’s departing members who supported with conviction and
dedication Caritas mission in the region.
News from the Regional Secretariat
No.1 May-December 2015
Presentation
Election of a new President for the MONA region
Visit our new Facebook page Caritas MONA
¨Caritas reveals the power of Christian love and the desire of the Church to reach out to Jesus in
every person, especially the poor and suffering. This is the path that lies ahead of us. With this
perspective, I hope that you will carry out your work.¨ Pope Francis, CI General Assembly 2015

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Caritas Iraq, Erbil - June 2015
Bishop Antoine Audo - Member of the Regional Commission, and Rosette Héchaïmé attended an
important meeting of Caritas Iraq’s partners last June in Erbil. Participants were informed of different
field projects, especially emergency-related projects, in the northern region of Iraq. The Patriarch of the
Chaldean Church of Babylon, His Beatitude Louis Sako, received the delegation during Mass and a
dinner, and introduced Caritas to the members of the Chaldean Diaspora Committee.
Caritas Jordan- October 2015
A much-anticipated meeting took place last October in Jordan with Caritas Jordan’s partners; it was
their first gathering since the beginning of the crisis linked to the conflict in Syria. The meeting was held
in the presence of official representatives of Jordanian civil and religious authorities and Mr. Gabriel
Hatti upon his first tour as president of the MONA region.
Caritas Syria-October 2015
The Caritas Syria Working Group, the Technical Support Unit for Syria (TSU) and Caritas Syria’s partners
took part in a meeting in Lebanon, last October, to find out about the evolution of the situation in Syria
besides the humanitarian and emergency programs being implemented by Caritas Syria. Participants
were informed of the work of the teams in the different regions, the increase of staff assigned to the
mission at the heart of the conflict and the consolidation of professional skills of Caritas Syria teams.
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In Syria and Iraq, evils destroys
buildings and infrastructures but
especially the conscience of man. In
the name of Jesus, who came into the
world to heal the wounds of
humanity, the Church feels called to
respond to evil with good by
promoting an integral human
development of ¨each man and of the
whole man¨
Pope Francis-Cor Unum meeting on the
Iraqi-Syrian humanitarian crisis ]
Partnership Meetings
Caritas Iraq / Caritas Jordan /Caritas Syria
Visit of distribution activities,
North Region, Caritas Iraq
Full text (Pope Francis)
Bulletin, Caritas Mona- No. 1

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National Meeting – Caritas Syria
Representatives of Caritas MONA took part last june in a meeting together with the staff and volunteers of all
operational Centers in Syria (Aleppo, Damascus, the coastal region, Homs, Latakia). 80 participants joined this
meeting which allowed them to better know each other, to share experiences and projects of the different
regions and to take part in trainings directly related to the current crisis (emergency projects management,
stress management, environmental and social impacts of wars etc.). Participants also had the opportunity to
be introduced to the Caritas network and the specific mission of the Regional Secretariat. During this event,
Bishop Audo highlighted the major shocks lived by the Christian community in the last months of the conflict, a
community that feels increasingly targeted. Those who wanted to stay are now talking about leaving. The hope
of Christians has been affected. For Caritas Syria’s teams, the question remains: how to advice families? Should
they manage the end of something or plan for the future?
The situation on the ground and in the different centers is not simple: in general, power cuts are frequent; the
internet connection is very bad. In terms of sharing of information, it is often impossible to take pictures in the
street, because it’s too dangerous, the roads are also unsafe for travel, moreover, there are obstacles
hindering collection of information, which information is often biased. Additionally, challenges are faced by
Caritas Syria employees in terms of public opinion lack of interest and declining funding for humanitarian aid.
Housing, health and food remain priorities for the whole country. Conclusion: Emergency plans are good but
they are often deployed late. Why are weapons delivered faster than humanitarian aids?
F B C a r i t a s S y r i a
CI Syria Appeal
Visit of Caritas MONA’s President to Lebanon
The new President of Caritas MONA
made his first official visit to Lebanon
last October. Mr. Hatti had the
opportunity to visit the President and
the Executive Board members of Caritas
Lebanon to know more about the reality
and the achievements of the
organization committed to several
humanitarian and development projects
at the national level.
During his tour, the President of the
MONA region participated in the
inauguration of the TSU (Technical
Support Unit) for Syria, in the presence
of the Apostolic Nuncio Gabriele
Giordano Caccia and Caritas Syria. The
President of the MONA region also met
Msgr. Samir Mazloum, a founding
member of Caritas Lebanon, Msgr.
Michel Aoun, Delegate of the Assembly of
Catholic Patriarchs & Bishops of Lebanon and the
Apostolic Nuncio.
CRS Lebanon
Caritas Lebanon Twitter
Credits:CRS
Credits:CaritasSyria
Bulletin, Caritas Mona- No. 1

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Credits : Caritas Lebanon
Regional Youth Project
Annual meeting MigraMED- Tunis 2015
Msgr. Giorgio Bertin represented the MONA region at
the MigraMed annual meeting held in Tunis from June
14- 18, 2015. This event brought together Caritases
around the Mediterranean affected by the migration
phenomenon. The meeting was held for the first time in
the Maghreb region, the starting point for a large
proportion of migrants in quest of better living
conditions on the northern side of the Mediterranean.
MigraMed allowed the various Caritas key-actors involved in the Migration issues to share their
experiences, exchange relevant information on the situation of migrants in their respective regions, to
develop coordinated approach and better define their commitments.
MigraMed
“I have learned how I should work and
what I should do in order to make a
change in my society”
¨This experience was for me a
fundamental school to immerse myself
in the values and principles that should
guide my commitment… a concrete
training in democracy and respect for
differences”
Excerpt from the Youth evaluation
Thirty-eight youth volunteers from Caritases in the
Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and
Jerusalem) and from different religious
denominations, gathered in Lebanon from 18-30
August for a regional meeting organized primarily
around trainings covering the following topics: Peace
Building and Conflict Resolution, Common Good and
Citizenship, Advocacy.
A community action targeting migrants (in
collaboration with Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center)
was also on the program of the regional encounter,
together with touristic visits, spiritual and cultural
activities among the youth from different countries.
This meeting is a key moment for the young
participants with the acquisition of new skills and
exchange of experiences, allowing them to renew
their commitment upon their return with better tools
and a consolidated network. The regional youth
project is in its final year of a 4-year cycle. The
strategy from the overall evaluation will be
developed to guarantee the continuation of this
highly significant project for the youth of the region,
a project strongly supported by Cor Unum.
Créditsphotos:CI
Bulletin, Caritas Mona- No. 1

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RepCo
Caritas Internationalis
*Representative Committee
The Representative Committee of CI held its fall meeting
in November in Ariccia, Italy. During the session on the
implementation of the Confederation Strategic Plan for
the next 4 years, Mr. Gabriel Hatti was elected member
of the Committee on the operational review of the
Confederation.
At another occasion, Beata Biela, from Caritas Somalia,
was elected member of the Finance Commission and Dr.
Sami Aldeeb Abu-Sahlieh, from Caritas Jerusalem,
member of the Legal Commission of CI.
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Photos RepCoknow more
HumanTrafficking
OHCHR
CI - Human trafficking
●●● MEETING ON THE IRAQI- SYRIAN
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS- Cor UNUM
A meeting on the Syrian and Iraqi humanitarian crisis organized by
the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" was held last September at the
Holy See in Rome and brought together 66 participants, including
Dicasteries (Secretariat of State, the Congregation for the Oriental
Churches, the Pontifical Council for interreligious Dialogue), the
Apostolic Nuncios of Syria and Iraq, representatives of 31 Catholic
charities including Caritas, representatives of the Catholic
Hierarchy of Syria and Iraq as well as those of the Orthodox
Church. The Holy Father, during his address to the participants,
wished to thank all those who are engaged in the humanitarian
emergency response, "being grateful for the help given to the
victims of the crisis in Syria, Iraq and in neighboring countries, and
the comfort that (their) presence and (their) work brings to all
those who suffer". Rosette Héchaïmé and Mr. Gabriel Hatti were
participating on behalf of the MONA region.
● ● ●
IRAQI-SYRIAN
CRISIS Cor Unum
Christians in this Arab-Muslim
environment, can give a
testimony from the Gospel,
namely the courage to say a
personal word. It’s not about
repeating, indoctrinating, but
saying a word of truth, fruit
of grace, capable of liberating
and creating communion.¨
Mgr Audo (from his speech at
Cor Unum)
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Caritas MONA and Caritas Jordan took part in November in a meeting of experts specialized on
impacts of armed conflicts on people's vulnerability to human trafficking, including sex trafficking
and labour exploitation. The meeting was held in Amman, Jordan, and was convened by the Special
Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Ms. Maria Grazia
Giammarinaro. This meeting was an opportunity for the participants to share their experiences on
the prevention and protection of victims of this plague. Representatives of other organizations were
also present, including Secours Catholique. All participants agreed that a more holistic approach
should be prioritized, ahead with the need to establish measures and procedures to identify
potential victims as a precondition of any emergency action and crisis management. The regional
office has committed to review the recommendations in the light of stakeholder exchanges,
prioritizing holistic practical approaches.
Bulletin, Caritas Mona- No. 1

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Caritas MONA
BULLETIN is the official
newsletter of the Regional
Secretariat.
CONTENTS
All articles and pictures
come from national Caritas
publications and CI. They
may be reproduced with
acknowledgement.
ADDRESS
Caritas MONA
Immeuble Pierre Abi Haila
Rue Rouphael Abou Jaoude
Zalqa
LEBANON
Phone: +961 1 89 35 99
Fax: +961 1 87 69 64
Email:
communication@caritasmona.org
The Regional Secretariat is pleased to inform
you that the MONA region can rely on two
new resources at the service of the regional
office: Sylvie Eid is in charge of Partnership
issues (including topics related to Migration,
Emergencies and Institutional Development)
and Julie Lebnan-Awaida is in charge of
Communication, Advocacy and Youth related
matters. Sylvie worked eleven years at the
Caritas Lebanon Migrant Center and has
acquired a solid experience in the projects
development, emergency-related programs
and migration issues. Julie was at the service of
Caritas Lebanon’s Youth Department for four
years and also acquired relevant experience in
communication and advocacy at a diocesan
level and in different human rights
organizations in Canada.
.
A successful team
beats with one
heart.
Unknown
Resource Corner:
Laudato Si Animation (CAFOD) - available in Arabic at Caritas
MONA
Laudato Si Animation (original version).
Cor Unum material for a day of retreat during the Jubilee of
Mercy: Cor Unum Retreat
MAKING RIGHTS WORK FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN EXTREME
POVERTY: a handbook for Implementing the UN Guiding
Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights: Handbook &
Video Handbook & Video
manual
Bulletin, Caritas Mona- No. 1