Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Chairman of the Supreme Presidential Committee for Follow-up of Church Affairs in Palestine, Ramzi Khoury, said that our Palestinian people look forward with hope to justice, security, stability, and the guarantee of a dignified life worthy of them and their sacrifices.
This came during his speech, at the opening of the Church of the Nativity exhibition in the Swiss city of Geneva, in the presence of the Secretary General of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Jerry Bligh, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City, Kyrgios Kyrgios Theophilos III, and the Permanent Representative of the State of Palestine to the United Nations and international organizations in Geneva, Ambassador Ibrahim Kreisha. Members of the Presidential Committee include Kholoud Daibes, Issa Kassisieh, Omar Awadallah, Amira Hanania, and many ambassadors, representatives of international institutions and high-level attendees.
During his speech, Khoury conveyed the greetings of President Mahmoud Abbas, expressing his gratitude for hosting this artistic, religious, historical and heritage exhibition.
Khoury added that hosting the conference leaves a great impact on the hearts of our Christian people, especially the people of the city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, noting that the Church of the Nativity is the oldest church in the world and has been attended by visitors since it was built in the year 313 AD, and which witnessed the birth of Jesus Christ and carried the message of justice, peace and love. To the world, today, it has become trapped behind the wall of separation and racial expansion that separates it from its twin “Church of the Resurrection” in occupied Jerusalem.
He explained that the greatest suffering suffered by our Palestinian people inside and outside the country is that the Israeli occupation authorities deprive them of their most basic rights to access their city and church, and also deprive hundreds of Hajj delegations of the right to access Islamic and Christian religious sanctities in all the Holy Lands.
Khoury called on the attendees to work to achieve justice and lift the historical injustice against the Palestinian people by granting them all their rights, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy, adding that “the Palestinian people do not ask for the impossible, their demand is to live a dignified life free of occupation, and for our children to be raised in a manner befitting the Palestinian people. We want Security and stability, like the rest of the countries of the world, in order to build a prosperous future and a more beautiful tomorrow, and to preserve the authentic Palestinian Christian presence in the Holy Land, Palestine.”
Khoury thanked all parties that contributed to the preparation and preparation for the success of this exhibition, especially the Palestinian private sector represented by the CCC Company, the Bank of Palestine, the Palestine Investment Fund, all countries and international organizations, and everyone who contributed to completing the restoration of the Church of the Nativity to preserve it as a global heritage. He also thanked Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City, Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, the Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate to facilitate all procedures to begin restoration work.
He wished the visitors of the exhibition to enjoy its corridors, inviting them to visit Palestine and make a pilgrimage to the Church of the Nativity in the City of Christmas.
In turn, Pastor Blay pointed out that the exhibition embodies a celebration of cooperation with partners in Palestine, adding that the city of Bethlehem calls on everyone to work to achieve justice, and despite all the conflicts and suffering, the city’s walls and churches still carry a message of hope to the world in order to achieve peace and achieve peace. Destiny.
For his part, Patriarch Theophilus III thanked President Mahmoud Abbas for his role in protecting Christians in Palestine, preserving and restoring the Church of the Nativity.
During his speech, he pointed to the importance of holding the Church of the Nativity exhibition, which tours many capitals around the world, adding that the history of the Church of the Nativity carries to the world the message of love, hope and peace that Jesus Christ brought.
For his part, Khraisha said that the story of the Church of the Nativity began with the birth of the King of Peace, Jesus Christ, and from Palestine the message of peace was launched to all parts of the earth, indicating that the endeavors of the Palestinian people are to achieve a just peace that guarantees the fulfillment of their ambitions by embodying the independent Palestinian state.
In conclusion, the attendees were briefed on the exhibition and its important collections that link the Church of the Nativity to Palestinian culture, history and cultural heritage
Source: Maan News Agency