The Middle East Council of Churches and Télé Lumière Launch "The Platform of the Word"

Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs: "Through the documents we intend to produce, we will address—from an Ecumenical Christian perspective—all phenomena that concern modern humans”

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Under the slogan "The Word Became Flesh," and on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in partnership with Télé Lumière and Noursat TV station, launched a new Media Production Center titled "The Platform of the Word." The official ceremony was held on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the platform's headquarters in the offices of the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches in Beirut, in the presence of Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs.

Participants in the celebration included:

• Dr. Marie-Thérèse Kreidy, Director of Programs at Télé Lumière and Noursat, representing the station

• Ms. Marutzella Abboud, representing the Near East School of Theology (NEST)

• Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Responsible of the Platform and Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at the Council

• Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, Coordinator of the Social Capital Rehabilitation Project at the Council

• The team of the General Secretariat from various departments

The meeting began with an opening Prayer led by Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Council, followed by a documented report on the Platform. Then, the Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, delivered a speech in which she pointed out that "Media has many positive effects that have made it essential in modern society and is one of the most prominent means used to spread human rights and values of faith... From this platform, the Council will strive to declare its position on the changes affecting society in the Middle East that touch our values and social unity."

Journalist Lea Adel Maamary noted in her speech that "The Platform of the Word is equipped with the latest technologies and modern equipment that we will use in building humanity and the good of mankind according to the commandments of love entrusted to us by God, capable of destroying all violence, wars, and crises. The Council will broadcast from this Platform a bouquet of humanitarian, Ecclesiastical, social, and cultural dialogue programs, Church news bulletins, highlighting the Council's activities and projects, and other media programs that will be broadcasted on various Christian media outlets that are our partners in the Ecumenical Christian Media Network."

For her part, Dr. Marie-Thérèse Kreidy praised the launch of the new Platform and said: "The Télé Lumière-Noursat group, which I am honored to represent here now, is happy with this media and Ecclesiastical achievement that pleases the Lord and serves His highest purposes, which are also our goals. We are fully prepared to continue, activate, and achieve every joint work that reflects His light before people, so they may glorify Him, and we may be, together, witnesses for Him in Jerusalem, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

In turn, Mrs. Caroline Haddad, Executive and Administrative Assistant, on behalf of the entire Council family, thanked the Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs, saying: "Dr Abs, you have not only built a new culture at MECC but you also built a contagious place of meticulous work with passionate attitude towards exceeding our limits in every task we aim at achieving… Yes, it became really contagious!”

Then, Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs delivered a speech in which he noted: "This initiative, in addition to the efforts to achieve it by those concerned, did not come from a vacuum. There is a strong bond between Noursat and the Middle East Council of Churches due to decades of interaction, as well as the shared goal of common Christian work—that is, ecumenism… Through the documents we intend to produce, which we are programming within a general directive plan for the work of "The Platform of the Word," we will address—from an ecumenical Christian perspective—all phenomena that concern modern humans, who are tossed by waves of misleading and misled media that divert them from the right path of life's affairs.”

At the conclusion, everyone toured the sections of the Platform and its working mechanisms and gathered around a table of love, during which they affirmed the importance of consolidating the Ecumenical spirit through media and promoting the values of love, dialogue, and peace.