Christian Orient Initiative
The Christian Orient Initiative (ICO abbreviation) is an association recognized by the Austrian Catholic Bishops' Conference for the promotion of Christian minorities in the Orient. The ICO maintains relationships with the various Christian churches in the Near and Middle East. It is based in Linz .
history
The ICO was founded in 1989 by Hans Hollerweger as the "Christian Orient Initiative - Friends of Tur Abdin". Since 2009 the association has been an aid organization with deductible donations, as well as an extraordinary member of the coordination office of the Austrian Bishops' Conference for International Development and Mission (KOO). The reason for the establishment was the emigration of Syrian Orthodox Christians from eastern Turkey, mainly from the area of Tur Abdin . The initiative provides material and ideal help for the Christians who have emigrated and motivates some to return. With the help of ICO, numerous Christian families have been returned to their homeland over the years and given appropriate economic support.
The activity of ICO expanded to the whole of the Near and Middle East after the Iraq-Kuwait war .
task
The ICO cultivates the relationship with Catholic , Orthodox and ancient Near Eastern Christian churches in the Orient by inviting bishops , patriarchs and other responsible persons of these churches to Austria and through excursions to these churches on site. Many Christian communities have already received significant help through extensive sponsorship activities. In Austria there are educational events, lectures, annual conferences with experts and those from the Orient directly affected by the crisis in the Near and Middle East.
ICO publishes a quarterly magazine about Christians in the Orient. The collecting activity brings in six-figure euro amounts every year, it focuses on the "Light for Bethlehem" campaign. The ICO is based on the award criteria that are specified by the coordination office of the Austrian Bishops' Conference for Development (KOO).
Web link
Individual evidence
- ↑ kathisch.at | The online portal of the Catholic Church in Austria. In: www.katholisch.at. Retrieved June 10, 2016 .
- ^ "Light for Bethlehem" campaign. (No longer available online.) Initiative Christian Orient, formerly in the original ; accessed on June 10, 2016 . ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
