Joint Press Release of CSC of CEC, CCME, APRODEV and Eurodiaconia

European Parliament elections: It’s about Europe, it’s about you!

“The elections to the European Parliament are an opportunity to discuss our vision of the Union as a community which promotes a just, participatory and sustainable world in which each person can live in dignity, fulfil his/her potential and live free from poverty,” was the message of the event taking place on 4th March in the European Parliament and sponsored by four ecumenical partner organisations.

The event co-organised by APRODEV, Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe, Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and Eurodiaconia was hosted by MEP Edit Bauer (EPP group, from Slovakia) and Catherine Stihler (S& D group, from the UK).

At this occasion Ecumenical partners presented their election leaflet "It’s about Europe, it’s about you" and the website www.ecumenicalvoices2014.eu.

The members of the European parliament welcomed this initiative. MEP Catherine Stihler stated:  “The Christian movement has been a fundamental part of Europe and the EU. The EU shares with Christians a number of values such as social justice, equality and the fight against poverty.”

In outlining her view of the upcoming elections she added: “Caring for the environment and each other is what both Christianity and the EU is all about. Therefore, I think this website will prove to be a great tool for Christians to get involved in debates surrounding the EU, sharing our voices on the topics mentioned above can help us form policy moving forward.”

MEP Edit Bauer said “We all have our share of responsibility for the future of Europe, for the condition what we leave as legacy for the next generation, wherever you are, whatever your position is whether you are young or old”.

The website and the leaflet call Churches, Christian organisations and individual Christians to be engaged in debates around the upcoming European Elections. The key thematic concerns proposed for the discussion are: Social Europe, Europe of values, Welcoming migrants and refugees, Human Rights in and outside Europe,Effective environmental policies and Eradication of poverty in a globalised world.

The website as well as the leaflet in several languages is available at: www.ecumenicalvoices2014.eu.

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The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a communion of 115 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all European countries, and 40 organisations in partnership. It was founded in 1959 and the CEC has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.

For more information:
CEC General Secretariat
Phone +41 22 791 62 28
Fax +41 22 791 62 27
e-mail: GenSecretariat@cec-kek.org