Monsignor Hugues de Woillemont, director general of the French organization L\u2019\u0152uvre d\u2019Orient, said that Eastern Christians, especially Christians in the Holy Land, are facing existential challenges that threaten their historic presence.\u00a0 Chief among these challenges, he said, are migration, the pressure of economic crises, and war. <\/p>\n
The head of the social and humanitarian association told EWTN News on the occasion of its 170th anniversary that the organization was founded in 1856 under the name \u201c\u0152uvre des \u00c9coles d\u2019Orient,\u201d or \u201cWork of the Schools of the East.\u201d From the beginning, he said, it was built on the conviction that \u201cthe formation of minds is the first act of solidarity.\u201d<\/p>\n Since then, the organization has expanded its mission to include education, healthcare, social assistance, humanitarian relief, and the preservation of both tangible and intangible heritage, which he described as \u201cthe living memory of Christian communities in the East.”<\/p>\n Building on this legacy, he explained that the organization has developed \u201can organized field presence through local offices and young volunteers.\u201d This presence, he said, aims to \u201cbring the voice of Eastern Christians to decision-makers in Europe and at the level of international institutions,\u201d helping to strengthen their historic presence and safeguard their future in their homelands.<\/p>\n Speaking about the main challenges facing Eastern Christians today, de Woillemont said the current situation \u201cis a cause for deep concern.\u201d Political, economic, and military crises, he explained, \u201cweaken entire societies,\u201d while Christians often bear these consequences in a particularly heavy way.\u201c<\/p>\n \u201cThe greatest challenge today is migration,\u201d he said. \u201cIn several countries, ancient communities face the risk of disappearance because of the lack of economic and security prospects.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite this, he emphasized that \u201cEastern Christians continue to play their role as makers of peace and dialogue in extremely difficult circumstances, even though they are facing wars they did not choose.\u201d<\/p>\n Education, he added, remains \u201cat the heart of our commitment because it helps build stable societies and limits migration.\u201d He noted that \u201cbehind every school that opens or clinic that receives support, there is a family choosing to stay and remain rooted in its land.\u201d<\/p>\n De Woillemont said the organization\u2019s work has also expanded to include healthcare and social assistance, \u201cespecially amid the weakness of public systems,\u201d as well as emergency humanitarian relief in times of war and disaster. He also underlined that preserving heritage is a central part of the organization\u2019s mission, because \u201cit is not only about buildings but about the living memory of entire civilizations.\u201d<\/p>\n As part of his appeal for solidarity, de Woillemont addressed Christians in Europe and the United States, saying: \u201cEastern Christians are not only communities that suffer; they are a richness for the whole Church.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrayer is essential,\u201d he added, \u201cbut it must be accompanied by concrete solidarity,\u201d including support for educational, healthcare, and social projects, as well as efforts to make their reality known to the wider public.<\/p>\n He also called for a better understanding of Eastern Christians within Western societies and for greater advocacy with decision-makers, noting that \u201caction by the international community can make a real difference.\u201d<\/p>\n De Woillemont highlighted the importance of building direct relationships through volunteering and twinning initiatives, saying that such experiences \u201cleave a deep impact on the young people who take part in them.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead, he said three major challenges are emerging: the acceleration of migration, the preservation of education and heritage in conflict zones, and the difficulty of mobilizing resources amid multiple crises and declining international attention.\u201c<\/p>\nThe challenge of migration<\/h2>\n