At the OSCE in Warsaw
Dear Reader,
Opposition desperately needed
Last month, CCI was again able to attend meetings of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva as well as the OSCE in Warsaw. During the annual discussion in Geneva on the Integration of a Gender Perspective and other meetings, it is striking that the position of women is in danger when the biological definition of woman is abolished. Western countries are leading the way in pushing for LGBT rights. Defenses and endorsements of marriage, family, and motherhood are rare and in urgent need of strengthening. CCI has the capabilities to do this and works well with like-minded organizations.
We are thankful for all the support that we received last months. However, in order to provide permanent supervision and to provide a Christian counterpoint, it would be desirable to expand our team. Unfortunately, the resources for this are lacking. Your lasting (financial) support is indispensable for this.
Bright spots
In the summer we were invited to showcase our work in Canada, where freedoms are seriously threatened, during a Teachers Conference of the 'Netherlands Reformed Christian Educational Association', in Coalhurst, Alberta. Our board member John Van Der Brink was also present. Later in this newsletter he identifies bright spots in American policy regarding freedom of religion.
Päivi Räsänen
The support for the persecuted Finnish politician Päivi Räsänen was heart-warming. A Bible quote on Twitter would be hate speech, decision will be made no later than November 30. We were able to hand over 2,500 messages of support on your behalf, as you can see in the video.
Family policy in Europe
At the invitation of President Katalin Novák, we attended the Budapest Demographic Summit, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, among others. A very special meeting was with Nick Vujicic, who also spoke during this summit. Grateful that this man without arms and legs was not aborted, but was given the chance to live and became an example to the world.
On behalf of the CCI business network, organized by Mr. Jan Konijn, I was allowed to present a Hungarian Bible to President Katalin Novák. The story about Michiel de Ruyter who freed 26 Hungarian preachers on February 11, 1676 was added as an appendix.
Even though we cannot always endorse everything a country advocates, Hungary's family policy is exemplary and we are happy to support it. This also applies to Poland, where I attended the 'Warsaw Family Policy Conference' at the end of September. They can prevent unanimity in the EU on important moral issues.
EU ACP
We are also not sitting idle in Africa and our awareness campaigns continue. This quarter we mainly focused on important preparatory work for the various lobby activities surrounding the new EU-ACP Treaty that will take place in the last quarter of this year. We hope to be able to provide an important update in the next newsletter.
We ask you for prayers, especially for our lobbying work in Africa, where the current issue is whether or not the treaty, which includes the promotion of abortion and LGBTI, will be signed in its current form.
With warm regards,
Henk Jan van Schothorst
Directeur Christian Council International
Read the entire newsletter here: