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Newsletter June 2020

Summer has arrived in Europe, even here in the northern part. We are still, however, not out of the crisis that has consumed all our attention during the spring. Many of us are experiencing serious difficulties, and some struggle for survival. Even so, we can slowly start to think about life on the other side of corona. Do we want old times to return? Or, have we experienced things that suggest a permanently different future?

What we do know is that we need each other as much as ever before. Welcome to the upcoming venues for dialogue and reflection presented below – all in the context of Oikosnet Europe!

Alf Linderman
Head of the Oikosnet Europe Secretariat
Executive Director of the Sigtuna Foundation

office@oikosnet.eu


Dear members of Oikosnet Europe, dear friends!

We send you our cordial greetings from Zürich, Berlin and Sigtuna and hope that this letter finds you and your families and friends well and healthy.

The Board of Oikosnet Europe met in two virtual meetings on 25 and 26 May and came to the decision not to hold the Annual Conference (AC) of Oikosnet Europe in the usual form. This is a novum in the longstanding history of Oikosnet Europe and a decision, which was hard to take, but the present circumstances forced the Board to take such decision.

Sometime earlier, we had sent you an invitation for the AC to take place in Bad Boll from 9 to 13 September 2020. The Academy of Bad Boll would have still be ready to receive us, but only under severe protection measures, which would have made an AC as we know it with close contacts among the participants almost impossible. In addition, we do not know what the situation in different countries of Oikosnet members and travel conditions will be in September.

A virtual conference in two parts

Therefore, the Board decided to hold the Annual Conference 2020 as a virtual conference in two parts:

September 10  from 14.00 to 17.00 designed as a study and discussion day.

September from 11 from 14.00 to 17.00 with important items on the business agenda, such as elections and the future of Oikosnet Europe, its accounts and budgets. Please save the date and register to the conference to be able to participate in the virtual meetings.

The form of the meeting will be different. Nevertheless, we trust in your participation as important issues are to be discussed and decided. As registered participant you will receive the access coordinates and documents for the virtual AC 2020 in due time.

In order to facilitate further planning, the Board has also decided to hold the 2021 Annual Conference in Bad Boll as a usual in person Annual Conference. The conference will take place in early October, and exact dates will be announced shortly.


A Zoom Conference on how Christian Academies cope with the Corona Pandemic June 18

In addition, as the Corona Pandemic affects us all in running our Academies and in reflecting on our role in our societies, the Board of Oikosnet Europe invites its members already to a virtual Zoom conference before summer on how Christian Academies in Europe cope with the Corona Pandemic.

This Zoom conference is scheduled to take place on June 18. As the Annual Conference, this Zoom meeting will also have to parts. One session on general sharing and a session with three parallel thematic workshops on:

- Practical issues and experiences with virtual formats

- The role of Christian Academied in our societies during and after Corona

- The "new normal" for Europe and the role for Oikosnet Europe

Again, if you are interested in participating, please get in touch with our Secretariat and you will receive the access coordinates. office@oikosnet.eu

Although the situation is different from country to country, we believe it will profit all to learn from each other as far as very practical issues are concerned, but also with regard to our visions and possibilities for the future. Results and recommendations of this video conference will be taken-up at  the Annual Conference in September.

In any case, we are looking forward to first hearing from you and later on to seeing you, at least virtually. Our Executive Secretary is in the process of contacting each of our members in order to get informed about your situation and in order to evaluate in which way Oikosnet Europa can be of support.

with every good wish,

Walter Lüssi

Oikosnet President


The Arab Europe Citizens Dialogue

Orthodox Academy of Crete 12 - 16 April 2021

You are invited to the 8th AECD Conference, to be held at the Orthodox Academy (OAC) of Crete/Greece. The Conference was planned initially for October 2020, but due to the Corona Covid-19 epidemic the Acting Committee decided to postpone it to April 12th to 16th, 2021, in order to offer to the participants a secure and safe environment, as well as possibilities for a close interaction..

The theme of the 7th AECD was “Peaceful Co-existence”. The Acting Committee, therefore, decided in its original planning to continue along this line and to deal at the 8th Conference with the model of peaceful coexistence, giving an emphasis on migration and peace. The Corona Pandemic, however, affects all of our lives, in the Arab World as well as in Europe. Therefore, the 8th AECD will also give ample time to reflect on the effects of the crisis, especially in view of the Middle East – Europe relations.

More information will be published separately. If you want more information, please write to the OE Secretariat in Sigtuna (office@oikosnet.eu).


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