Over the past years, Hungary has taken a leading and noble role in defending persecuted Christians throughout the Middle East, by providing aid to Christians and by promptly responding to the needs of the suffering communities as their situation worsened by the spread of Corona pandemic.
Hungary launched a four-year “the Hungary Helps” program which is Hungary’s government humanitarian-aid program, whose one of its most important priorities is to support persecuted Christians and other religious minorities with the main regional focus area is the Middle East. This program was launched in response for the atrocities that were committed by ISIS against Christians, Yazidis, as well as against the people of Iraq and Syria. The lifesaving, support includes medicine, housing, healthcare and education.
Further support included providing aid for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of communities, including the infrastructure in these communities, which is designed to save the persecuted Christian communities, to maintain the presence of Christians in their homeland, and to save the Christians of the Middle East which is the cradle of Christianity.
Some of the projects included reconstruction of housing units, hospitals, schools, and churches under the banner “Hungary Helps”. In this context, the embassy of Hungary in Amman donated $1.3 million for several community projects across Jordan. The projects, implemented in cooperation with churches and Caritas Jordan, include contributing to the construction of a Latin church at the Baptism Site as well as local churches in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Jerusalem. Other projects supported by the grant include a new church for the Melkite community in Amman, and the inaugurated the renovated heating system of a school and the kindergarden of the Latin parish church of Marka, Amman.
Furthermore, a Hungarian-sponsored scholarship program has also offered Jordanians 400 spots annually since 2014 to study at universities in Hungary as Jordanians form the largest group of international students currently enrolled in the program, with over 741 Jordanian students studying in Hungary.
Many thanks go to Hungary as its support included over 250,000 Christians who suffered discrimination all around the world, at a time when there are 340 million Christians who suffer persecution at the time.
The Middle East Christians pay tribute and convey appreciation to Hungary for its invaluable support. It is hoped that this support will continue and bear fruit in long-run.
