From November 13 to 16, the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna hosted the international conference “Healing Wounded Memories: The Responsibility of the Churches,” which marked the culmination of the three-year PRO ORIENTE project of the same name. The conference brought together 70 participants from 25 countries, including clergy, laypeople, scholars, and practitioners. Most participants came from South-Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe — the project’s three focus regions where interaction between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches plays a vital role in sustaining social cohesion.
At the conference, the Dialogue in Action team – co-founders Tetiana Kalenychenko and Lidiia Lozova, and co-coordinator Dmytro Fedorchak – presented the Ukrainian experience of interchurch and interreligious dialogue. They spoke about the work of rethinking the role of churches during the full-scale war, and Tetiana also participated in a public panel discussion on this topic.
Throughout the conference, participants discussed challenges related to war and violence: the relationship between church leadership and local communities, the role of religious institutions in either reinforcing or dismantling hostile narratives, and the importance of spirituality in processes of healing from trauma.
In his concluding remarks, PRO ORIENTE President Clemens Koja emphasized:
“Throughout the project, it became increasingly clear that focusing on wounded memories alone is not enough, as new wounds are still being inflicted in the regions today. This realization has shown us how important it is to respond flexibly to current developments and to address the issues identified locally – a task that will continue to accompany us in the future.”
We sincerely thank PRO ORIENTE and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna for providing a safe and open space for dialogue and for the opportunity to contribute the Ukrainian perspective to the international community.
Photos: Pro Oriente, Dialogue in Action
