EU Commission brings together lenges to discuss the EU’s response to external and internal challenges

Brussels, 17 January 2024

Tomorrow, European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas will host a high-level meeting with 10 religious leaders to reflect on how the European Union has responded to the various challenges it has faced since 2020, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and, more recently, the conflict in Gaza.

Vice-President Schinas said: 

“In the past years, external and internal crises have confronted the European Union with challenges of momentous proportions, which continue to leave their divisive mark to this day. I look forward to listening to the religious leaders and to getting their views on the role they can play to heal fault lines and, in the process, strengthen the shared foundations of our Union.”

High-level meetings with religious leaders take place within the framework of the Article 17 dialogue with churches, religious associations, philosophical and non-confessional organisations. They provide an opportunity for religious leaders representing the main European religions to deliberate directly with European institutions on European and global developments.