Teaming up

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The practitioners’ network will be a central programmatic emphasis of A World of Neighbours. It will not, however, be a formally constituted non-governmental organization.

Instead, it will be developed and administrated under the auspices of the Church of Sweden, in cooperation with HIAS Europe, for the purposes of management and operations.

All-inclusive

This circle of collaboration will be expanded to include an informal cadre of institutional bodies associated with diverse religious communities, civil society and inter-governmental bodies within the European context.

network

coordination

support Network

• 60 practitioners from 22 countries • A broader network of practitioners

Coordination

• Central-Eastern Europe coordinator • Southern Europe coordinator • Northern Europe coordinator • Scandinavia coordinator • Youth coordinator

Support

• Managing partner • Operating partner • Office - 2 co-directors - communicator - curriculum designer - administrative assistant - research & affiliates designer

Managing partner Operating partner

The Church of Sweden is an evangelical Lutheran church with 5,8 million members. There are 3,500 churches in Sweden, and 13 dioceses. The Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society is the global Jewish nonprofit that protects refugees. Founded in 1881, HIAS focused on assisting Jews fleeing pogroms in Russia and Eastern Europe.

As a national church, it is open to everyone living in Sweden regardless of nationality. It is a place for church services, meetings and dialogue. The church also collaborates with the public sector, other denominations and civil society organizations, and participates in the public conversation about human value and hope.

Historic engagement

Over the centuries, in line with the gospel mandate, the Church of Sweden has traditionally sought to “welcome the stranger”. After the catastrophe of World War II, Europe set out to build a community of solidarity and openness. The UN Refugee Convention, adopted by 152 states, operates in the same spirit. There are many who want to take responsibility and who want to receive. The Church of Sweden sought to make its contribution to such an endeavour. That means meeting asylum seekers and new arrivals in Sweden with open arms, wherever they come from.

Engagement since 2015

In response to the Syrian refugee crisis in 2015, nearly one thousand parishes of the Church of Sweden were on the front lines of welcoming these displaced people. This experience had a transformative effect on congregations and the institution as a whole.

At the local level, churches continue to serve as meeting places in many ways: social activities and games, language cafés, church services, distribution of donated clothes, help with government contacts and counselling. At the same time, archbishop Antje Jackelén gives voice to a commitment to advocating for people on the move as loved by God. Established in 2019 HIAS Europe provides a Jewish perspective to European policy-making on refugees and asylum seekers and supports Jewish communities across Europe in their efforts to protect refugees and to welcome and integrate newly arrived refugees. It also mobilizes European support for its global humanitarian work.

Historic engagement

Founded to assist Jews fleeing persecution, HIAS has touched the life of nearly every Jewish family in America and now welcomes all who have fled because of who they are. HIAS celebrates 140 years of helping refugees escape persecution and resettle in safety; reuniting families who have been separated; and helping them build new lives in safety and freedom. HIAS continues to resettle the most vulnerable refugees of all faiths and ethnicities from all over the world.

Engagement since 2015

In 2016, in response to the Syrian refugee crisis, HIAS focused on providing legal services for asylum seekers arriving in Lesbos. In 2018, HIAS created the joint Greece Refugee Rights Initiative with Islamic Relief in the United States. This inno vative Jewish—Muslim partnership has demonstrated that these two faiths share values and goals and together can defend the rights and assist the most vulnerable among us.

In February 2021 HIAS Europe will launch a new initiative, Gishur: Connecting Communities, which is a capacity, community and coalition building project aimed at empowering Jewish community leaders and activists to challenge xenophobia and promote inclusion through intra-community awareness-raising and dialogue with refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.

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