ACN supports more than 1,600 summer camps worldwide
The holiday camps, which are hosted in regions afflicted by war and conflict, offer temporary relief to suffering youth; participants can engage in carefree activities and develop their faith. ACN project partners report that for many young people, these camps are the most anticipated event of the year.
This year, there are more than 1,600 youth summer camps in 18 countries ─ from Egypt and Jordan to Iraq, Georgia, and Kazakhstan – thanks to funding by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in the amount of over two million dollars. In many war- and conflict-torn regions as well, including the Holy Land, Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Armenia, Mozambique, and Venezuela, young people have been welcomed into a peaceful and healthy environment, in which they can bond with their peers and learn about their faith.
Summer camps in a time of war
Some camps have a long history of support from ACN. Among them are those taking place in the Holy Land this year, even as the armed conflict there continues. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, has thanked the charity for its “ongoing collaboration” and insists that the summer camps of the St. James Vicariate for Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel would not exist without the funding provided by ACN. Outlining the importance of the camps, he says, “the majority of the participants are children of migrants. This group of people is particularly affected by the ongoing war.”
Father Piotr Zelazko, Patriarchal Vicar for the Hebrew-speaking Catholics in Israel, explains that for migrants’ children, these camps are not just another summer activity, “but also a beacon of hope, a chance to experience a sense of belonging and community that is often absent in their tumultuous world. Our camps provide a safe haven where they can reinforce their identities, build friendships, and engage in educational activities that are otherwise inaccessible to them. It is here that they can also connect with their faith and cultural heritage.”
This year’s camps in the West Bank, for about 500 children and young adults, ranging in age from nine to 35 years old, are inspired by Pope Francis’s call for a year dedicated to prayer.
A large number of summer camps are also being hosted in Ukraine, for children who are orphaned, disabled, internally displaced, and related to victims of war. Auxiliary Bishop Maksym Ryabukha of the Greek Catholic Exarchate of Donetsk, which is overseeing summer camps for internally displaced children, said during a visit to ACN’s international headquarters that the camps give young people a valuable opportunity not only to gather their strength, but also to “recognize that life cannot be put on hold. Every one of us is called upon to grow day by day, to take responsibility and become builders of the world and of peace.”
Keeping the youth in their homeland
In recent years, many camps organized by the church in Lebanon have been canceled due to the country’s severe economic crisis. Families find it hard to prioritize their children’s participation in pastoral activities. And this context makes ACN’s support all the more important. This year, ACN has made it possible for 60,000 young people to attend summer camps in Lebanon. Day camps for Lebanese orphans and young refugees from Syria and Iraq are also being facilitated in the Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Beirut, which is one of the smaller dioceses in Lebanon but has likely the highest proportion of refugees.
The summer camp experience can have a huge influence on the lives of children and young people and can help them to remain in their home country. This factor is of major significance to both Lebanon and neighboring Syria, where emigration shows no sign of slowing down and is jeopardizing the very existence of Christianity in the country. This is where the largest number of summer camps are being held this year: the 44 events will be attended by more than 75,000 young people. A scout group leader in the Syrian city of Jaramana says that “by way of these summer camps, we are seeking to give our children the hope that overcoming life’s difficulties is a worthwhile endeavor. Unless we change the mentality of this generation, it will be one that lacks both ideals and dreams. In consequence, they will be destined to turn their backs on the country.”
Making the world a better place through love
Since Azerbaijan’s occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in September of 2023, Armenia has taken in more than 100,000 refugees, including 30,000 children, according to UNICEF estimates. The Our Lady of Armenia summer camp, overseen by the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary this year. And among the hundreds of beneficiaries are orphans, children of forcibly displaced families, the families of wounded and dead soldiers, minors from villages near Azerbaijan, and children and adults with disabilities. “We are hoping to relieve the visitors’ traumas, brighten up their days in a safe and warm environment, and expand their knowledge and skills,” explains Arousiag Sajonian, Superior General of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.
Every year, about 200 children receive the sacraments of initiation while attending these camps. Sajonian is very grateful for the many years of support from ACN: “The camp is the most eagerly awaited event of the year for our children. Thanks to the help provided, hundreds of disadvantaged children can disconnect from their habitual routine and improve their physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. We firmly believe that we can make the world a better place through education, and by fostering solidarity, empathy, and unconditional love.”
– Sina Hartert
