Conleth Burns is a young man from Ireland who is active in the ‘United World Project’. He participated at the Meeting of Together for Europe which was held in Ottmaring – Augsburg (Germany). What follows is the article he posted on the website of the UW project....
20 Years of Together for Europe
A prophetic sign of unity
Ottmaring, 7-9 November 2019
From 7 to 9 November 2019, some 170 representatives of Communities and Movements from Western and Eastern Europe gathered in Ottmaring and Augsburg. They are aware of the importance of being a sign of unity in Europe, of overcoming individualism and fear of the other. “Growing together is a great effort. But synergy releases new forces and ideas for a Christian Europe.“(Fr. Heinrich Walter)
In Augsburg, city of peace, 20 years earlier the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” (JDDJ) was signed in St. Anne’s Church. This time, it was the imposing City Hall that welcomed a reconciled European people into the Golden Hall, amidst singing, praise and various speeches, in the presence of the Evangelical Bishop Christian Krause, then signatory of the Declaration.
On the same day 20 years earlier, the Ecumenical Centre in Ottmaring saw the birth of Together for Europe. Now there the representatives of the European Christian Movements reviewed their 20-year history, but above all they looked to the future. They spoke about the seeds of fraternity and the fruits in which these can be found.
Herbert Lauenroth and Johannes Hartl illustrate the events of God’s people in today’s challenges; they alternate between visions of the one people of God (Gerhard Pross) and prophecy in precariousness: “Together for Europe can help Europe become a sturdy tree. It is a prophetic sign of unity’ (Sr. Nicole Grochowina).
Articles about the event
The last Meeting of the Friends of Together for Europe (Ottmaring – Augsburg, November 7-9 ) was characterized by an impressive variation of participants. The varied impressions that we received mirror this variations, and here are some of them: “We are grateful to...
Larisa Musina is an Orthodox Christian and she is the pro-rector of the Educational Institute ‘St Fileret’. Last November, Larisa took part in the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Together for Europe at Augsburg (Germany) representing the ‘Orthodox...
Ambassadors of reconciliation and signs of hope. Together for Europe celebrated its anniversary in the Augsburg city hall 300 members from 55 Christian communities and movements from various churches and from 25 European countries were gathered this Saturday to...
180 participants from 20 countries (with live translation into 5 languages) and 55 different movements and communities from various churches are gathering together in Ottmaring: The place where Together for Europe started 20 years ago. A participant who only recently...
Augsburg’s history spans more than 2000 years; in fact it was founded as a Roman military encampment in 15 B.C.. Christianity was introduced by the Romans, which means that it was present since its very beginnings. Confessio Augustana In the XVI century, Augsburg...
20th anniversary of Together for Europe, 7 – 9.11.2019 at Ottmaring and Augsburg In 2019 Together for Europe returns to Germany: to the ecumenical Centre of Ottmaring/Augsburg where it all started back in 1999. Leaders and representatives of various Movements and...
The celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Together for Europe (TfE) involves history, Churches and society in a threefold feast. The Friends of TfE will meet at Ottmaring, Germany, on November 7 – 9, 2019. The program includes a reception in the City Hall of...
VIDEO - INTERVIEW Preparations for the celebration of the “20 years of Together for Europe” have been going for some time. The spark that triggered off this original ecumenical-European journey was ignited at the Ecumenical Centre of Ottmaring, just after the...
Together for Europe 1999-2019 – An interview with Pál Tóth The initiative Together for Europe turns 20. For the occasion, we have put two questions to Pál Tóth, who teaches at the University Institute ‘Sophia’ in Loppiano (Florence). We specifically asked about the...
An international team of professionals are preparing a video clip to mark the 20th anniversary of Together for Europe, which will be celebrated at Ottmaring (Germany) this November. “The latest events of Together for Europe have lead us back to Klagenfurt, Ottmaring...
20 years of Together for Europe: 7 – 9 November 2019 in Ottmaring and Augsburg / Germany. Visit of the regional Bishop Axel Piper Toward the end of February, 16 representatives of Together for Europe met in Ottmaring to prepare the meeting of the ‘Friends’ which is...
Documents, files and co. of the event
Photo Gallery of the event
