“A gift for Aleppo” is a new ecumenical initiative launched by the archbishop of Wroclaw, mgr. Jozef Kupny, and the association Aiuto alla Chiesa che soffre, along with the leaders of the Orthodox, Greek Catholic and Protestant Churches, as well as the public authorities of the Polish region of Lower Silesia. In response to a call for help from St Louis Hospital in Aleppo, today several church leaders spoke to all the residents of the south-west of Poland, asking them to take part in a fundraising campaign for the reconstruction of the hospital destroyed by war. The total cost of the operation is 318 thousand euros. “Wroclaw is known for its ecumenical spirit but to express our solidarity we also wanted to involve the local authorities in this initiative”, points out mgr. Kupny, who says he is glad “something more than an ecclesial or religious event has been built”. The bishop of the Evangelical Church of Wroclaw, mgr. Waldemar Pytel, emphasises the importance of the initiative that has been launched to coincide with the second day of Lent. “The real Lent consists in this, according to Joel the Prophet: don’t tear your clothing in your grief but tear your hearts”, he says. The progress of the “A ift for Aleppo” initiative can be followed on the website: www.dardlaaleppo.pl.