The World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (WCC-EAPPI) was created in 2002 by the World Council of Churches based on an appeal from local church leaders to create an international presence in the country. WCC member churches have since engaged over 1,800 Ecumenical Accompaniers from 25 countries to serve 3-month terms in placements around the West Bank. 

Working closely with local communities, Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups, and international agencies, the programme has maintained a constant presence in the region ever since. 

Ecumenical Accompaniers from all age groups aim to offer a protective presence to vulnerable communities, monitoring and reporting human rights abuses. They join Palestinians and Israelis who work in nonviolent ways for peace, by simply being a presence that makes the costs of human rights abuses more apparent to the perpetrators, persuades them to act differently, and deters attacks on civilians. Often, simply being a visible presence at security check-points, or accompanying children to schools, can make all the difference to fostering peace. Read more here...

Further information on the EAPPI programme can be found here.