Christian representatives from different churches in Myanmar stressed environment protection, to respect and preserve God’s creation, at a recent Ecumenical seminar. Some 70 representatives from Christian Churches including bishops, priests, pastors and lay leaders joined in the seminar at St.Francis Catholic Church, Pyay Diocese on May 4 and 5. The Ecumenical Joint Commission (EJC) of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Myanmar (CBCM) and Myanmar Council of Churches (MCC) organized the seminar with the theme of “Integrity of Creation.” Bishop John Hsane Hgyi of Pathein Diocese, president of CBCM and co-chairman of EJC, said: “As we human beings are part of creation, we all must respect creation by protecting the environment in any way whatever we can do to save the creation.” Bishop Hsane Hgyi pointed out the true reason for the current crisis of the ecosystem is “human beings’ arrogance of keeping away from the creator. “I hope the seminar will serve as a starting point for all Christians to change their way of life to one that preserves nature and protect life,” says the prelate. Fr. Joseph Maung Win, parish priest of St.Anthony’s Church in Yangon and joint secretary of EJC said the seminar reminds us not to be satisfied as peace lovers but we must try our best to be peace makers. They discussed the causes of the environment especially the expanding of Dam project that really affected the environmental and deforestation according to Fr. Maung Win. Aung Zaw Hteik, executive secretary of the youth commission in MCC said: “All people must be aware of the environment protection otherwise it will be worse in the future.” Related report Environment everyone’s business, say activists MY14118