Who Are We

The Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development (DERD), affiliated to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA), was founded in 1994 with the blessings of His Beatitude Thrice Blessed Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim). In 2012, His Beatitude Patriarch John X (Yaziji) carried this mission. We serve others regardless of their religion, race or color, as did the Good Samaritan when he helped a stranger, presenting him with a merciful hand, because of his humanity. Therefore, we embraced him and we carry him as our symbol, embodying our Faith in Actions.

The Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development operates throughout the Syrian territory, in Damascus and its countryside, Quneitra, Daraa, As-Suwayda, Homs, Wadi al-Nasara, Mashta al-Helou, Tartous, Lattakia, Aleppo, Hassakah, Qamishli, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor.

In the year 2021, the number of our volunteers reached about 1219, the number of our centers 51, and the number of our offices in the governorates 26.