Dr. Elias Halabi, Director of the Christian Muslim Studies Center at the University of Balamand (UOB), participated in the International Conference “Christians in the Middle East: Challenges and Prospects,” organized by the MA Program “Religion, Geopolitics and International Security” at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 15–16 May 2026.

During the conference, Dr. Halabi delivered a paper entitled “Christian Presence, Ecumenism and Christian-Muslim Dialogue in the Middle East: Challenges and Prospects,” in which he addressed the contemporary challenges facing Christian communities in the region and reflected on the future of Christian presence in the Middle East.

In his presentation, Dr. Halabi emphasized that Arab Christianity was a strategic choice rooted in a Christian vocation to live Christ in the land of Islam while remaining fully faithful to theological orthopraxy. He highlighted that the challenge facing Christians in the Middle East today is how to redefine their Christian vocation and reinvigorate their Christian presence beyond demography in a region experiencing existential political turmoil and various antagonistic religious and eschatological pretentions.

Dr. Halabi’s participation in the conference reflects UOB’s ongoing engagement in academic research and dialogue on issues concerning Christianity and interreligious relations in the Middle East.



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