Representatives from eight Romanian religious groups have signed a historic pledge to combine their efforts in the fight against rising rates of abuse within families. The leaders met January 24 at a summit held in the city of Constanta. The event was organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, together with the local Adventist Radio Network’s “Voice of Hope.”

Organizers say the meeting was intended to raise awareness of the issue and foster cooperation within the country’s faith community in combating family violence.

Among those attending the meeting were representatives from the Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church, Armenian Church, and the Baptist Church, along with Pentecostal, Evangelical, and Muslim leaders. According to organizers, the event marks the first time leaders from these groups have met at a seminar conducted by the Adventist Church.

Adrian Bocaneanu, president of the Adventist Church in Romania, was one of the main speakers at the conference, presenting some of the Church’s resources on the issue of abuse within families. Roland Paraschiv, local “Voice of Hope” director, spoke on the dynamics of abuse, and why religious communities are not immune to the problem.

Each religious group represented at the summit presented its official position on abuse within families and suggested practical ways to combat this social scourge. At the conclusion of the meeting, representatives from all eight religious groups adopted a common declaration intended to send a strong message that faith and abuse are incompatible.

Paraschiv, who coordinated a press conference for the event, reports that there was significant media interest in the summit, with a number of television stations and newspapers running news reports, commentaries, and interviews.

Romania’s 100,000 Adventist believers have become well known for their community initiatives and outreach activities in a broad range of areas including religious liberty and social welfare projects.