St. John’s United Reformed Church
Somerset & Mowbray Roads
New Barnet
Herts.
EN5 1RH
To: MUDr. Pavel Bem
Mayor of the City of Prague
Marianske namesti 2
110 01 Prague 1
Czech Republic
(E-mail: pavel.bem@cityofprague.cz )
New Barnet 18th February, 2009
Dear Mr Bem, Mayor of the City of Prague,
We are writing to you to express our concern for the Walking Together Centre - SPOLEČNOU CESTOU in Prague 11 and to support the work of the Centre for homeless families.
Our church has had a long relationship with people the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren in the Czech Republic. Our friends have recently informed us about the termination of the lease for the Walking Together Centre by the Prague 11 Council.
The Walking Together Centre is a unique project that cares for homeless families, mainly mothers with small children and Roma families, so that they will be able to integrate in society. What we find quite remarkable, is not only the work of the Centre, which provides accommodation and legal advice, but also the cooperation between the Walking Together Centre and the congregation of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren which gives their work a special dimension and guarantees the focus of the work.
Local councils in a democratic society normally welcome and support the work of an organisation that cares for the underprivileged. It is hard to understand the measures the Prague 11 Council have taken. They will bring dire consequences not only for those in need in your city, but also for the image of the city appearing to be hostile towards NGO social work and the work of churches.
Mr Bem, we ask you urgently to take procedures that would lead to the change in the decision to close the Walking Together Centre and to give your full support to the work of the centre.
YOURS SINCERELY,
Rev. Filip Keller, Minister
Mr. A. Alderman, Church Secretary
A copy addressed to:
Mr Dalibor Mlejnský
Mayor of Prague 11
Ocelikova 672
149 00 Prague 11
CZECH REPUBLIC
(mlejnskyd@p11.mepnet.cz)
Mr Jiří Janeček
Member of Prague 11 Council,
City Council Social Work
Marianske namesti 2
110 01 Prague 1
CZECH REPUBLIC
(info@jirijanecek.cz)
Mr Michael Kocáb
Minister of the Government of the Czech Republic for Human Rights and National Minorities
Office of the Government of the Czech Republic
Nabrezi Edvarda Benese 4
118 01 Prague 1
CZECH REPUBLIC
(kocab@vlada.cz)