I have heard this Easter greeting in many different languages around the world. In the Middle East, people proclaim: “Al‑Masīḥ qām! (المسيح قام) – Ḥaqqan qām! (حقا قام).” In Kenya, in Swahili, it is: “Kristo amefufuka! – Kweli amefufuka!” And in Ukraine: “Khrystos voskres! (Христос воскрес!) – Voistynu voskres! (Воістину воскрес!).”

This hopeful and unifying call moves me deeply. Easter is a celebration of hope, a hope that is stronger than suffering, violence, and death. It reminds us that new life can grow even where all seems lost. This Easter hope also sustains our daily work for people in need around the world.

At the same time, we witness how fragile hope has become for so many. In Lebanon, more than a million people are displaced within their own country. In Ukraine, the war has now been raging for four years. In Kenya, the worst drought in years is dramatically worsening the hunger crisis. And Sudan is facing one of the gravest humanitarian crises of our time.

In all these contexts, we work to alleviate suffering, protect human dignity, and make hope tangible – through medical care, psychosocial support, emergency relief, and long-term assistance.