1) The devastating war in Syria has resulted in more than 320,000 deaths, more than 6.3 million internally displaced persons, more than 5 million refugees, and tens of millions in need of humanitarian aid.
2) The Twelfth Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation:
3) - Expresses its deep appreciation for the local churches and others involved in providing assistance to those affected throughout the region.
4) - Commends, in particular, the efforts of LWF World Service for their work with Syrian refugees in Jordan and with internally displaced persons and returnees to their areas of origin in northern Iraq.
5) - Calls upon the member churches and their related agencies to sustain and enhance the work in response to the Syrian crisis, in order to meet the needs of those suffering and those forcibly displaced.
6) - Regrets that the United Nations Security Council has been unable to bring the war to an end.
7) - Appeals to all parties -- within or outside Syria -- to seek a negotiated, peaceful resolution of the situation which recognizes and respects the pluralistic, multi-ethnic and multi-religious reality of Syrian society.
8) - Commends the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, for his tireless efforts to bring the parties to the negotiating table through the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, as well as his Special Advisor, Mr. Jan Egeland, who is working with the Task Force on Humanitarian Access. Participants in the negotiations should make every effort to refrain from public speech and actions in the context of the Syrian-led conflict resolution process that would impede or jeopardize the process.
9) - Requests the General Secretary to convey its commendation to the Special Envoy and Special Advisor.
10) Commends the efforts and resilience of civilians, civil society actors and churches who year after year are the first and the last to respond to humanitarian emergencies, to accommodate their internally displaced and maintain the social cohesion and build confidence and conditions for peace in Syria.