“Eastern Christians teach us that peace is not the absence of conflict, but the refusal to let conflict destroy human dignity. In its own way, the Œuvre d’Orient is part of this struggle for justice and dignity. Every school supported, every salary paid, every cultural or pastoral project helps to preserve—where everything threatens to fall apart—a human, social, and spiritual fabric.” Bishop Hugues de Woillemont
On April 4, 1856, at 13 Rue du Hautefeuille in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, a lawyer, a mathematician, a Hellenist, two historians and members of the Academy, and a Jesuit gathered. The Treaty of Paris had brought the Crimean War to an end a few days earlier, and the world map was being redrawn. The Ottoman Empire recognized the equal dignity of the inhabitants of its empire, and Christian missionary work could now begin.
“L’Œuvre des Ecoles d’Orient was born of the outpouring of sympathy that accompanied our soldiers to the Crimea. Their victories—and even their sufferings—had strengthened the bonds uniting France with the Eastern lands through all the memories of its religion and history. The East was open to civilization, and the sultan, who restored Christians’ rights as citizens, made it the duty of all Christendom to contribute to this work of regeneration.”
More than 400 Catholic schools and 400,000 students currently receive support from L’Œuvre d’Orient to
It also supports French-language education, which promotes social cohesion in these Middle Eastern countries with diverse identities. Examples of regular assistance include: tuition fees, scholarships, youth programs, women’s empowerment, and research to promote ecumenism and interfaith dialogue.
The creation of the Fund for Schools in the East was announced by the president in January 2020. Its founders are the French government and L’Œuvre d’Orient.
It brings together public and private donors who wish to support the educational efforts of Christian communities in the Middle East in all their aspects, as these efforts contribute to a humanistic education and to the public service of promoting the French-speaking world. The schools supported by the fund educate nearly 400,000 children of all faiths and from all social backgrounds.
It has been allocated a budget of 4 million euros for the 2025–2026 school year, with 50% provided by the French government and 50% by L’Œuvre d’Orient.
Learn more about its missions and projects by visiting the dedicated website.
Individual child sponsorships or school-wide sponsorships provide long-term support for education in the Middle East.
No child should be left behind. Since the outbreak of the war in early March 2026, several countries where we support Christian communities have been severely affected: destruction, massive population displacements, and thousands of dead and wounded. In Lebanon, particularly in the south, entire families have been forced to flee, finding themselves without resources overnight. […]
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