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On the week of the 5th June 2023, almost 30 RENATE Working Board Members gathered both online and in person at St. Ottiliens Archabbey, in Eresing, Germany, for the annual RENATE Working Board Meeting.
Surrounding by the tranquil landscapes of the Abbey, our Working Board members convened to review the work of the member countries since last year’s meeting, provide updates and offer insights from their countries. This was also the first meeting of our new Core Group with the Working Board since our General Assembly in Fatima, Portugal, November 2022.
Amongst the many highlights of our week, particular interest was sparked by the presentations of Mother Mechtilde Thurmer, OSB, Abbess of the Benedictine Abbey of Maria Frieden, who shared her experiences working with & supporting victims of exploitation, trafficking, violence and victimisation in Germany and Natalia Holynska of CARITAS UKRAINE, who shared openly about the current situation in Ukraine and the supporting and assisting victims of human trafficking.
Our heartiest thanks to our gracious hosts, facilitator, guest speakers and RENATE members for all of their hard work and contributions towards a hugely successful 2023 RENATE Working Board meeting.
See photography below by Brian O’Toole.
Natalia Holynska, CARITAS UKRAINE. 
Sr. Begona Inarra, RENATE Working Board Member for Spain, together with Mother Mechtilde Thurmer, OSB, Abbess of the Benedictine Abbey of Maria Frieden. 
