Department for External Church Relations
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Russian Orthodox Church representatives take part in world conference ‘Together with Russia’
On November 1, 2016, the World Conference ‘Together with Russia’ began its work at the International Trade Center in Moscow.
At the instruction of the head of the Russian foreign policy department, S. Lavrov, the plenary session was opened by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs G. Karasin, who greeted the attendees.
Among the speakers were Ms. L. Glebova, head of the Federal Agency for the CIS, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation, Mr. Mr. Drozdov, chairman of the World Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots, Mr. M. Dadikozian, chairman of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in Bulgaria, and Mr. L. Kalashnikov, chairman of a State Duma committee.
The Russian Orthodox Church was represented by Bishop Anthony of Bogorodsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate office for the institutions abroad, Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations (DECR), and Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad.
The DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk sent the following message to the participants in the Conference:
‘Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
‘I cordially greet you all as you have gathered together in Moscow for another World Issue Conference held this year under the motto ‘Together with Russia’. The Moscow meeting traditionally unites the most active compatriots who live in various countries of the world and who are not indifferent to the fate of their historical Motherland.
‘The call to be together with Russia contains a theme of consolidation of the Russian diaspora. During the 5th World Congress of Compatriots, which took place last November, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia gave special attention to the fact that the efforts of the Church alone are not sufficient to help all those who come from the countries of historical Rus’ to remain part of the one civilization in order to preserve their identity, faith, traditional system of values and the common Russian language. To fulfil this important task it is necessary to continue developing cooperation between the Church, governmental structures and public organizations and to involve all those who not indifferent in the joint work.
‘A special role in consolidating relations within the communities of our compatriots with their historical Motherland belongs to the youth. It is the youth who are active participants in the educational programs today, including for studying and maintaining the level of the command of the Russian language and for exchanges between students.
‘I wish the participants in the Conference a successful and fruitful work.
I invoke God’s blessing on all of you’.
Messages of greetings were brought from heads of traditional religious communities in the country, namely, the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, the chairman of the Council of Muftis in Russia and chairman of the Muslim Board for the European Part of Russia Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin.
The conference continued its work in sections on the following themes: ‘Consolidation of compatriots in face of new challenges and threats. Problems of economic cooperation with Russia’; ‘Mechanisms of increasing effectiveness in spreading the Russian language and Russian education in other countries’; and ‘Pressing problems of compatriots’ mass media’.
The conference will last till November 2, 2016.
DECR Communication Service
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