Metropolitan Hilarion attends the opening of Moscow International Salon of Education

On April 13, 2016, the Moscow International Salon of Education (MISE) began its work at Pavilion 75 of the Exhibition of Achievements of National Economy (VDNKh). Participating in it are Russian and international educational and scientific organizations, representatives of specialized ministries and departments, major employer enterprises and partner companies which produce training and technical equipment and software and offer various services in the sphere of education.  The MISE consists of nine thematic sections representing the areas of current importance in the global educational process.

For the first time this major educational exhibition presents the higher education institution of the Russian Orthodox Church – the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies (CMI).

Among the speakers at the opening ceremony were Ms. O. Golodets, Russia’s deputy prime minister, D. Livanov, Russia’s minister of education and science, and Ms. G. Kadyrova, Russia’s minister of trade. Among the honorary guests were Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, ministers of education, ambassadors, and presidents of universities from several countries.

The CMI, along with some other major universities and educational organizations, was awarded a gratitude diploma of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science ‘in recognition of the projects for popularizing the cultural heritage of Russia among children and youth’, as well as a Golden Medal of the Moscow International Salon of Education.

After the opening ceremony, a panel discussion was held on Global Trends in Education. It was moderated by V. Kaganov, Russia’ deputy minister of education and science.

The speakers were Metropolitan Hilarion; Prof. Wassilios E. Fthenakis, president of the Didacta association; Prof. Joseph Weiler, president of the European University Institute; Regina Morrey, Microsoft senior director for work with the education system in Europe; Mr. Jean-Marc Roirant, general secretary of the Education League, France; and writer Marc Prensky.

In his address, Metropolitan Hilarion thanked the Russian ministry of education for inviting the CMI to take part in the salon and for the gratitude diploma.

He drew the attention of the gathering to the fact that a lack of education and ignorance on religious grounds lead to the emergence of various terrorist organizations. ‘Therefore, we see that in many ways theology is needed as never before. For us, theology is not just an abstract science. We want people to know the basics of their own religious tradition and that of their nearest neighbors, whatever religion they may confess. And we should know what religious sects and various perversions of traditional religions are, so that our young people, too, may distinguish between white from black, good from evil’.

Metropolitan Hilarion stressed that ‘education should be universal, not particular’ and that in receiving education, one should be not only trained but also cultivated.

Present at the discussion panel were Hieromonk Ioann (Kopeikin), CMI pro-rector for training; Archpriest Lev Semenov, co-chairman of the Russian Peoples’ Assembly committee for cooperation with traditional religions in Russia and leader of the St. Tikhon Orthodox University of the Humanities religious education center; Miguel Palacio, director of the CMI training methodology department; and Hieromonk Afanasy (Mikryukov), CMI inspector.

After the panel discussion, Metropolitan Hilarion was taken on a tour of the Moscow International Salon of Education to see various displays, including the stand of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute.

CMI Press Service

DECR Communication Service