Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk sends greetings to participants and guests of 6th International Forum "Dialogue of Languages and Cultures of CIS and SCO in the 21st century" (Baku, Azerbaijan, 8-11 November 2010)

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, sent greetings to the participants and guests of the 6^th International Forum "Dialogue of Languages and Cultures of CIS and SCO in the 21^st century" (Baku, Azerbaijan, 8-11 November 2010). The text is given below.

Dialogue in the modern world, often torn apart by different conflicts, is an important instrument of building up a peaceful coexistence between nations and civilizations. Our planet today is a global space characterized by high velocity of movement and communication between people. Societies, earlier separated by distance and frontiers and therefore mostly homogeneous, are interacting today, thus becoming multicultural societies.

Mutual penetration of different traditions should enrich their followers. However, we often see confrontation, intolerance, or attempts to impose one's own values and customs on the others. People should try to establish international relations that would serve to maximum good and satisfaction of lawful interests of their and neighboring nations and of the entire human family. Today, in the 21^st century, it is necessary not to repeat mistakes of the last century in which humanity has undergone horrors of the two world wars and of the weapons of mass destruction.

St. Paul commanded Christians: "If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all" (Rom 12:18). The Russian Orthodox Church is for the multipolar world and the development of interreligious dialogue. All nations on our planet should respect traditions of one another, maintain their national and religious identity and pass it on to their descendants.

I would like to wish participants in the forum fruitful work, hoping for its results to contribute to the development of the dialogue of religions, cultures, and nations.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow Patriarchate

Print publication

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk sends greetings to participants and guests of 6th International Forum "Dialogue of Languages and Cultures of CIS and SCO in the 21st century" (Baku, Azerbaijan, 8-11 November 2010)

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons