Bishop Leonid of Argentina Takes Part in World Public Summit “The New World: Latin America in Shaping a Common Future” Held in Brazil

DECR Communication Service, 17/06/2026

On 16^th June 2026, Bishop Leonid of Argentina and South America, along with other delegates of the World Public Summit “The New World: Latin America in Shaping a Common Future,” visited the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) in the city of Salvador, Brazil.

There, in the Rectorate’s Ceremonial Hall, a meeting with youth and an official reception took place. Among the reception’s guests of honour were Mr Victor Manuel Cairo Palomo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Federative Republic of Brazil; Ms A.O. Dolgopolova, Official Secretary of the World Peoples Assembly; Mr Adilson Araujo, President of the Central Union of Brazilian Workers; Mr N.S. Anisimov, member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation; and Mr Paulo César Miguez de Oliveira, Rector of the Federal University of Bahia.

Attending the reception was also Priest Roman Kunen, Rector of the Church of the Holy Martyr Zinaida in Rio de Janeiro, reports the Telegram channel of the Diocese of Argentina and South America.

The reception was followed by the opening of the World Public Summit “The New World: Latin America in Shaping a Common Future.”

Among those who addressed the meeting were Mr A.Yu. Belyaninov, Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly; Mr Adilson Araujo, President of the Central Union of Brazilian Workers; Ms Raimunda Monteiro, Executive Secretary of the Council for Sustainable Social and Economic Development under the President of Brazil; Mr Oscar Andrade Lallana, Senator of the Parliament of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay; Mr A.K. Labetsky, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Federative Republic of Brazil; Mr A.V. Andreyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Federative Republic of Brazil; and Mr Paulo Niemeyer, President of the Niemeyer Institute.

The official opening was followed by a plenary session entitled “Latin America and Shaping a Modern World: Ideas, Culture, Heritage.” Acting as its moderator was Mr N.S. Anisimov, member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, Advisor to the Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly. Taking part in the plenary session was, among others, Priest Roman Kunen.

Keynote addresses were delivered by Mr Fidel Antonio Castro Smirnov, Academician of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Professor at the University of Havana; Bishop Leonid of Argentina and South America; Ms Asmik Kosyan, representative of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom; and Mr A.I. Ageyev, Director General of the International Research Institute for Management Problems, member of the General Council and Chair of the Scientific Expert Council of the World Peoples Assembly.

“The Orthodox Church in South America carries out an important and responsible service, making a substantial contribution to strengthening civil concord, uniting compatriots, promoting traditional moral values, preserving historical memory of the people, upholding cultural heritage of indigenous peoples and working with the youth as the main representative of a future identity,” Bishop Leonid said in his speech, in particular.

Other panel sessions took place as part of the summit.

The World Public Summit “The New World: Latin America in Shaping a Common Future” was held in Salvador from 16^th to 17^th June 2026. It was organized by the World Peoples Assembly and the Central Union of Brazilian Workers. The large-scale event brought together representatives of science, culture, education, media, youth and non-profit organizations, as well as business and expert community from 20 countries of Latin America and other regions.