Patriarch Bartholomew Gives Keynote Address at International Ecological Symposium

On 5 June 2018,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gave the keynote address at the International Ecological Symposium "Toward a Greener Attica:Preserving the Planet and Protecting its People" at the Acropolis Museum in Athens.The Symposium runs from 5-8 June in The Saronic Islands of Greece.Participating in the discussions are theologians,scientists,political and business leaders,and journalists worldwide.The aim of the Symposium is to explore the pressing environmental problems of the region and its lands;and to examine the connections between the ecology and economy-especially in the context of critical social and environmental challenges that we face today.*
Among those participating are:
Gayle Woloschak,Northwestern University;Juliet Eilperin,The Washington Post;Raj Patel,author and activist;His Eminence Metropolitan John of Pergamon (Ecumenical Patriarchate),eminent theologian;Constantine Triantafillou,International Orthodox Christian Charities;John Cardinal Olorunfemi Onaigekan,Roman Catholic Archbishop of Abuja,Nigeria;Rt.Rev. Marc Andrus,Episcopal Bishop,Diocese of California;Konstantina E. Botsiou,Associate Professor of Modern History and International Politics,University of the Pelopennese;Peter Bouteneff,St.Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary;Tamara Grdzelidze,Ambassador of the Republic of Georgia to the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta;Sister Nectaria McLees,editor of Road to Emmaus:A Journal of Orthodox Faith and Culture,Serbian Orthodox nun;Marlise Simons,The New York Times; and Olav Fyske Tveit,General Secretary,World Council of Churches.*
Sponsors of the Symposium,besides the Ecumenical Patriarchate,include:
Holy Vatopedi Monastery,Mt.Athos,Greece;TITAN Company (Greece) S.A.;Southern New Hampshire University;IMERYS Industrial Minerals Greece S.A.;and Kyvernitis Travel S.A.*
Here are some of Patriarch Bartholomew's thoughts from his address:
The ecological crisis has revealed that our world constitutes a seamless whole,that our problems are universally shared.This means that no initiative or institution,no nation or corporation,neither science nor technology,are in a place to respond to the ecological crisis alone,without working closely together.*
The destruction of the natural environment can only be reversed through a radical change of our perspective towards nature that results from a radical change of our self-understanding as human beings.*
For the Orthodox Church,creation care-the preservation of nature and the protection of all people-emanates from the essence of our faith.Any kind of alienation between human beings and nature is a distortion of Christian theology and anthropology. *
May this symposium be an opportunity for inspiration,conversation and transformation.Our aim is to advance a collaborative response to the ecological crisis while advocating for a sustainable planet and socuial justice for humanity as a sacred legacy for all people,especially our children

Ecumenical Patriarchate/Region of Attica,Greece Co-sponsoring Major Environmental Gathering

From 5-8 June 2018 on the Saronic Islands of Attica,Greece will be held the environmental symposium "A Green Attica for a Sustainable Environment - Preserving the Planet and Protecting Its People."Theologians,scientists,political and business leaders,activists and journalists of the international community will convene to explore pressing environmental problems of the region and its islands,examining the connections between ecology and economy,particularly in the context of pressing social and environmental challenges of our time,according to the official announcement of the symposium signed by His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople,leader of the world's Orthodox Christians.*
The President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos will attend;while the President of the Republic of France Emmanuel Macron has been invited to open the symposium of about 250 governmental,environmental and religious leaders.Both the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Region of Attica have spearheaded the international dialogue on the environmental dilemma and interrelated social problems,including the refugee crisis.The parties aim to affirm a collaborative response to the ecological crisis;while advocating a sustainable planet as a sacred legacy for all people and especially our children,the communique explained.*
The Hellenic Republic Region of Attica,with a population of 3,750,000,consists of the Athens Metropolitan Area,plus several other nearby cities and islands of East Central Greece.Official hosts of the symposium are Patriarch Bartholomew and Irene "Rena" Dourou,Governor of the Region of Attica.Ms.Dourou has a Master's degree in Political Science and has served twice in the Greek Parliament.A member of the ruling Syriza Party,she is also a member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.Ms.Dourou has been selected as an Alternate Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy,which promotes the principles of Christianity and democracy among parliamentarians.