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.

Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens Concerned About Exploitation

Speaking in an interview with Greece's ERT television,His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece made a number of salient remarks:
I do not see today a Europe of solidarity;but I see more every day a Europe of exploitation.We should go back to the foundations of Europe,the departure point from where we started,with the same thoughts and the same purposes.*
The role of the Church is to speak with all people,and with those responsible for the state;because the Church is not a party,and thus cooperation is needed.As to Church property,without financial support for the Church,there cannot be the intellectual work required by our times.Indeed,the Church has filed a motion for its exploitation for the benefit of the people.The Church must be free and economically independent.*
Terrorism is one of the worst effects of war.However,we need to see the other side.Who are those who lead these people to become terrorists?*
We see refugees as people in need.Their destination has to be their homeland.However,in the future we must ask ourselves,lest the refugees become a part of the exploitation of man.

Pope Francis,Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos to Visit Lesbos Refugees

Being profoundly concerned by the plight of refugees and persecution of Christians in the Middle East,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew reached out to a representative of His Holiness Pope Francis in February and by personal letter on 30 March,the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced.In the context of this interest and shared concern of Religious Leaders,and the urgent need to assume a common initiative and action,Pope Francis,Patriarch Bartholomew and His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece will visit the Greek island of Lesbos on 16 April to meet with and support the refugees there.Lesbos is presently coping with about 3500 refugees at a reception center.
This measure and initiative by the Religious Leaders will encourage and strengthen the thousands of suffering refugees,while inspiring the implementation of appropriate actions for the protection of afflicted Christian Communities,as well as the proper response to the critical refugee situation,the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod said.