INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE ACTIVITY REPORT 2018 INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Activity Report 2018 INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE ACTIVITY REPORT 2018 3 INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Activity Report 2018 Activity Report 2018 INTRODUCTION TABLE OF CONTENT DATE ACTIVITY PAGE The EPP Group Intercultural and Religious Dialogue activities aim to promote mutual understanding and an active sense of European citizenship for a peaceful living together. Decision makers are called 6 February Working Group Meeting 7 to provide answers to the complex crisis with political, economic, religious and cultural implications on Initiatives of religious organisations to face climate change in Europe. with CEC 'Intercultural and Religious Dialogue’ does not mean theological discussions in the European 28 February Conference on Oriental Christians in MASHREQ Region: 9 Consequences of the conflicts in the Middle-East on the Parliament. It is about listening to people from the sphere of religion and exchanging views with Christians Communities and future perspectives representatives of academia, governments, European Institutions on issues of common interest or concern and in connection to religion and intercultural relations. 6 March Seminar on the Importance for Europe to Protect Christian 13 Cultural Heritage - Views from the Orthodox Churches The Working Group on 'Intercultural and Religious Dialogue' is an official structure of the EPP 13 March Working Group Meeting 16 Group and is co-chaired by Jan Olbrycht MEP and György Hölvényi MEP, in which a number of EPP on the roots of fundamental rights and the rule of law Group Members of the European Parliament gather monthly to deal with religious and intercultural issues. 20 March Extraordinary Working Group Meeting 17 with Testimonies of Christian university students from the Middle East and Africa 22 March Working Lunch with Ambassadors (OIC, Turkey, Ivory Coast) 18 10 April Meeting with Journalists on Politics and Religions: EPP Group´s 18 approach to dialogue with representatives of Churches and religious communities 10 April Conference on Religious rituals and Fundamental Rights 20 24 April Extraordinary Working Group Meeting on Religious freedom in 22 light of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 2 May Conference with Orthodox Churches: 24 Visit of Patriarch Philaret from Ukraine 2 May Annual Dinner with all Ambassadors of OIC member states 27 29 May Working Group Meeting on the situation of Christians in Syria 28 12 June Working Group Meeting on current points of dialogue between 29 Bishops’ Conferences and political authorities of the EU Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the European People's Party Group (EPP Group) in the EP and the Co-Chairmen of 27 June Extraordinary Working Group Meeting 30 the EPP Group Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue: György Hölvényi MEP and Jan Olbrycht MEP with H.E. Joseph Tobji, Maronite Archbishop of Aleppo 4 5 INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Activity Report 2018 Activity Report 2018 TABLE OF CONTENT EPP Working Group DATE ACTIVITY PAGE INTERCULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE 27 June Working lunch with High - Level religious Delegation 31 STRASBOURG, TUESDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 2018 from Azerbaijan EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 27 June Seminar on Interreligious Dialogue in International Relations 33 AGENDA 28 - 29 June Visit to Georgia and Conference on the role of Churches and 35 religious communities in the European Integration process: 1. Opening by the Co-Chairman of the Working Group Mr Jan Olbrycht MEP Georgia - EU perspective 2. Exchange of views with Rev. Dr Peter Pavlovic, Study Secretary at the Conference of European Churches on “Initiatives of Religious Organisations to face climate change” 3 July Working Group Meeting 39 on Victims of Ethnic and Religious Violence in the Middle East 3. Date of next meeting 11 September Working Group Meeting on Antisemitism in Europe 40 12 September Working Group Lunch Meeting 41 with Archbishop Jean-Claude Hollerich S.J., President of COMECE 25 September Meeting with OIC Ambassadors from ASEAN countries 42 5 - 6 October Churches Conference in Krakow 43 9 October Working breakfast on the Role of religious actors in Conflict 49 prevention, management and resolution 17 - 19 October XXI Annual Interreligious Dialogue in Lisbon (Mafra) 51 13 November Working Group Meeting with Israel’s Ambassador to the EU 58 28 November “Religions and the culture of peace” Seminar on the promotion of 60 Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue 4 December Presentation of the Aid to the Church in Need ‘Freedom 64 of religion’ Report 6 -7 December Interreligious Dialogue Initiatives: 66 Tunne Kelam MEP, Rev. Dr Peter Pavlovic, Rev. Sören Lenz, Sean Kelly MEP The model of “Courtyard of the Gentiles” and other initiatives of Dialogue in the Vatican/Rome Climate change is a matter for all. It is a moral and ethical challenge that goes beyond denominational and religious differences. Climate change, sustainable development, and care for creation are intertwined with the Christian faith. Thus, faith communities can and must play a clear role in responding to widespread ecological devastation and building up sustainable communities. 6 7 INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Activity Report 2018 Activity Report 2018 VISIT OF H.E. MONS. JEAN-CLÉMENT JEANBART ARCHBISHOP OF THE MELKITE GREEK CATHOLIC ARCHEPARCHY OF ALEPPO, SYRIA CONFERENCE ON ORIENTAL CHRISTIANS IN MASHREQ REGION: THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE CONFLICTS IN THE MIDDLE-EAST ON THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES WEDNESDAY, 28 FEBRUARY 2018 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, BRUSSELS PROGRAMME WELCOME György Hölvényi MEP, Co-Chairman of the Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue of the EPP Group KEYNOTE SPEECH Mons. Jean-Clément Jeanbart, Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo, Syria SHORT INTERVENTIONS BY REPRESENTATIVES OF RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS • Rev. Olivier Poquillon OP, General Secretary of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the EU (COMECE) • Archimandrite Fr. Aimilianos Bogiannou, Director of Liaison Office of the Orthodox Church to the European Union • Elizabeta Kitanović, Executive Secretary for Human Rights, Conference of European Churches (CEC) • Michel Varton, Director of Open Doors, France INTERVENTIONS BY EPP GROUP MEPS AND DEBATE • Mairead McGuinness, First Vice-President of the European Parliament, responsible for dialogue with religions • Michèle Alliot-Marie MEP, Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula and Head of the Study Group on Eastern Christians in the European Parliament • Cristian Dan Preda MEP, EPP Group Coordinator for Foreign Affairs CONCLUSIONS Jan Olbrycht, MEP, Co-Chairman of the Working Group on Intercultural Relations and Interreligious Dialogue of the EPP Group 8 9 INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Activity Report 2018 Activity Report 2018 Jean-Clément Jeanbart, Greek Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, expressed the hope that the European Parliament, using its influence, would promote peace-building in Syria through a political solution. The greatest challenge is to help the return of Christians, especially for those who sought shelter not only in other parts of the country or in the surrounding states, but who left their home country far behind. Jean-Clément Jeanbart recalled that his visit to Hungary also contributed to his aspirations. MEPs urged the European Union and its Member States to give priority support to the return of Christians to their ancient cities as soon as possible. More effective peace-building initiatives and diplomatic efforts are needed from Europe, with an increased humanitarian assistance. László Tőkés MEP, Tunne Kelam MEP, Željana Zovko MEP, Rev. Olivier Poquillon OP, General Secretary of COMECE View of the meeting room Mons Jean-Clément Jeanbart, Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo, Syria and György Hölvényi MEP György Hölvényi MEP, Jean-Clément Jeanbart, Greek Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament, Jan Olbrycht MEP 10 11 INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE INTERCULTURAL & RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE Activity Report 2018 Activity Report 2018 EPP GROUP INTERCULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE: SEMINAR ON THE IMPORTANCE FOR EUROPE TO PROTECT CHRISTIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 6 MARCH 2018 PROGRAMME OPENING MESSAGES • György Hölvényi MEP, Co-Chairman of the Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue of the EPP Group • Jan Olbrycht MEP, Co-Chairman of the Working Group on Intercultural and Religious Dialogue of the EPP Group • Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium on behalf of Committee of Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the European Union (CROCEU) SESSION I THE PROTECTION OF MONUMENTS AS PART OF THE LIVE EUROPEAN CULTURAL HERITAGE Chair: Cristian Dan Preda MEP, EPP Group Coordinator for Foreign Affairs INTERVENTIONS • Christodoulos Hadjichristodoulou, Byzantinologist, Curator of Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, Church of Cyprus • Svetoslav Hristov Malinov MEP • Ionuţ Bursuc, Expert-manager in Restoration Projects, Patriarchate of Romania SESSION II THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN HERITAGE VIA EDUCATION Chair: Reverend Protopresbyter Dr. Georgios Lekkas, Advisor of the Representation Office of the Church of Greece in E.U. INTERVENTIONS • Bishop Kyrillos of Abydos, Ecumenical Patriarchate