The ‘The Russian-Speaking Population in the Enlarged European Union’ Conference Opens in Brussels
30.11.2004 · Uncategorized
On 3 December 2004 ‘The Russian-speaking Population in the Enlarged European Union’ was opened in the premises of the European Parliament. The Organizing Committee consists of the deputy of the European Parliament Ms.T.A.Zhdanyuk, Chairman of the International Council of Russian Compatriots a P.P.Sheremetev, secretary of the Coordinating Council of the ‘For Human Rights in the One Latvia’ Association M.B.Mitrofanov, and secretary of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate at the European International Organizations Rev. Antony Ilyin. The Conference is being held with support of the ‘Green/ECA’ faction of the European Parliament and with participation of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate at the European International Organizations. Taking part in the Conference are representatives of the Russian-speaking population from more than 10 countries of the European Union.
The major task of the conference is a thorough interpretation of the challenges which the Russian-speaking population of the European Union encounters with regard of the necessity of the full value social integration into social, economic and political life of the united Europe with preservation of the spiritual, national, cultural and linguistic identifies of their own.
The participants of the Conference got the welcoming addresses of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The first plenary session was opened by an introductory speech of the EP deputy Tatiana Zhdanyuk, president of the ECA Nelly Maes and co-chairman of the Green/ECA faction Monica Frassoni. Rev. Antony Ilyin, rector of St.Nicholas’ Cathedral in Brussels and secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate. Representation at the European International Organizations delivered a report on ‘The Role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Support of the Cultural Identity and Consolidation of the Russian Diaspora in Europe’.
The Conference will work also on December 4 and will end with thanksgiving moleben in the St.Nicholas Cathedral of the Brussels and Belgium Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Links:
- Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate sent a welcoming address to the participants of the”Russian-speaking Population in the Enlarged European Union” Conference
- His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II sent a welcoming address to the participants of the “Russian-speaking Population in the Enlarged European Union” Conference
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