Dialogue of Civilizations Forum

The 3^rd World Public Forum on Dialogue of Civilizations organized by the Center of National Glory of Russia and the Foundation of St. Andrew was held on 5-9 October 2005. Among the participants are prominent state and public figures, politicians, scientists, businessmen, and clerics of various religions. Among those who attended the forum were: the Primate of the Sinai Autonomous Orthodox Church Archbishop Damian of Sinai, Faran and Raifa, hierarchs and clerics of the Antioch, Russian, Serb, Greek, and Polish Orthodox Churches, the Orthodox Church in Czech Lands and Slovakia, and the Orthodox Church in America.

Among those who represented the Moscow Patriarchate were: Archbishop Mark of Sumy and Akhtyrsk, Archbishop Pavel of Ryazan and Kasimovo, Archbishop Avgustin of Lvov and Galitsk, Archimandrite Antony (Lakanich), Chancellor of the Kiev Metropolia, Archpriest Nikolai Sokilov, Rector of the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachy, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, Vice-Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Rev. Alexander Iliashenko, a staff member of the Department for Cooperation with Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies, S. Chapnin, editor of the ‘Tserkovny Vestnik’ (Church Bulletin) paper, and R. Silantiev, a DECR staff member.

Archbishop Avgustin delivered a report on ‘Christian view on religious values in protection of the human rights’, Archbishop Pavel spoke of ‘Demographical policy and religious values’, Archimandrite Antony (Pakanich) reported on ‘the Orthodox Church and religious organization in Ukraine in the 20^th -21^st centuries’, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin delivered a speech on ‘the Orthodox Church and human rights problems’, Rev. Alexander Iliashenko reported on ‘Demography and morality’.

The section on Religion and Challenges of Contemporary World co-moderated by Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin and Pastor Keith Clements was held in the frameworks of the forum. The participants discussed cooperation between the religion and the state, the role of religious communities in inter-civilization dialogue, and the attitude of different religions to human rights. The special attention was paid to the place of religion in educational system and mass media.

The Declaration of the Forum reads: ‘religions more actively influence the public processes, surpassing the domain of private live. The task of the Forum is seen as creating conditions for believers to freely construct their own lives – both private and public in harmony with each other and with the secular part of society. The positive impact of religious communities, their dialogue and cooperation with each other, with the state and society should be freely evolving in the sphere of education, human rights protection, mass media as well as in the other public processes.’

Orthodox hierarchs and clerics prayed at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Rhodes Metropolia on October 9, 2005.