First working day of the 10th World Russian People’s Council

The 10^th jubilee World Russian People’s Council (WRPC) is working on the theme ‘Faith. Man. Earth. Mission of the Church in the 21^st Century’ in Moscow.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia addressed the participants at the opening session held in the hall of church assemblies of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral.

Greeting from the Russian President V. Putin, the Federation Council chairman S. Mironov, the State Duma chairman B. Gryzlov and Moscow mayor Yu. Luzhkov were read out.

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations and the WRPC deputy head presented a report ‘Human Rights and Moral Responsibility.’

Reports were also presented by the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs S.Lavrov, Russian Minister of Culture and Mass Communication A.Sokolov, deputy chairperson of the State Duma L.Slizka, Procurator-General of Russia V.Ustinov, presidential representative for human rights V.Lukin, and the president of the ‘Russian Railways’ corporation and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Centre of National Glory V.Yakunin.

Members of the WRPC Presidium answered questions of the journalists after the first plenary session.

The chairman of the Russian Union of Writers and WRPC deputy head V.Ganichev; the Old Rite Believers Metropolitan Kornily of Moscow and All Russia; co-chairman of the Russian Union of Writers V.Rasputin; senior research worker of the Institute of International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences doctor of philosophy A.Tsypko; Chief Rabbi of Russia Adolf Shayevich, Mufti Zagfar Ponchayev, Archpriest Victor Potapov from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia; Archbishop Avgustin of Lvov and Galich; D.Shakhovskoy; and deputy editor-in-chief of ‘Selskaya Zhizn’ journal A.Archebashev presented their reports at the second plenary session.

Committees for different themes will work on April 5. A convention ‘Good people on the good earth’ on the problems of charity will take place in the framework of the Council.

The work of the 10^th WRPC will be summed up at the final plenary session on April 6.

• Conciliar Document of the 10th World Russian People’s Council
• World Russian People’s Council:
  DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY
• Concluding press conference of the World Russian People’s Council
• World Russian People’s Council completes its work in a final plenary session
• First working day of the 10th World Russian People’s Council
• World Russian People’s Council opened in Moscow
• President V.V. Putin of the Russian Federation sends greetings to the participants and guests of the 10th World Russian People’s Council
  To the participants and guests of the 10th World Russian People’s Council
• Human Rights and Moral Responsibility
  Address by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad at the 10th World Russian People’s Council April 4, 2006, Moscow
• Session of the 10th Jubilee World People’s Council on ‘Faith. Man. Earth. Mission of Russia in the 21st’ century will be held in the Church Councils Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on 4 April 2006
• Metropolitan Kirill speaks at a news conference in ‘Interfax’ on the threshold of the World Russian Peoples’ Council
• Metropolitan Kirill to take part in news conference ‘Human Rights and Personal Dignity: Ecclesiastical and Public Views’