Meeting of the Presidium of the Interreligious Council in Russia

The Presidium of the Interreligious Council in Russia met for its regular session on April 12, 2006, at the Moscow Patriarchate Pilgrimage Center.

The Presidium unanimously approved the final documents of the World Russian People’s Council, which took place from April 4 to 6, 2006, in Moscow. The representatives of the traditional religions in Russia considered them very important for the spiritual revival of the country and the development of civil society and dialogue of civilizations.

The meeting also discussed and approved the progress made in preparations for the World Summit of Religious Leaders to take place on July 4-5 in Moscow.

The meeting of the Council was attended by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations; Russia’s Chief Rabbi A. Shaevich (Congress of the Jewish Religious Organizations and Associations in Russia); Mufti Magomed-haji Albogachiev, acting chairman of the Coordinating Center for Muslims in North Caucasus; Mufti Ramil Alyautdinov, deputy chairman of the Central Moslem Board; Haris-hazrat Saubyanov, deputy chairman of the Moslem Board in Central Russia; V. Engel, executive secretary of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia; R. Valeyev, Central Muslim Board representative in Moscow; Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, DECR vice-chairman; M. Mayorov, Russian Foreign Office special envoy; L. Golubev, deputy director of the Foreign Office department for constituent regions, parliaments and public and political organizations; N. Merkulov, chairman of the Moscow Government committee for relations with religious organizations; V. Baranov, Foreign Office senior adviser.