Metropolitan Kirill delivers lecture at Russian State Humanities University

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, delivered a lecture at the Russian State Humanities University, on June 23, 2006.

The lecture was read in the framework of the Days of Political Culture organized by the university in cooperation with the Europe Publishers, the United Russia party and the Effective Policy Foundation.

Among those present were A. Isayev, chairman of the State Duma Committee for Labour and Social Policy, Prof. Ye. Pivovar, rector of the university, and the university staff, faculty and students.

Metropolitan Kirill spoke about the Declaration on the Human Rights and Dignity adopted by the World Russian People’s Council, relationships between conservative and liberal concepts of human rights, challenges of ethical pluralism and value relativism. He also told the gathering about preparations for the World Summit of Religious Leaders and introduced it to the range of issues to be discussed at this representative interreligious forum.

In conclusion of the meeting, Metropolitan Kirill answered questions and gave a brief interview to the Russia network.

The Days of Political Culture include various activities covering various aspects of the political, socio-economic, cultural and intellectual life of the country. Included in the Days are also a festival of the Europe Publishers, a summer intellectual forum and a conference on Russian Political Culture and Formation of Political Cultures in Eurasia with the participation of representatives of the political and expert communities and youth organizations in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe.