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March 16, 2015 – Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, met with Mr. Nicolas Hulot, Special Envoy for the Protection of the Planet of the President of France, at the DECR.

Among the participants were also France’s Ambassador to Russia Mr. Jean-Maurice Ripert, Ms Stefanie Lux, adviser to the Special Envoy, and Mr. Nicolas de Lacoste, first counselor of the French embassy in Russia.

Participating in the meeting from the DECR were also Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, secretary for the far abroad, and Mr. O. Kalimullin, DECR consultant.

Archimandrite Philaret welcomed the guest on behalf of the DECR chairman, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. He told Mr. Hulot about the work that the Moscow Patriarchate carried out for the protection of nature, mentioning in particular the document ‘The Position of the Russian Orthodox Church on Vital Ecological Problems’ adopted by the Bishops’ Council in 2013.

The DECR vice-chairman stated that ecological problems should be solved on the basis of people’s education for personal responsibility for the state of the environment and this education should start in the primary school.

Archimandrite Philaret said that the desire expressed by the French Presidential Special Envoy to involve religious communities including the Russian Orthodox Church in the debate on ecological problems was right and timely.

The participants in the meeting dwelt on the moral aspects of the increasing global ecological crisis.

They also considered a number of practical matters concerning the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church in joint ecological projects and activities.

DECR Communication Service