The DECR secretariat for the far abroad
The basic task of the secretariat for the far abroad is to support the Moscow Patriarchate’s relations with inter-governmental institutions, international non-governmental organizations, governmental bodies, public and interreligious associations and non-Christian religious communities in other countries and to work with compatriots who reside outside the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate.
The secretariat helps to maintain cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and international organizations within the UN system, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), other regional international organizations and the Council of Europe. The cooperation agenda developed with the help of the Moscow Patriarchate representatives in these structures include a wide range of issues, such as problems of war and peace, opposition to terrorism, extremism and discrimination of the grounds of religion or ethnic origin, as well as topical problems of bioethics, the globalization and secularism. Special attention is given to participation in the discussion on various approaches made to the implementation of human rights and freedoms.
The secretariat monitors tendencies in the development of inter-civilization, inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue on the international arena and carries out the Russian Orthodox Church’s initiatives in these areas. It also participates in developing recommendations for documents on these problems.
The secretariat is engaged in continued work with governmental bodies, diplomatic representations, political parties and the civil society institutions in the far abroad with the aim to preserve traditional religious and cultural values and ensure the full-fledged presence of the religious dimension in the public and political life of the international community and particular countries.
The secretariat is also responsible for cooperation with organizations of compatriots who belong to the Orthodox tradition and live in the far abroad. These efforts have as their aim to help them preserve their religious and cultural identity.
The leader of the DECR secretariat for the far abroad in Rev. Sergiy Zvonarev.