I.A.O. MEETING WITH DELEGATION OF THE ECUMENICAL YOUTH COUNCIL OF EUROPE.

I.A.O- November 2015

The Ecumenical Youth Council of Europe realized a solidarity and briefing visit to Greece, 12 – 14 November 2015, in the framework of the pan-European campaign “Break the chains” to overcome poverty. The delegation had the opportunity to be briefed on the impact of the adverse economic situation in everyday life and particularly intense humanitarian problems that have arisen, which have been intensified due to the immigration crisis. The members of the delegation were Mr. Hilderbrando Flores Vargas from Costa Rica, who lives in Spain, Ms. Lina Leonavičiūtė from Lithuania and Ms. Manon Schider from France. The delegation was accompanied by Mr. Nikos Kosmidis, member of the Center on Ecumenical, Missiological and Environmental Studies “Metropolitan Panteleimon Papageorgiou” (CEMES).

The political aspect of various crises Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean are facing was discussed by the members of the delegation with Dr. Kostas Mygdalis, Advisor of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (I.A.O.) at the office headquarters of the organisation. Following the greeting message of the I.A.O. Secretary General Mr. Ioannis Amanatidis, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, the I.A.O. Advisor informed the delegation members about the I.A.O. activities and its contribution in building a culture of cooperation and intercultural dialogue among countries and their parliaments represented by their Orthodox parliamentarians, based on democratic values and principles. He also presented the texts the I.A.O. has published on financial crisis and the upsurge of political and religious extremism, calling the Ecumenical Youth Council of Europe to contribute to the efforts for strengthening dialogue between political, religious leaders and young people.

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