After breakfast we boarded our bus for an early transfer to the European Parliament to participate in the seminars and meetings.
The day began early with an advance team as we left the hotel headed to set up for the coverage of the historic event. The advance team consisted of the Archon Executive Committee, the spiritual advisor for the Archons, Fr. Alex Karloutsos, Press Officer of the GOA, Photographers and yours truly from OCN. We entered and received our Press Credentials and then went to the meeting room where we began to prepare to cover the event. You will find a large amounts of photos not only on our site but also on the official site of this event at http://www.archons.org/conference/. Still photos for this day supplied by Dimitrios Panagos.
The day began with a quick video interview with a young Orthodox Christian young woman who is graduating this year from the University of Leuven and living in Belgium. Her name is Daphne Roussis who is studying Political Science. You will enjoy hearing from her in the video.
Archbishop Demetrios delivers his opening remarks on new doors of opportunity.
As we prepared to do our sound checks we learned from Nick Furris heading the video coverage of the conference that the speeches would be offered with translations in Turkish, English and Greek. The participants sat as you can see from the pictures in official desks that allow for the listening of each speaker and the room was designed in such a way that we can all clearly see the speakers platform. It was a perfect and professional set up for this important event and I congratulate the organizers of it who clearly did quite a bit of work to allow the participants to be fully informed on all issues.
We learned this morning that 70% of the worlds population live in a country that does not allow them to worship freely. There was an audible silence in the room when this fact was shared. I would say almost a gasp. Not many people know what is happening concerning the issue of human rights and now they will. We should all realize that when ones human rights are denied we all suffer.
His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel read the Patriarchal Exhortation in which His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew stated that the Ecumenical Patriarchate is committed to the freedom of all people. His
Eminence Archbishop Demetrios shared the fact that there are over 800 Archons in America and hundreds in Europe. All of these blessed people are the beloved children of the Ecumenical Patriarch. His Eminence also spoke about how this Conference can constitute an ‘open door’ for Turkey and offered the example of St. Paul who at crucial times of his ministry was presented by God with an open door, explaining that “An open door is a new opportunity for entering into unknown areas of human experience, for discovering new possibilities for enhancing human relationships, for learning new ways of co-existence among religiously, culturally, and ethnically diversified people. An open door is an entryway into a new era of understanding and mutual respect between the religious minorities and the state in which they live. An open door can also be viewed as a new opportunity for eliminating the unacceptable limitations of religious freedom unfairly imposed upon the religious minorities in Turkey and specifically on the Ecumenical Patriarchate". (Source: Press Release GOA)
Archons from around the world listen to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios as he delivers his remarks.
Rabbi Schneier relates the effects of the Holocaust on him growing up.
Next to speak was Rabbi Arthur Schneier the President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation in New York who has been a friend of the Orthodox Christians in America and especially our Archbishop’s for decades. He spoke clearly about how his life was shaped from witnessing first hand the persecution and denial of human rights to people from a young teenager as a survivor of the Holocaust. One of his favorite sayings was “I want you to live but let me live too”.
We all want to live freely and worship our God as we do. No one should deny nor does anyone have the right to deny anyone the ability to communicate with their creator. In the words of this friend of our faith we need to have “patience and perseverance”.
Please listen to some of the talks from the section entitled an Overview of the Issues and Concerns of Religious Minorities in Turkey including Dr. Otmar Oehring and Dr. Gregor Puppinck.
It was then that the most awaited and talked speaker took his turn at the podium. Egemen Bagis, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator for the Turkisk Government was then awarded a Commendation by the Order of St. Andrew and the Pammakaristos Brotherhood in the spirit of the conference of building bridges between our two communities. He was gracious in the receiving of the award.
Egemen Bagis is presented with a Commendation by the Archons.
The Minister then went forward thanking the many groups of minorities present and said that the present Prime Minister and his government have made some strides in the not to distant past and that Turkey just like all countries and their governments is not perfect but is working towards a better existence for all.
His Excellency Egemen Bagis delivers his remarks to the gathering.
Frankly from my point of view I felt a bit disappointed in his words. They seemed to be talking points and not answering the questions and legitimate concerns of the minorities. He presented a well written speech but it was filled with platitudes that we have heard for decades as they relate to the reopening of Halki and the official title of the Ecumenical Patriarch. Not once did the Minister refer to His All Holiness as the Ecumenical Patriarch. Rather he was referred to as the Greek Orthodox Bishop. When questioned by one of the participants as to why, his response again in my opinion was weak. He said, “ it is not up to me as a government official to decide which bishop is above another. These are church terms that you use”. The Minister would do well to remember that the President of the United States of America as well as other officials worldwide have no problem stating the obvious. There is no discussion in the Orthodox world nor any disagreement as to who is the leader, the first amongst equals, when it comes to world Orthodoxy. The Government of Turkey should do exactly what governments around the world are doing and that is to respect the martyred Great Church of Christ. When I was growing up I remember a song we used to sing all the time by two great singers Simon and Garfunkle. It was entitled "Like a bridge over troubled waters". I know we are trying to build bridges and the Archons are to be commended for that but let's not fool ourselves there is still trouble in the waters below that needs to be dealt with or we will still be talking about this problem for several more decades to come.
The Minister was kind enough to stay to answer a few more questions which to be frank once again allowed for even more questions left unanswered. He suggested that all ethnic groups should follow the advice of the current Prime Minister and have their young people migrate back to Turkey. I can only begin to imagine what would happen if families began to migrate back to their rightful birthplace and home. What would happen if they requested their homes and properties back? Would they be fighting in the courts of law for decades? I am afraid this is not a realistic statement. The Minister then had to leave when the minorities of Turkey were to speak for what I presume was an appointment only to reappear for our lunch. If we are in stage of improved relations it would have been better for him to stay and listen to their heart wrenching stories but he didn't do so!
During the afternoon hours a magnificent lenten lunch was served and we heard from a number of other speakers on the following topics:
The Rights of Religious Minorities under the Turkish Legal System. During this address the speaker Orhan Kemal Cengiz, Lawyer, Human Rights Defender and Newspaper Columnist stated that Nationalism is a disease that must be eradicated.
Other talks:
Turkey’s Obligations under the Treaties and Conventions
US Foreign Policy and Religious Freedom in Turkey
Listen to our recording of her message. Dr. Prodromou is a frequent guest on our program as one of our Just Thinking contributors. It was a joy to finally meet her face to face in that she has been a regular guest with us for several years and I had not had the opportunity to meet her.
Community, Government of Turkey on Religious Minority Issues
Later in the afternoon we heard from a panel Moderated by Angela Wu Howard, the International Law Director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in Washington DC.
In the evening the Archons and distinguished speakers attended a reception hosted by U.S. Ambassador to Belguim, Howard W. Gutman.
.png){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
.jpg)
Subscribe to this comment's feed
