On November 5-6, 2024, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church headed by the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk took part in the Global Summit of Religious Leaders held in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, in conjunction with the 29th annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP29).
The forum was organized by the Caucasus Muslim Board, the Council of Muslim Elders, the Government of Azerbaijan and the UN Environment Program.
The forum was organized by the Caucasus Muslim Board, the Council of Muslim Elders, the Government of Azerbaijan and the UN Environment Program.
The forum was organized by the Caucasus Muslims Department, the Council of Muslim Elders, the Government of Azerbaijan and the UN Environment Programme.
The forum was organized by the Caucasus Muslims Department, the Council of Muslim Elders, the Government of Azerbaijan and the UN Environment Programme.
The participants of the religious summit included leaders of traditional Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Buddhist communities from different regions of the world, state and public figures, representatives of the expert community and journalists from Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Serbia, Romania, Mongolia, the United States, the EU and other regions.
The forum was organized by the Caucasus Muslims' Council of Muslim Elders, the Government of Azerbaijan and the United Nations Environment Program.
The summit opened with a greeting by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which was read out by the country's Prime Minister Ali Asadov.
At the first plenary session, the Chairman of the All-Union Central Committee of the European Commission Metropolitan Anthony read the welcome address of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, which, in particular, said: «The idea of man as the sole master of the Universe, which has taken root in the public consciousness, has turned out to be deeply mistaken». This has resulted in numerous man-made disasters, the extinction of entire species of flora and fauna, as well as irreversible climatic changes, coupled with a sharply increased risk of a large-scale nuclear conflict that threatens the existence of our planet. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church reminded that «the Creator laid on man, as the crown of creation, an important duty to cultivate and preserve (Gen. 2:15) of the earth, and not to plunder and deplete its riches to satisfy sinful desires», expressing the hope that the united voice of the leaders of traditional religions gathered here today will be heard by decision-makers and contribute to the salvation of God's creation»
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The interreligious summit was also attended by Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov) and Secretary of the Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church, Priest Nikolai Vasin.
On the first day of the visit, at the invitation of Bishop Alexy of Baku and Azerbaijan, Metropolitan Anthony and Metropolitan Veniamin, as well as a representative of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Bishop Alexy of Khvostan and other members of the delegation visited the churches of the Bakin Orthodox Church.html">Serbian Orthodox Church Bishop Alexis of Khvostan and other members of the delegation visited the churches of the Bakin Diocese: the Cathedral of the Holy Myrrh-bearing Women, the Church of the Archangel Michael and the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and familiarized themselves with the history and modern life of the parishes.
On the same day, members of the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate attended a reception given by Sheikh-ul-Islam Pashazade, head of the Caucasus Muslims Administration, in honor of the high religious figures who arrived in Baku, and in the evening of the next day they attended a reception organized on behalf of the Azerbaijani Government for the delegates of the Summit.
The members of the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate attended a reception held on behalf of the Azerbaijani Government for the delegates of the Summit.
EVCS Communication Service/Patriarchy.ru
