Diocesan Legate Attends World Religions Summit in Canada
21 July 2010
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Legate of the Eastern Diocese, represented the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the National Council of Churches at the World Religions Summit in Winnipeg, Canada.
The three-day gathering, held June 21-23, was scheduled on the eve of the G8 and G20 summits taking place in Muskoka and Toronto, Canada, at the end of June. (The Group of Eight and Group of Twenty meetings bring together government leaders and finance ministers to review global issues and international economic development).
About 80 religious leaders, from more than 20 countries, took part in the World Religions Summit, which focused on reducing global poverty, addressing climate change, and improving global security.
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, and a founder and current president of the Middle East Council of Churches, represented the See of Cilicia, accompanied by Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian and Archbishop Khajag Hagopian.
At the summit, the Armenian Church's Diocese of Canada was represented by its Primate, Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, accompanied by Dn. Hagop Arslanian.
The three focus areas—poverty, climate change, and global security—reflect the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2000. Religious leaders called on governments to pay particular attention to these issues in the coming years. The deadline for achieving the goals, as set by the UN member states, is 2015.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, participants emphasized that through cooperation and perseverance communities and governments can affect change worldwide.
"In our diverse faith traditions, we have rich histories and powerful dreams of ending poverty, caring for the Earth, and being peace-builders," the statement reads. "While recognizing efforts already made to address many of these challenges, we expect government representatives to set aside short-term agendas and work together for a future that allows all people on this planet to thrive."
Through a series of lectures and workshops, religious leaders spoke about ways countries might establish development assistance programs, improve educational opportunities for children, reduce environmental damage, and prevent military aggression. Representatives of the Christian, Bahá'í, Aboriginal, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Shinto, and Sikh religious traditions took part in the sessions.
"Our faith traditions are steeped in the promotion of love for one another and deep respect for all humankind; peace and justice walk hand in hand," they wrote in the joint statement. "Our most inspiring teachings are stories of reconciliation and compassion. We will collaborate to create paths of peaceful and sustainable coexistence."
Archbishop Aykazian said the three-day event provided a forum for rich discussions among the world's religious leaders, and encouraged participants to synthesize ideas in a way that might be useful to government officials and other policy makers.
All sessions were held at the University of Winnipeg in Manitoba.
