3 June 2016. On Friday morning, His Holiness Aram I received the members of the Committee, headed by Archbishop Mazloum, at his office in St Mary’s Monastery in Bikfaya. The Assembly brings together the religious and secular leadership of all Christian Communities in the Middle East and aims at strengthening relationships between the various Christian communities and defending their rights in the region. Very Rev Housing Mardirossian and Dr Jean Salmanian represent the Catholicosate of Cilicia on the Committee.

After a brief introduction of their work, the members of the Committee asked His Holiness about his recent contacts with different organs of the United Nations. He told them that he had explained the significance of the Christian presence in the Middle East and had emphasized the urgency of protecting Christians and the necessity of overcoming the threat of fundamentalism. The Catholicos then expressed his appreciation of the work of the Assembly and encouraged the members of the Committee to continue advocating the Christian presence in the Middle East.