HIS HOLINESS ARAM I CHAIRS THE G8 PREPARATORY
MEETING IN ROME
Upon the invitation of the organizers, His Holiness Aram I chaired the deliberative sessions of the G8 Preparatory Meeting on Wednesday 17th June. In his brief introduction he urged the participants to work together in order to overcome the current economic crisis. He said, “We should treat the problems holistically because political, economic, social issues and religion are interrelated”.
He then invited the participants to share the priority concerns of their regions. The Japanese representative spoke of the proliferation of nuclear weapons; the Africans asked industrialized countries to assist them to eradicate poverty and to help them halt the HIV/Aids pandemic; the main issue for the representatives of Europe and North America was the influx of refugees from other regions into their countries; the participants also discussed global warming and the question of security. In its final declaration, the participants identified the credit crunch with its repercussions and security as the two issues affecting the daily lives of many peoples.
The meeting was concluded with a press conference, which was led by Catholicos Aram I and included two other representatives.
For the final declaration of the Meeting click the following link:
http://www.g8italia2009.it/static/G8_Allegato/leader_religiosi,1.pdf
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I MEETS THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ITALY, ECUMENICAL REPRESENTATIVES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF OTHER WORLD RELIGIONS
His Excellency Franco Frattini had a private meeting with His Holiness Aram I during the G8 Preparatory Meeting in Rome. At this meeting, His Excellency Frattini and His Holiness Aram I discussed the situation in the Middle East with special reference to recent developments in Iran and Israel, and post legislative elections in Lebanon, issues that the Ambassador of Italy to Lebanon had raised earlier with the Catholicos.
At the end of the meeting, His Holiness Aram I offered the Minister a book on the Armenian Genocide.
On this occasion Catholicos Aram I also met with the representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Moscow Patriarchate, EKD (Germany), the Canadian Council of Churches, and the General Secretary of World Conference of Religions for Peace.
“WITHOUT THE CONTRIBUTION OF RELIGIONS, POLITICAL,
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL APPROACHES WILL NOT RESOLVE THE CURRENT CRISIS”
States Aram I to President Giorgio Napolitano of Italy
06/17/2009
His Holiness Aram I arrived in Rome on Tuesday 16 June and was met at the airport by his hosts, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ambassador of Lebanon to Italy. Around one hundred religious leaders or their representatives were invited to attend the G8 Preparatory Meeting. Before the official opening, the participants paid a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano. His Holiness Aram I greeted the President on behalf of the participants and said that without involving religions, political, economic and social approaches will not solve the current economic crisis. In his response, the President described the forthcoming G8 meeting as crucial for the future of the world.
The G8 Preparatory Meeting of Religious Leaders was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. Speaking as a Christian religious leader to the Opening Plenary, His Holiness welcomed this initiative and urged all religions to work together in overcoming the current economic crisis and its repercussions on people and the environment. After his address, representatives of Islam, Judaism and Buddhism took the floor.
At the end of the meeting, the participants will issue a statement addressing the government ministers of the G8 Summit.
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I WILL ADDRESS THE G8 SUMMIT 2009,
DURING A PREPARATORY MEETING IN ROME
Italy will host the G8 Summit of the world’s major industrialized nations consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The G8 was established in 1975 as an informal forum for Heads of Governments to discuss mutual or global concerns. Some of the topics discussed by ministers are: health, economic and social development, environment, foreign affairs, and justice.
This Summit in Italy is crucial because of the challenges posed by the global economic crisis. On this occasion, the Italian Government, in cooperation with the Roman Catholic Church have invited a small group of religious leaders representing the major world religions to address the agenda of the Summit.
His Holiness Aram I will be the only religious leader from the Middle East and will speak during the opening session. The topic of his presentation will be “The Role of Religion in addressing the current economic crisis and its repercussions on people and the earth.”