Thursday, October 15, 2015
On the initiative of Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, an International Conference on "Religious and Cultural Pluralism and Peaceful Coexistence in the Middle East", is being held 18-20 October in Athens.
With an eye on the refugee question and the exodus from the conflict region, the ministry is calling political and religious leaders of all denominations and cultures from the Near East and Europe – Christian Muslim and Jewish – as well as academics and representatives of civil society, to join forces, adding their voice of authority to calls for tolerance in the Middle East.
With religious minorities at greater risk than ever before in the crisis zone, so is the need to prevent the existing mosaic from falling apart - an event with overwhelming consequences even for Europe.
The Conference will focus on the role religious leaders can play in conflict prevention and the consolidation of peaceful coexistence, by promoting the protection of pluralism, human and civil rights. It will also examine ways of future collective international action for the protection of all communities and building a sustainable development plan for the entire Middle East.
A press centre organized by the Secretariat General for Information and Communication will be in operation at the venue to facilitate the work of media representatives covering the event as well as the Press Conference to be held.
