« Secretary of the Sourozh diocese, took part in the work of the section “Traditional religions as part of the Russian historical and spiritual heritage” »

On November 2, 2023, as part of a thematic conference of compatriots living abroad, the work of the section “Traditional religions as part of the Russian historical and spiritual heritage” took place at the Danilovskaya Hotel in Moscow.  The meeting was dedicated to the topic “Strengthening traditional spiritual and moral values – the key to the unity of Russian compatriots.”

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the secretary of the Sourozh diocese, Archpriest Dimitry Nedostupenko, took part in the section meeting.

The event brought together representatives of religious organizations of Russia, Russian compatriots living abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Rossotrudnichestvo, and public organizations.

With the blessing of the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, the moderator of the round table was DECR Secretary for Far Abroad Affairs, Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev. The co-hosts of the section were also A.E. Gerashchenko, a member of the World Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots, M.M. Melech, Head of the Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry for Relations with the Subjects of the Federation, Parliament and Public Associations, and I.A. Samarina, Advisor to the Russian Foreign Ministry Department for Work with Compatriots Abroad.

After the moderator’s opening speech, Mufti Sh.A. Pshikhachev, General representative of the Coordination Center for Muslims of the North Caucasus, Mufti D.N. Mukhutdinov of Moscow region (Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia), I.K. Davletshin, Head of the Department of Education and Science of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Fr. Vasily Andronikov, priest of the Russian Orthodox Old Believers Church, and L.P.  Reshetnikov, president of the National Charitable Foundation "Heritage", addressed the meeting participants with greetings.

During the work of the section, participants discussed issues related to the contribution of Orthodox and other religious communities to the preservation and dissemination of traditional spiritual and moral values in the Russian diaspora, the peculiarities of spiritual care for flocks abroad, dialogue between different cultures and religions, as well as the current situation with  Russophobia in the world.

Foreign compatriots from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Romania, Armenia, the USA, Poland and China made informative presentations.

Based on the results of the reports and the subsequent discussion, the section’s recommendations were adopted for inclusion in the final resolution of the conference.

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