wfn.org | Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew honored for environmental work

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Nikki Stephanopoulos ?
April 16, 2002

                      ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW
                    NAMED 2002 WINNER OF THE SOPHIE PRIZE
                      FOR LEADERSHIP ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Oslo,  Norway,  April  11  -  The  Sophie  Prize,  one  of the world's most
prestigious  environment  and development prizes, will be awarded this year
to  His  All  Holiness  Ecumenical  Patriarch  Bartholomew,  Archbishop  of
Constantinople  and  New  Rome and spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox
Christians,   who   is   credited   with   pioneering  efforts  in  raising
environmental awareness and linking faith to the environment.

Speaking  on  behalf  of  the jury and board of Norway's Sophie Foundation,
Chairperson Elin Enge said of the Ecumenical Patriarch, "His leadership has
managed  to  raise  the  environmental  awareness of 300 million members of
Orthodox  Churches and challenged religious leaders of all faiths to do the
same."  Known  as the "Green Patriarch", His All Holiness was cited for his
spiritual and practical ecumenical leadership in the protection and healing
of the Earth.

Upon  learning of the news of the award, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios,
who as Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of America is the Exarch of the
Ecumenical Patriarch, said:

"This is indeed a well deserved recognition of our Ecumenical Patriarch who
is  an  inspiring  and  truly  pioneer  leader  in  the  protection  of our
environment.  He  has worked tirelessly, passionately and methodically over
the  years  in order to sensitize people all over the world and raise their
awareness  and  consciousness  of  the  preciousness  and sacredness of the
physical  world  in which we live. The decision of the Sophie Foundation to
honor  our Patriarch fills all of us with deep joy and makes us truly proud
in the Lord."

The  Sophie  Prize, which is valued at US $100,000, is international and is
awarded  annually  to  individuals  or  an  organization  that  has created
awareness  to  alternatives to modern-day development or has initiated such
alternatives in a pioneering or inventive manner. The Prize was established
in 1997 by the Norwegian author Jostein Gaarder and his wife Siri Dannevig.

Ecumenical  Patriarch  Bartholomew  has  challenged  many  aspects  of  the
economic  globalization  of  our day, which widens the gap between rich and
poor  and leads to excessive consumption. Amongst religious leaders, he has
taken initiatives in addressing the environmental crisis and has provided a
theological  framework  in  which to address environmental concerns. He has
said, "To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin". He has linked
his  concerns  for  the  environment to issues of justice, human rights and
peace.

Through  his  involvement with the crisis of September 11, 2001, Ecumenical
Patriarch  Bartholomew,  whose  throne  is in Istanbul, Turkey, has brought
together  leaders  of  Judaism, Christianity and Islam to condemn terrorism
and  conflicts  waged  in  the  name  of  religion,  met with United States
President  W.  George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell and urgently
appealed to world leaders to intervene in the Middle East situation.

However,  he  set  the  tone  of  his ministry as early as 1991 when he was
enthroned  by  urging  all  Orthodox Churches to continue the observance on
September  1  of  each year as a special day of prayer for the environment,
which  he  helped inaugurate under his predecessor, Patriarch Dimitrios, in
1989,  and  in launching specific initiatives on the environment, including
three    international   symposia   that   brought   together   scientists,
environmentalists,  policymakers and religious leaders to draw attention to
the  degradation  of  the  Aegean  Sea,  the Black Sea and Danube River. He
continues those efforts with a fourth symposium this year that will address
the  problems  of  the Adriatic Sea and will lead the fifth symposia on the
Baltic Sea next year.

Due  to  these  efforts,  as  well as a series of international seminars he
convened  on the environment in relation to ethics, religious education and
justice,  he  was  honored  in 2000 by Scenic Hudson with the International
Visionary Award for Environmental Achievement.

In  accepting  the award, he said, "Our responsibility for whatever happens
around  us  is  an  unavoidable  given.  We  not only destroy the beauty of
created  nature,  but  we  also kill our fellow human beings. To remedy the
situation,  we  should  become conscious of this great sin, and allow it to
become  an  important  motivation to ameliorate our environmental behavior,
and  lead  us to a systematic effort so that our true common responsibility
may become increasingly socially acceptable."

The Sophie Prize will be awarded to His All Holiness in ceremonies in Oslo,
Norway  on  June12,  2002, shortly after the completion of the Symposium on
the Adriatic Sea.
***************************************