wfn.org | ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW MEETS WITH U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

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

> GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
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> Contact: PRESS OFFICE
> Stavros Papagermanos
> pressoffice@goarch.org

> October 29, 2009
> For Immediate Release

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW MEETS WITH U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL BAN  KI-MOON

Visits Park East Synagogue, Meets with former President Bill Clinton

NEW YORK ? His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as part
of his Patriarchal and Apostolic Visit to the United States met
yesterday, Wednesday, October 28, with U.N. Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon at the United Nations Headquarters.

The Secretary General warmly received the Ecumenical Patriarch, and
after the two were photographed together, His All Holiness signed the
official visitorâ??s book.

The meeting that ensued was held in a cordial atmosphere.  The
discussion revolved around the issues of mutual environmental
concerns, climate change and the initiatives for dialogue among
people, religions and cultures.

In a comment to the Press, following the meeting, His All Holiness
said that Mr. Ban Ki-moon is aware of the environmental initiatives of
the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its efforts toward the advancement of
interfaith dialogue. He also made the point that the work of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate is aimed at some of the same goals as those of
the United Nations: the betterment of humanity both through interfaith
dialogue and through the efforts for the protection of the natural
environment.

Following the meeting, His All Holiness visited the Park East
Synagogue in Manhattan, where he was received by Rabbi Arthur
Schneier, President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation and other
Jewish religious and lay leaders. Rabbi Schneier offered a warm
welcome to the Ecumenical Patriarch, a few passages from the Book of
Psalms were read and children sung hymns and songs. Rabbi Schneier
presented His All Holiness with a silver Menorah as a gift.

Later in the afternoon at his hotel, the Ecumenical Patriarch met with
former U.S. President Bill Clinton. In the evening Archbishop
Demetrios of America hosted an Archdiocesan Leadership Dinner in honor
of His All Holiness at the Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park.

During the activities of the day His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew was accompanied by Archbishop Demetrios of America and
Metropolitans Athanasios of Chalcedon, Emmanuel of France, and
Ambrosios of Korea and the Metropolitans of the Holy Eparchial Synod
of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Iakovos of Chicago,
Maximos of Pittsburgh, Methodios of Boston, Isaiah of Denver, Alexios
of Atlanta, Nicholas of Detroit, Gerasimos of San Francisco and
Evangelos of New Jersey.