wfn.org | ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS PARTICIPATES IN WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT

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

GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
DEPT. OF COMMUNICATIONS
CONTACT: NIKKI STEPHANOPOULOS
TEL: (212) 570-3530
E-MAIL: Communications@goarch.org http://www.goarch.org

March 10, 2000

ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS PARTICIPATES IN WHITE HOUSE FAITH LEADERS' SUMMIT

New York, NY - His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, spiritual leader of 1.5 
million Greek Orthodox in the United States participated, with some 80 
faith leaders invited by President Clinton, in a White House Summit A Call 
to Action: the President's One America Meeting with Religious Leaders, on 
March 9th from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Following the meeting, His Eminence held private discussions with several 
high ranking White House officials.

The Faith Leaders' Initiative was held to discuss strategies for faith 
communities to provide significant national and community leadership in 
modeling and implementing new bold initiatives which will lead to 
eliminating discrimination, bias, bigotry and racism in America. Specific 
recommendations included the following broad and conceptual actions:

Faith leaders must identify and label racism as a sin (an evil that must be 
addressed)

Faith leaders must name overcoming racism and classism as a top priority 
for the nation

Faith leaders need to embrace the notion that they are morally bound to 
engage in anti-racist activities as opposed to charity programs in order to 
substantively address race

Faith leaders need to address racism within their own religious institutions

These suggestions focus on the idea that racism is incompatible with God's 
intention for humanity and therefore, that faith leaders must work to 
reconcile spiritual belief, principle and behavior.

Follow-up discussions will continue in conjunction with the activities of 
the National Conference for
Community and Justice (NCCJ).