wfn.org | PRESIDENT OBAMA RECEIVES ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW IN THE OVAL OFFICE

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PRESIDENT OBAMA RECEIVES ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW IN THE OVAL OFFICE

WASHINGTON ? His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was
received today at the White House in the Oval Office by President
Barack Obama. This reciprocal visit to the one paid by President Obama
earlier this year (April 7, when he made his first overseas visit to a
Muslim country, Turkey) followed up on their conversations at that
time on the subjects of the recently concluded environmental symposium
on the Mississippi River and the re-opening of the Theological School of  Halki.

?The President with his kindness and openness received me and my
delegation with love and honor,? said His All Holiness to the Press as
he was exiting the White House.

During the more than half an hour meeting, Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew raised the subjects of climate change and commended the
President for his initiatives, urging him for an even more intensive
campaign on behalf of ecological responsibility. For his part,
President Obama thanked the Ecumenical Patriarch for his moral and
ethical leadership for all the world?s faith communities in responding
to environmental concerns. In particular, the President thanked His
All Holiness for his recent environmental symposium on the Mississippi
River and his opening address. They both shared their experiences of
the Lower Ninth Ward and their concern for the redevelopment of this
hard hit neighborhood of New Orleans.

President Obama stressed his appreciation for the unique role of the
Ecumenical Patriarch as the leader of the Orthodox Christian world,
and the unique character of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as an
institution. He expressed to His All Holiness his commitment to the
re-opening of the Theological School of Halki, citing the advantage to
Turkey itself that the full operation of Halki would bring.

At the close of their very substantive meeting, Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew assured the President of his prayers for his healthcare
initiatives for the sake of the poor and needy.

Present at the meeting of the President with His All Holiness were,
from the White House: Tom Donilon, Assistant to the President, Deputy
National Security Advisor; Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Special
Assistant to the President and Senior Director of European Affairs;
Joshua DuBois, Director of Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood
Partnerships; Bridget Brink, Director for Aegean and South Caucasus;
and accompanying the Ecumenical patriarch were: Archbishop Demetrios
of America, Geron Metropolitan Athanasios of Chalcedon, Metropolitan
Emmanuel of France, Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea and Protopresbyter
Alexander Karloutsos.

> Lecture at Georgetown and other events

Immediately after their meeting, His All Holiness, returning to the
campus of Georgetown University, gave a major address entitled ?A
Changeless Faith for a Changing World.? The Center for American
Progress, together with Georgetown University, sponsored the event.
(for the full text see  http://www.patriarchate.org/documents/georgetown_2009)

Tomorrow, His All Holiness will give another major address at the
Brookings Institution entitled, ?Saving the Soul of the Planet,? on
environmental responsibility.

In the afternoon, the Speaker of the House and the Majority Leader
will co-host His All Holiness at a luncheon in the Capitol. A private
meeting with the Speaker Pelosi will follow the luncheon. In the
evening, Vice President and Dr. Biden will host him at the Vice
Presidential Residence for a private meeting and formal dinner.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, His All Holiness will meet with Secretary of
State Clinton and that evening, she will host a dinner in honor of the
Ecumenical Patriarch in the Ben Franklin Room at the State Department.

The Ecumenical Patriarch has just concluded his Eighth Religion,
Science and Environment Symposium in New Orleans, focusing on the
Mississippi River. His Apostolic Visit to the United States has just
concluded stops in New York and Atlanta, and continues in Washington
D.C. until November 6.

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