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The work of the session of the International Secretariat of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy (IPA), which took place on Friday, November 24, in Sofia, has been completed. The House of Representatives was represented by the members of the Cypriot delegation to the IOA, Mr. Marinos Moussioutta and Elias Myrianthous. In his presentation, Mr Leonidou referred to the efforts to establish the legal status of the IOA, through the granting of international legal personality and the consequent transformation of the Assembly into an International Organisation, by signing a Headquarters Agreement with the Greek Government. It further underlines that the amendment of the IOA Statute under way aims to maximise the effectiveness of the organisation, while preserving its inter-parliamentary character, which ensures its institutional autonomy.
During the discussion on the report of activities and the planning of the next actions of the Assembly, Mr Mirianthous made an intervention on behalf of Mr Leonidou. Referring to the 30th anniversary of the IOA, Mr Leonidou stressed that the Assembly consistently promotes Orthodox principles in European and international politics and issues related to world cultural and religious heritage. In particular, as Mr Leonidou points out, the IUCN denounces at every possible opportunity the Turkish arbitrary conversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque, condemns the desecration of Christian monuments and churches in Nagorno Karabakh, Turkey, Syria, Kosovo and the Turkish-occupied territories of the Republic of Cyprus and raises internationally the issue of the protection of Christians in the Middle East. At the same time, Mr Leonidou notes that the IOA further promotes the inclusion of Christian values in the dialogue on the future of Europe, as well as inter-religious and inter-denominational dialogue for the benefit of mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence of peoples. Mr Leonidou also underlines that the two wars in Ukraine and Gaza make it all the more necessary to strengthen the role of the IOA in international affairs, in a spirit of unity, for the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Moussiuttas, in his intervention, said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing war between two founding members of the IOA is perhaps the greatest challenge facing the Assembly since it was established in 1993. At the same time, he pointed out that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is unfolding in a region that has been the cradle of Christianity for thousands of years and where Turkey presents itself as the leading power and protector of the Muslim world. In the midst of increasing tension and instability in various parts of the world, Mr. Moussiuttas stressed, adaptation to the current circumstances is required, hence the Cypriot delegation to the IYO unanimously encourages the efforts underway to amend the statute and strengthen the Convention's finances, with the dual aim of mitigating the impact of the war in Ukraine and enhancing the financial capabilities to achieve the Convention's objectives, Mr. Moussiuttas added.
In the framework of the programme, there was also a presentation of the IOA's tribute volume entitled "Saint Sophia: The Churches of God's Wisdom around the World" and the exhibition of photographs of the same name at the Church of God's Wisdom, in Sofia.
In addition, yesterday, the IOA members visited Plovdiv, where they had a meeting with the Metropolitan of Plovdiv, Mr. Nikolaos and toured places of historical and religious interest.
(The text as sent by the House of Representatives)
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs PIO
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