PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I WILL TAKE PART IN 10th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION
OF THE GENOCIDE IN RWANDA
ANTELIAS, LEBANON – His Holiness Aram I is invited by the government of
Rwanda to bring his participation at the 10th anniversary commemoration of
the genocide in Rwanda, which will take place in Kigali the capital city.
His Holiness’ visit will take place from 18-21 April 2004. He will address
an international conference on “Genocides in the 20th century and lessons to
humanity”. Catholicos Aram I will also address an ecumenical worship on the
stadium of Kigali. In his public interventions His Holiness will refer to
the Armenian Genocide, which is the first Genocide of the 20th century and
the Rwandan genocide being the last.
In his invitation letter to His Holiness the foreign minister of Rwanda Dr.
Charles Murigande writes: “You stood by the people of Rwanda as they
struggled to deal with the terrible consequences of genocide. It therefore
gives me pleasure, on behalf of the people and government of Rwanda, to
invite you to the ceremonies marking the 10th anniversary of the 1994
genocide to be held in Kigali on 7th of April, 2004. Join us to reflect on
how to prevent and banish genocide for ever through active universal
solidarity”.
His Holiness will also meet the president and church leaders of Rwanda.
A high ranking delegation will accompany His Holiness during this visit. It
will include Dr. Sam Kobia, the General Secretary of the World Council of
Churches, Dr. Andre Karamagali, the director of the Department on Africa
affairs, Bishop Dandala, the General Secretary of All Africa Council of
Churches, Ms Teny Pirri-Simonian, the director of Church Relations
Department of the WCC, and Rev. Krikor Chiftjian, the Director of the
Catholicosate’s Information and communication Department.
The visit of His Holiness to Rwanda will follow a visit to Nairobi, Kenya.
The visitation program to Nairobi will include a public lecture on “The
challenges facing the ecumenical movement and Africa”, meeting with church
leaders, visit the headquarters of all Africa Council of Churches, visit
with the president, and address at the ecumenical worship.
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.