PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE WCC PEACE CONFERENCE IN
JORDAN

The World Council of Churches (WCC) organized an international conference
on June 18-20 in Amman entitled "Churches in the service of peace and
justice in the Middle East".

Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Ecumenical Officer) and Dr. Nora
Bairakdarian-Kabakian (lecturer of political science at the Lebanese
University) represented the Catholicosate of Cilicia at the conference.
Bishop Nareg was also a member of the conference’s steering committee.

Over 130 attendants from the various corners of the world participated in
the conference. Archbishop Avak Asadourian represented the Churches of Iraq
and Archbishop Aris Shirvanian attended the conference as a member of the
delegation representing the churches of Jerusalem.

The conference brought under the spotlight the Palestinian cause and drew
parallels between various cases of human rights violations in different
countries both in the past and the present.

In this context, Dr. Bairakdarian-Kabakian presented a paper on June 19
entitled "The Armenian Genocide: Denial and Impunity", talking about the
bitter experience of the Armenian nation and the important role of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia in the efforts to pursue the Armenian cause.

The conference launched the "The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum", in
which the Catholicosate of Cilicia will have an important contribution.

The conference ended with a visit to the Jordan River where Jesus Christ
was baptized. As a symbol of peace, an olive tree was planted on the
riverbank by WCC General Secretary Dr. Sam Kobia, Bishop Mounib Younan of
the Lutheran Church as well as Bishops Aris and Nareg.

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View the photos here:
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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.