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: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version: nian.htm
Embracing Diversity
An International Symposium of Christian-Muslim European Women was held under
auspices of His Holiness Aram I
On Thursday 12 February 2009, the second course of the European Project for
Inter-religious Learning (EPIL) came to its conclusion at the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia, in Lebanon. To mark the process two important
events were organized. First a graduation ceremony where the 25 students
presented their projects to the Academic Team Members and to the co-founders
and Co-Directors Mrs. Teny Simonian and Dr. Reinhild Traitler. Prof. Ulrich
Becker, the president of EPIL made the keynote address and gave the
Diplomas.
In the afternoon the International Symposium was held under the auspices of
His Holiness Aram I. The Symposium brought together academics, dialogue
experts, theologians both from Lebanon and Europe. Among the speakers were
Dr. Tarek Mitri, Minister of Information, Mr. Ibrahim Shamseddine, Minister
of Administrative Reform, Dr. Manuela Kalsky, Director of the Dominican
Study Center in Netherlands, and Dr. Nayla Tabbara, Saint Joseph University,
Lebanon.
In his closing speech His Holiness Aram I said that "in today’s European
societies where Islam is an integral part. Women should highlight the
importance of living together by accepting differences, and showing their
respective societies that Christianity and Islam can live together."
EPIL is a two-year five-module Roaming College for European Christian and
Muslim Women. The goal of the project is to build mutual trust among women.
The students travel to five cities, Zurich, Vienna, Sarajevo and Cologne and
Beirut to highlight different aspects of the curricula aimed at trust
building. The course ends since Lebanon is considered to be an example of a
country where people are committed to staying together, and still searching
models for reconciliation. Education happens through living together,
traveling together, and by learning together through encounters and
theoretical work.
The project grew out of the experience of Dr. Reinhild Traitler as Study
Director at the Boldern Protestant Academy in Zurich, and Mrs. Teny Simonian
as staff of the World Council of Churches, when His Holiness Aram I was the
Moderator.
The Lebanese module was made possible through partnership with Alwaleed Bin
Talal Humanitarian Foundation in Lebanon, the Arab Countries, the World
Council of Churches, and contributions from The Bank Beirut and Arab
Countries and many parishes in Germany and Switzerland.
##
View the photos here:
c/Photos/Photos357.htm#6
http://www.armenianorthod oxchurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos357.htm#5
*****
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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
