International Orthodox Christian News

His Holiness welcomed the guests to the center of Armenian spiritual life, reflecting on the history of the foundation of the Armenian Apostolic Church, its mission in the life of Armenians throughout the world and contemporary challenges facing the Armenian people.

His Holiness stressed that the mission of the UN is important not only for Armenia but for the entire region in establishing peace, decreasing poverty and sowing kindness in the hearts of people. During the meeting, they touched upon the will of Armenia to find a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, and the hopes for establishing relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Mr. Diarra expressed his appreciation for the reception, and spoke about the activities of the UN and its attempts to address current challenges in the region. He also stressed the importance of spiritual values in the life of people. The High Representative spoke with His Holiness about the work the UN is implementing through their assistance in different spheres of poverty reduction, development and diplomatic efforts aimed at improved relations with neighboring countries.

During the meeting, the Pontiff of All Armenians also mentioned the efforts of the Armenian Church aimed at nurturing the right atmosphere in the country, and reflected on the recurring quadrilateral meetings of the spiritual leaders of the Caucasus, held on the initiative of His Holiness Alexei II, Russian Orthodox Patriarch. His Holiness concluded by expressing his frustration surrounding the lack of international condemnation on the destruction of Khatchkars (Stone-Crosses) in Julfa (Nakhijevan), stating that acts of intolerance such as these must be condemned by the UN and other international organizations, in order to prevent atrocities and similar incidents of cultural genocide in the future.

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