Greece to hold international Conference on peaceful coexistence in Midel East

An International Conference on “Religious and Cultural Pluralism and Peaceful Coexistence in the Middle East” will be held in Athens from 18 to 20 October 2015, Greek Embassy in Cairo said in a statement on Sunday.

The conference, organized on an initiative of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, will discuss all dimensions and aspects of the dramatic developments and the ongoing regional conflicts that have severe repercussions on the region's local communities, according to the statement.

Also, it will consider the best ways to protect the rights and fundamental freedoms of the various religious and cultural communities in the Middle East, with a view to promoting peaceful coexistence, the statement underlined.

The conference will provide an opportunity for establishing an in-depth and comprehensive dialogue among all of the regional and international actors, paying great attention to the humanitarian crisis witnessed by some populations of the Mideast region within the framework of the global values to protect human life, tolerance, peaceful coexistence, religious and cultural pluralism, the statement read.

Inspired by these values , Greece seeks through its mediation efforts to reach beneficial solutions to the problems being faced by the cultural and religious communities of the region, especially at this critical time.

Among those who have been invited to the Athens International Conference are Patriarchs, heads of Christian Churches of the region and prominent politicians as well as representatives of the international academic circles and civil society organizations.

Source: MENA