WASHINGTON, DC – For the fifth consecutive year the St. Andrews Human Rights and Religious Freedom Reception was held on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC in to highlight and promote issues related to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and religious freedoms worldwide.
The principle speaker and guest of honor was The Right Honorable David Milibrand, President & CEO – International Rescue Committee. Being well-informed on the subject, he described in dark tones the unprecedented refugee crisis that Europe is facing due to the war in Syria. He spoke about the actions and initiatives of the international organization to address the problem, which he said cannot be solved on a day to day basis, but require long-term thinking and action.
Present at the event organized by the Forum’s founder, attorney Andreas Akaras, were Democrat leader Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Greek-American members of Congress John Sarbanes and Gus Bilirakis, Congressman James P. McGovern, member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, David Saperstein, special envoy of the State Department for International Religious Freedom, as well as representatives from major Washington thinks tanks, including the Brookings Institution and the German Marshall Fund.
Miliband underscored that the only way to address the refugee crisis is through both a political resolution of the Syrian problem to stop the refugee flow, and also the acceptance by all countries that they must bear the part of the refugee burden that falls to them.
He offered advice to the richer countries that refuse to accept a larger number of refugees, refuse to substantially contribute to tackling an issue that concerns everyone, saying those countries are sending the wrong message, a message of indifference to people facing an unprecedented situation.
He gave as examples countries like Jordan and Lebanon, which are hosting numbers of refugees disproportionate to their population.
Millibrand, who was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2007 to 2010, described the crisis by citing shocking numbers and telling gripping stories of children and women whom he met in refugee camps and settlements. One child told him “I feel safe when I hold my father’s hand, but I do not know where it is.”
Nancy Pelosi in her brief but pertinent remarks called Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew one of her most favorite people in the whole world and wished him many years on the Ecumenical Throne. She thanked the organizers of the Forum, noting that they strive to keep religious freedom high on the Congressional agenda.
John Sarbanes spoke about the ongoing problems faced by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which he emphasized are highlighted by the Forum, which is named for the founder of the Church of Constantinople and is traditionally presented around the time of the Patriarchate’s Feast day.
He spoke warmly of about Patriarch Bartholomew and about the obstacles that Turkey is constantly placing in the path of his work. Among other affronts, Turkey does not recognize the international character of the office of the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians around the world.
Akaras said that the problems faced by the Ecumenical Patriarchate were the reason for creating this forum and through this prism we attempt to highlight the huge problems in the area of religious freedom worldwide.
He added that the explosion of the refugee issue makes the work of the Forum more important, declaring that its aim is to defend free society, our duty as citizens is to be informed on all matters at all levels.
The event was also supported by Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Benjamin Cardin of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Congressman Chris Smith and Alcee L. Hastings, member of the Helsinki Committee, and Congressmen Trent Franks and Juan Vargas of the International Religious Freedom Caucus.
Congressman John Sarbanes addresses the guests as St. Andrews Forum founder Andreas Akaras looks on.
The post Fifth Annual St. Andrews Reception Spotlights Religious Freedom appeared first on The National Herald.