Archbishop Ioannis of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, took part in the Aqaba Summit, held on 8–9 December 2025 in Aqaba, Jordan, marking the 10th anniversary of the Aqaba Process. The summit was co-organized by King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan and Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, bringing together religious leaders from the Balkans and the Middle East.
Representing Albania at the summit were Archbishop Ioannis; Archbishop of Tirana Monsignor Arjan Dodaj; and Mr Bujar Spahiu, President of the Muslim Community of Albania. The gathering included prominent Orthodox primates, among them Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Patriarch John X of Antioch, and Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia, with whom Archbishop Ioannis held meetings. Representatives of the Orthodox Churches of Romania, Bulgaria, and the Archbishopric of Ohrid were also present.
From the Roman Catholic Church, the summit was attended by the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, alongside representatives of Muslim communities from the Balkans and the Middle East.
The summit was described as a historic opportunity to address communities with respect and brotherly love. Speakers emphasized that the peoples of the region share more than a millennium of common history, rich in religious heritage and cultural, scientific, and artistic achievements, while also marked by periods of suffering, conflict, and wounds that have left a lasting imprint on collective memory.
Participants expressed hope that interreligious cooperation and mutual understanding would deepen in the future, with the aim of serving communities, peoples, and national minorities. The summit declaration recalled the holy figures and heroes of the Balkan peoples, whose lives bore witness to the value of living faith. Their example, it was stressed, should inspire not only historical reconciliation but also practical daily solidarity and constructive cooperation. The central message of the dialogue for peaceful coexistence was encapsulated in the words: “We forgive and we ask for forgiveness.”
On the sidelines of the summit, Archbishop Ioannis and Archdeacon Johan visited the Jordan River, the site where Christ was baptized by Saint John the Baptist, as well as churches built in the surrounding area, concluding their visit with prayer and reflection at these sacred locations.
