The Ecumenical Patriarch had many contacts and some very important discussions related to the ecological problem and the climate change at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which he attended for the third time.
On Thursday noon, the Ecumenical Patriarch attended a round table on “Striking a Green ‘New Deal,” in which Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis participated. The Greek prime minister warmly welcomed the Ecumenical Patriarch and publicly referred to his ecological awareness as well as the initiatives taken by the Ecumenical Patriarch.
In the afternoon, the Ecumenical Patriarch participated in a wide-ranging debate, citing the example of our newly canonized saint, Saint Amphilochios of Patmos, who, when the faithful came to confess their sins, instead of reprimanding them, the saint encouraged them to plant a certain number of trees and to love the nature. This example of the Saint of the Orthodox Church made a great impression on the many participating delegates.
In the evening, the Ecumenical Patriarch gave a speech during a luncheon hosted by MAVA Foundation President, André Hoffman, the WWF International and the World Economic Forum.
“Our Church, the Church of Constantinople, is well known for its ecological initiatives. Our ecological commitment stems from the very essence of our faith. The Ecumenical Patriarchate was the first to put emphasis on the spiritual and moral dimensions of the ecological problem, stressing the importance of the contribution of religion in addressing it,” the Ecumenical Patriarch said in his speech.
The Ecumenical Patriarch then pointed out that the problem could not be solved by one organization or one people only, but that all must work together, since our world is one, and the problems we face are common.
Among the participants was former US Vice President Al Gore, who first described the Ecumenical Patriarch as “Green Patriarch,” something he repeated in his speech, followed by that of the Ecumenical Patriarch. The former US vice president even suggested that everyone buy a copy of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s speech and study it.
