Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia, representing the Church of Greece, participated in the International Conference on the Armenian Genocide and the Defense of the Religious, Cultural, and Historical Heritage of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), held in Bern, Switzerland, from May 26 to 28, 2025.
The conference was jointly organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Protestant Church of Switzerland, gathering distinguished experts and leaders from theology, diplomacy, and politics to discuss these critical issues.
Among the distinguished attendees were Karekin II, the Catholicos Patriarch of All Armenians; Professor Jerry Pillay, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC); representatives of the Swiss government; leading academics; and senior figures from ecclesiastical and international organizations across Europe and the United States. Additionally, a video greeting was delivered by Aram I, Patriarch of the Great House of Cilicia.
In his keynote address, His Eminence underscored the critical importance of remembering the Armenian Genocide, emphasizing the need for historical memory and justice. He highlighted the profound and historically rooted bonds between the Greek and Armenian peoples, both having suffered similarly tragic experiences under the Kemalist regime.
Simultaneously, he drew attention to the Pontic Greek Genocide, stressing that commemorating the innocent victims is both a historical and moral obligation to humanity.
Furthermore, His Eminence called for heightened international awareness and decisive action to safeguard the cultural and religious heritage of Artsakh, which faces imminent threat of destruction due to ongoing aggression and the systematic distortion of its history.
The presence of the Church of Greece at this international conference expressed solidarity with the Armenian people, as well as bearing witness to the value of peace, historical truth, and the defense of fundamental human rights.
