US Ambassador John Negroponte to attend Orthodox Prayer Service and Reception for United Nations Community October 9th - Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Council (GOAC) at the UN
28 September 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Inaugural event for Joint Commission of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas and the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches.
New York, NY – The Joint Commission of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) and the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCH) will sponsor their inaugural event, an Orthodox Prayer Service and Reception for the United Nations Community at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral (319 E.74th St.) on Tuesday, October 9th at 6:00 p.m.
Speakers will include His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America; The Honorable John D. Negroponte, Ambassador of the United States to the United Nations; His Excellency Moses Abelian, Ambassador of Armenia to the United Nations and, also invited to participate, His Excellency Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations.
The Joint Commission, in what is anticipated will be an annual event, hopes to establish an Orthodox presence for the cause of world peace and understanding, thus enabling Orthodox Christians to share in their common religious and cultural heritage.
Invitations to the Prayer Service have been extended to Orthodox Ambassadors and delegates of the various missions of the United Nations, Orthodox staff of the Secretariat and the heads of Orthodox NGOs. Acceptances to date include the UN Ambassadors of Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Bulgaria.
Members of the Joint Commission are: His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian (Armenian Church of America) and His Grace Bishop Dimitrios of Xanthos, (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese) co-chairmen; members of the UN committee event are, Bishop Dimitrios, Rev. Dr. Robert Stephanopoulos (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese); V. Rev. Dr. Anthony DeLuca ( Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church ) V. Rev. Simeon Odabashian (Diocese of the Armenian Church) and Mr. Bishoy M. Mikhail (Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, Archdiocese of North America).