PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Karine Abalyan
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
September 11, 2009
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ARCHBIS HOP AYKAZIAN REPRESENTS THE ARMENIAN CHURCH AT WORLD COUNCIL OF
CHURCHES MEETINGS
Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, legate of the Eastern Diocese and President of
the National Council of Churches, took part in a series of meetings with the
World Council of Churches from August 23 to September 3. The meetings
involving Christian leaders from around the world convened at the WCC’s
world headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
The sessions began with the meeting of the Executive Committee from August
23 to August 25. The committee discussed the election of the World Council
of Churches General Secretary as well as other issues and topics that would
be brought to the floor during the subsequent Central Committee meeting.
Accompanying Archbishop Aykazian to the WCC Central Committee meeting from
August 26 to September 2 was Yn. Paula Devejian, Internet Development
director at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The Central Committee elected a new General Secretary for the World Council
of Churches: Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, who has served as the General
Secretary of the Norway Council on Ecumenical and International Relations
since 2002. The committee also expressed its gratitude to outgoing General
Secretary Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia.
The committee voted to hold the next General Assembly in Busan, South Korea.
Archbishop Aykazian was elected to the Assembly Planning Committee. The
WCC’s General Assembly is held every 7 years, the last one was in Brazil in
2006. The 104th meeting will take place in 2013.
Also during the Central Committee meeting, Archbishop Aykazian gave a report
about the genocide in Darfur. The Committee drafted a statement urging the
government of Sudan "to assume full responsibility for the protection of its
citizens," and "to allow uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to reach all
suffering people in Darfur."
The WCC Central Committee also issued a series of statements on violence
against women in Congo, the protection of religious minorities in Pakistan,
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, caste-based discrimination in India,
anti-Christian violence, and other issues.
"This was a productive meeting for all members of the WCC," said Archbishop
Aykazian. "I am particularly hopeful that our statement on the genocide in
Darfur will help bring more attention to this tragedy."
"This meeting of the committee was important in setting the direction of the
organization for the next several years. In addition to electing a new
General Secretary to lead the organization, serious work has been started on
examining the working structure and methods of communications," said Yn.
Devejian. "Keeping in mind the goal of unity of the churches, new ideas and
methods within the WCC can have a positive effect and influence on the
ecumenical dialogues that are taking place between the individual churches."
On September 3, Archbishop Aykazian attended a Financial Advisory Committee
meeting to discuss the financial situation of the WCC.
The next Executive Committee meeting will be held in February in Geneva,
Switzerland. The Central Committee will next meet in 2011.
The Armenian Church has been a member of the WCC since 1962. The council
consists of 349 churches, denominations, and church fellowships representing
more than 110 countries and territories worldwide.
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Photos attached.
Photo 1: Archbishop Vicken Aykazian with other participants at the World
Council of Churches meetings held in Geneva, Switzerland.
Photo 2: Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, and Yn.
Paula Devejian at the World Council of Churches meeting in Geneva,
Switzerland. The Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit was elected to serve as the
organization’s new general secretary.