Information Service of
the Serbian Orthodox Church
February 6, 2003

Archpriest Prof. Dr. Radovan Bigovic – President of the Christian Cultural Centre from Belgrade and Dr. Gregor Riesel – representative of the Conrad Adenauer Foundation held a press conference in the parish centre of the Monastery of the Holy Archangel Gabriel in Zemun and announced that a Conference Christianity and European Integrations would take place in the Palace Hotel in Belgrade, on February 8 and 9.

According to Archpriest Prof. Dr. Radovan Bigovic, the representatives of Christian Churches should open this Conference, so that on the first day the following participants will deliver lectures: Dr Ignjatije, Bishop of Branicevo Orthodoxy and Europe; Bishop Anton Stres from Maribor Catholic Church and European Reunion; high church official from Hanover Antie Heide Rotvill Reformation Churches and European Uniting. The lecturers are well acquainted with the problems that the Christian world faces in modern Europe, as well as with the religious communities. The Conference should be terminated by a round table the topic being Role of Balkans in United Europe and the participants being Bishop Irinej of Backa, Archbishop Stanislav Hocevar of Belgrade and Mr Zivorad Kovacevic, President of the European Movement in Serbia. After the talks, the participants will answer the journalists’ questions.

This Conference is first of all an ecumenical gathering, but at the same time a dialogue of the Church, i.e. theologians, and other scientists.

At the opening of the Conference, His Holiness Pavle – Serbian Patriarch Pavle, Mr Goran Svilanovic – Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Vojislav Milovanovic – Minister of Religions of the Republic of Serbia will address the participants. The invitees to the Conference are Dr. Vojislav Kostunica – President of Yugoslavia, Dr. Zoran Djindjic – Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, professors of the Belgrade University and media representatives.