Dear Friends:

The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, together with the Pammakaristos Brotherhood of Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Europe, in cooperation with the Liaison Office of the Orthodox Church to the European Union and the European Parliament, welcome you wholeheartedly to the International Archon Religious Freedom Conference here in Brussels, in the heart of Europe, indeed, the capital city of Europe. Distinguished conference speakers have traveled great distance from Turkey, Europe and the United States to participate in a positive, constructive forum to identify the concerns of religious minorities in Turkey and propose solutions thereof.

Human rights and religious freedom are of extraordinary importance to the European Union. The cornerstone of the Copenhagen Criteria which all candidate states who seek accession to the EU must adopt is the guarantee of "…the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities." It is in this context that this conference focuses on the status of religious freedom in Turkey, a candidate state for the EU.

This first of its kind meeting has been inspired by the ground-breaking and international ministry of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. As the preeminent interfaith bridge-builder in the world today, His All Holiness has brought a spirit of mutual respect and peace-making to the interreligious arena, through the multifaith gatherings he has sponsored throughout his two decade Patriarchy. His All Holiness, a stalwart advocate for Turkey's entry into the EU, has challenged the assumptions about the so-called "clash of civilizations," and has imbued cross-cultural exchange with irenic and substantive dialogue. We, the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Mother Church of Orthodox Christianity, dedicate this gathering to His All Holiness.

We are also grateful for the presence and the contributions of the many renowned scholars, diplomats and policy-makers who will make these days beneficial for all interested parties, as much for the people of Europe and Turkey, as for the religious minorities highlighted in the presentations. As we focus our attention on the modern Republic of Turkey and the conditions for the religious populations of Alevi Muslims, Armenians, Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Jews, Protestants and Syriacs, we will remain sensitive to the concerns of Muslims throughout Europe who comprise significant religious minorities. Again, we express our gratitude and great esteem for your honorable presence among us.

Wishing you all a stimulating, educational and edifying experience in this historic International Religious Freedom Conference: Religious Freedom: Turkey's Bridge to the European Union,

Sincerely yours,

Anthony J. Limberakis, MD
National Commander
Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America

Odysseus F. Sassayiannis
President
Order of Pammakaristos Brotherhood, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Europe