Thomas Schirrmacher attended the opening event of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion & Diplomacy in Berlin Cathedral as Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance, as well as as Co-President of Religions for Peace, accompanying the General Secretary of Religious for Peace, Azza Karam.
Schirrmacher met for confidential discussions with Rabbi Prof. Walter Homolka, Chairman of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, Bishop Dr. Bertram Meier, (Catholic) Bishop of Augsburg and President of the Commission for International Church Affairs and of the Committee for Interreligious Dialogue of the German Bishops’ Conference, Prelate Dr. Martin Dutzmann, Representative of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany to the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union, Bishop Archimandrite Emmanuel Sfiatkos of Christoupolis, Vicar Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis, Aiman A. Mazyek, Chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, Markus Grübel, Special Envoy of the Federal Government on Freedom of Religion and Belief and Prof. Dr. Judd Birdsall, Georgetown University, Washington, representing the „Religion and Diplomacy“ Network in the USA.
On 11-13 In October, the “Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy” (TPNRD) met for the first time in Berlin. Representatives of the foreign services of Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, the Czech Republic, Canada, the USA and Germany have been working together in this network for five years; also diplomats with the European External Action Service, UN specialized agencies and internationally prominent scientists. Leaders from Religions for Peace (RfP, based in New York) and the European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL) will also come.
Program:
Federal Foreign Office of Germany & RELIGION & DIPLOMACY
Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion & DiplomacyOpening Event at Berlin CathedralOctober 11th, 2021
Moderator Ms Ebba SchollHead of Division Religion and Foreign Policy, Federal Foreign Office
Greetings on behalf of the Federal Foreign Officeby Deputy Director General for Culture and Communication Irmgard Maria Fellner
Greetings by Christlieb Klages, Chairman of the Cathedral Council
Greetings by Prelate Dr. Martin Dutzmann Representative of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germanyto the Federal Republic of Germany and the European Union
Greetings by Bishop Dr. Bertram MeierPresident of the Commission for International Church Affairs and of the Committee for Interreligious Dialogue of the German Bishops’ Conference, Bishop of Augsburg
Rabbi Prof. Walter Homolka Chairman of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
Bishop Archimandrite Emmanuel Sfiatkos of Christoupolis Vicar Bishop of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis
Aiman A. Mazyek, Chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany
Video messages from the Religions for Peace – Conference 2021, Lindau
Greetings by Prof. Azza Karam, Secretary-General of Religions for Peace
