The President of the Hellenic Republic, Nikitas Kaklamanis, has stressed the importance of respecting religious freedoms at the opening of the General Assembly of the World Hellenic Inter-parliamentary Association (WHIA).

Kaklamanis declared the opening of the 15th General Assembly of the WHIA on Monday 21 July, welcoming the over 60 members of parliament from nine different countries present.

“At a time when global developments force us to be constantly vigilant, to act quickly and in the most effective way and to work methodically and persistently, for the benefit of the states and peoples that elected us, I welcome you to the 15th General Assembly of the World Hellenic Inter-parliamentary Association,” he said.

The General Assembly, which will run until 25 July at the Senate Hall in the Greek Parliament, is being attended by members of parliament from the USA, Australia, Canada, France, Hungary, Sweden, Albania, Ukraine and Zimbabwe, all of whom will discuss various topics in the coming week.

Kaklamanis began his greetings by addressing recent issues “that have shaken Orthodoxy as a whole,” such as the questioning of the status of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai.

“It is our duty, as Members of Parliament, to safeguard and support sacred places of worship and religious devotion. To respect religious freedoms, the right of each of us to express our beliefs without fear, both individually and collectively,” Kaklamanis said.

He also attached “particular importance to dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy, which constitute a powerful resource against state, ethnic and religious conflicts.”

The Greek President highlighted the great work done by the members in promoting Hellenic culture, as well as their active participation in political events and in bridging the relations of the country where they are elected with Greece”,

He stated their contribution “is essential and important for strengthening the ties of the Diaspora with the ancestral homeland, but also for promoting the upgrading of Greece’s position internationally”.

Kaklamanis praised the participating MPs from around the world who continue to carry with them a strong patriotic element to their ancestral homeland.

He closed by expressing his belief that the collaboration between the WHIA and the Greek Parliament has yielded and will continue to yield significant benefits in the future, all across the globe.

The representatives of Parliaments around the world and the participants were welcomed by the WHIA President, Leonidas Raptakis, while greetings were delivered by the PASOK-KINAL MP, Giorgos Nikitiadis, as a representative of the Leader of the Official Opposition, Nikos Androulakis, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yiannis Loverdos, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus, Stavros Avgoustides, and the State Representative in Oregon, USA, Alek Skarlatos.