Stockholm, 16 – 18 October 2025. Participation to the annual Nordic and Baltic European Prayer Breakfast

The Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, Maximos Charakopoulos with the Syro-Orthodox Member of Parliament of Sweden, Mr. Yusuf Aydin

The ΙΑΟ Secretary General, accompanied by the Member of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Member of the IAO Financial Committee Mr. Ilias Myrianthous, and the Advisor, Dr. Kostas Mygdalis, participated in the annual Nordic and Baltic European Prayer Breakfast in Stockholm. The event was organized by the National Prayer Breakfast Committee under the chairmanship of the President of the Christian Group of the Swedish Parliament (Riksdagens kristna grupp), MP, Mr. Kjell-Arne Ottosson. The “Prayer Breakfast” is an annual event with the participation of current and former parliamentarians, personalities from the religious and political world, religious leaders and representatives of institutions from the Nordic and Baltic countries.

The Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, Maximos Charakopoulos with the Member of Parliament of Estonia, Ms. Annely Akkermann

The IAO Secretary General stressed: “Our presence at the “Prayer Breakfast of the Northern and Baltic European Countries” follows our initiative launched in Brussels, to highlight Christian values in Europe, and aims to promote the Christian identity of the old continent and raise awareness among European institutions regarding the role of Christianity in shaping the culture and social cohesion of Europe. At a time when the West is seeking a scope for its present and future, we are particularly pleased that this idea is gaining followers in the Nordic and Baltic countries and parliamentarians from these countries utilize these events to highlight the Christian roots of their culture but also to highlight the common Christian traditions of Europe.”

The Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, Maximos Charakopoulos with the Chair of the Committee of the Latvian Prayer Breakfasts, former Member of Parliament and MEP, Ms. Inese Šlesere

Following the Prayer Breakfast, the IAO delegation had the opportunity to meet with the Syrian Orthodox Member of Parliament of Sweden, Mr. Yusuf Aydin – with origin from Martin in southeastern Turkey – and to be informed, among other things, about the situation of the remaining Christian minority of Assyrians in Turkey, which together with the Armenians and the Greeks suffered genocide at the beginning of the last century. Moreover, the delegation had a meeting with the Chair of the Committee of the Latvian Prayer Breakfasts, former Member of Parliament and MEP, Ms. Inese Šlesere. Finally, they collaborated with the Member of Parliament of Estonia, Ms. Annely Akkermann, who has been actively participating in the IAO activities since last year and is a member of the IAO International Secretariat, as well as with members of the Greek Orthodox community who were forced to leave their ancestral homes in Syria after the massacres of Christians by jihadists.

The ΙΑΟ Secretary General, accompanied by the Member of the House of Representatives of Cyprus, Member of the IAO Financial Committee Mr. Ilias Myrianthous, and the Advisor, Dr. Kostas Mygdalis