Rome. 19 – 21 June 2025. Participation of the IAO leadership to the second IPU Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue
The Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos, and the President of the IAO General Assembly, Mr. Ioan Vulpescu, accompanied by the IAO Advisor, Dr. Kostas Mygdalis, traveled to Rome to participate in the second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, co-organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Italian Parliament from 19-21 June.
The Rome Conference – which was a follow-up to the homonymous Parliamentary Conference organized by the IPU in Marrakesh in 2023 – was attended by delegations from IPU member Parliaments, religious leaders, ambassadors, experts from international organizations, members of the academic community and representatives of civil society.
In the General Debate of the Conference, the President of the IAO General Assembly, Mr. Ioan Vulpescu, presented the Organization’s positions regarding the development of a realistic action plan for the implementation of the Marrakesh and Rome Communiques on the collaboration of parliamentary and religious institutions.
Moreover, His Eminence the Archbishop Ioannis of Zambia and Mozambique, Liaison between the IAO and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), participated as a special guest of the IPU in the opening ceremony of the General Debate.
On the last day of the Conference, participants adopted the Rome Communiqué, which summarizes the main aspects raised for discussion and makes a series of recommendations to parliaments and parliamentarians (see attachment).
Meetings with representatives of International Institutions
Meetings with representatives of International Institutions
On the sidelines of the Rome Conference, the IAO Secretary General had the opportunity to meet with the Secretary General and the President of the IPU, whom he congratulated on the initiative of the organization and agreed that efforts to promote interfaith dialogue must continue.
During his meeting with the IPU Secretary General, Mr. Martin Chungong, the IAO Secretary General pointed out that “Initiatives such as today’s that highlight positive tools for the peaceful resolution of disputes and the consolidation of international peace and security, such as interfaith dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy, need particular visibility and exploitation by decision-making centers. The IAO will continue to support efforts for interfaith understanding and the establishment of regular dialogue and cooperation between parliamentary and religious institutions and actors.”
In addition, the IAO leadership held a working meeting with the Executive Director of the King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance (KHGC), Mr. Abdulla Al Manai, and the Senior Advisor to the IPU Secretary General, Mr. Mokhtar Omar, and discussed the prospect of a tripartite collaboration for the implementation of the recommendations of the Rome Communique.
The Visit to the Vatican
The Visit to the Vatican
In the context of the Catholic Jubilee, the IPU organized a visit to the Vatican and a meeting with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Italy, Mrs. Giorgia Meloni, during which the Primate of the Catholic Church welcomed the participants and urged them to continue consultations at a political level for the consolidation of Ecumenical Peace.
In a brief dialogue with the Pope, the head of the IAO said that “As the leadership of the IAO, we will be happy to welcome you together with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Nicaea for the celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of united Christianity.” The head of the Catholic Church expressed his satisfaction with his joint presence with the Ecumenical Patriarch in Nicaea, Turkey, next November. Afterwards, the IAO delegation had the opportunity to be guided through St. Peter’s Basilica.
During its stay in Rome, the delegation attended liturgy at the Church of Saint Theodore of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and was informed by its head, Father Symeon, about the Orthodox community living in the eternal city.
