The Minister of Education of Greece at the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy
For official reasons and with the aim of discussing issues of his Ministry with relevant officials of international organisations, the Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports of Greece, Mr. Kyriakos Pierrakakis, arrived at Geneva International Airport on Monday morning, 2 December 2024.
The Greek Minister’s first stop was the Orthodox Centre of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Geneva. At the main entrance of the old central office building, the Minister, accompanied by the Consul General of Greece in Geneva, Mr. Alexandros Gennimatas, and officials from the Ministry of Education, was welcomed by the Head of the Orthodox Centre, His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Switzerland, who was joined by associates of this Patriarchal Institution and the Holy Metropolis of Switzerland.
From the ceremony hall, known as the “Hall of Patriarchs and Founders”, the Minister’s tour of the Centre’s premises by the Metropolitan of Switzerland began. There, the Minister had an introductory meeting with students of the Institute of Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology of the Orthodox Centre.
Subsequently, in the office of the Metropolitan, the meeting took place, during which the Metropolitan of Switzerland delivered the appropriate welcoming remarks, referred to the 58-year history of the Orthodox Centre, praised the Foundation’s contribution to inter-Orthodox meetings throughout the long journey of the Orthodox Church towards the Holy and Great Council, underlined its contribution to inter-Christian dialogue and inter-religious academic meetings, pointed out its significant contribution to academic theological education both through the convening of the recognised International Theological Seminars (1981-1996), and through the operation, over the last 27 years, of the Institute for Postgraduate Studies in Orthodox Theology. His Eminence also recalled the official or private visits to the Orthodox Centre by current and former Presidents of the Hellenic Republic, Presidents and members of Greek and foreign governments, Pope John Paul II and many other personalities, and concluded by wishing the Minister success in the objectives of his visit to Geneva. The above reports were an occasion for the asking of many questions by the distinguished visitor, while they provoked a very interesting and fruitful discussion on the further contribution of the Ministry of Education to the smooth operation of the Orthodox Centre. After the meeting, commemorative gifts were exchanged between the Metropolitan and the Minister.
Finally, the Minister and his entourage, which was joined by Ambassador Mr. Ioannis Gikas, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva, visited the premises of the new buildings and went to the Holy Stavropegic Church of Saint Paul. The architectural design of the church was particularly commented on, and especially its inspired Iconography by the late Rallis Kopsidis.
The Minister was accorded appropriate honours both upon his arrival and upon his departure.
