HOLY DIOCESE OF DEMETRIAS
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
GENERAL SECRETARIAT OF YOUNG GENERATION
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INTERBALKAN COOPERATION “RIGAS VELESTINLIS”
2nd Interbalkan Congress
“The Role of Young Generation in the European Integration of the Balkan States”
Volos, 3-4-5-6 December 2006
Sunday December 3rd 2006
Arrivals.
17:45
Departure from the Hotel.
18:00
Opening Ceremony for the works of the Congress at the Spiritual Center of the Holy Diocese of Demetrias (K. Kartali and Anthimou Gazi Str).
CEREMONY PROGRAM
Holy water rites for the opening of the Interbalkan Congress by His Eminence Metropolitan of Demetrias Ignatius.
Message from His Beatitude Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos.
Address by the representatives of the Churches of Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Moldavia.
Address by Mr. Theodoros Kasimis, Deputy Foreign Minister.
Address by Mr. Georgios Sourlas, Vice-President of the Hellenic Parliament and President of the International Institute of Interbalkan Cooperation “Rigas Velestinlis”.
Address by Mrs. Vaso Kollia, General Secretary of the General Secretariat of Youth.
Address by Mr. Ioannis Printzos, Prefect of Magnesia.
Address by Mr. Kyriakos Mitrou, Mayor of Volos.
Address by Mr. Ioannis Zervos, General Secretary of the Interbalkan Confederation of Orthodox Youth.
Opening Speech of the Interbalkan Congress by his Eminence Metropolitan of Demetrias Ignatius.
1st Interbalkan Festival of Church Music with the participation of the Youth Choir from the Holy Diocese of Nissis of the Serbian Patriarchate, Ecclesiastical School of Zalaou “The three Hierarchs” of the Holy Diocese of Orantea of the Rumanian Patriarchate and the Youth Choir of the Holy Metropolis of Demetrias.
Dinner for the official guests and for the members of the Congress at the Thessalia Conference Centre. Return to the hotel.
Monday December 4th 2006
Breakfast at the Hotel.
08:15
Departure for the Thessalia Conference Centre by bus.
08:30
Arrival and subscription of the participants.
First session
Subject: “European Union and the Balkans”
Moderator: Mr. Georgios Sourlas, President of the International Institute of Interbalkan Cooperation “Rigas Velestinlis”.
09:00-09:20
1st Lecture: Mr. Efstathios Fakiolas, Analyst in the Department of Strategic Planning at ATEbank (Ph.D. Department of War Studies, King's College London). Subject: “The Balkans and the European Policy. Challenges and Responses”.
09:20-09:40
2nd Lecture: Mr. Nikolaos Giannis, Professor at the Hellenic Open University, Athens, Editor of the magazine “European Expression”. Subject: “The development of Civil Society in the Balkan area”.
09:40-10:00
3rd Lecture: Mr. Georgios Noulas, Lawyer-International Law Expert, Consultant of the Hellenic Parliament. Subject: “The function of the national juridical systems and the European integration”.
Discussion on the lectures.
11:00
Break
Second session
Subject: “European Union, Education and Culture”
Moderator: His Eminence Metropolitan of Demetrias Ignatius
11:30-11:50
4th Lecture: Ms. Vaso Kollia, General Secretary of the General Secretariat of Youth. Subject: “The young generation creates a new European future for the Balkans”.
11:50-12:10
5th Lecture: Mr. Demetrios Pantelodemos, Professor at the University of Athens. Subject: “Interculturation, Enculturation and mutual understanding among the Balkan people”.
12:10-13:30
Discussion on the lectures.
13:30
Lunch at the Restaurant of the Conference Center. Return to the Hotel by bus. Noontime rest.
17:30
Departure for the Conference Center by bus.
Third session
Subject: “Balkans, European Union and Social Issues”
Moderator: Mr. Demetrios Pantelodemos, Professor at the University of Athens.
18:00-18:20
6th Lecture: Mr. Christos Collias, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the University of Thessalia. Subject: “The European Union new policy on security subjects. Problems and perspectives”.
18:20-18:40
7th Lecture: Mrs. Elena Timofticiuc and Aikaterini Karkala-Zorba, Church of Rumania/ Church of Greece, European Forum of European Christian Women. Subject: “Trafficking and trade of women in Eastern and Western Europe”.
18:40-19:00
8th Lecture: Mr. Anthonios Koutselinis, Emeritus Professor at the University of Athens. Subject: “Contemporary socio-medical problems”.
19:00
Break.
19:15-20:30
Discussion on the lectures.
20:30 Dinner at the Conference Center. Return to the Hotel by bus.
Tuesday December 5th 2006
Final session
Subject: “European Union and Religions”
08:30
Departure by bus for the Conference Center. Moderator: Mr. Anthonios Koutselinis, Emeritus Professor at the University of Athens.
09:00-09:20
9th Lecture: Mr. Konstantinos Zorbas, Dr. of Theology and Sociology, Observatory of Social Issues of the Church of Greece. Subject:“Religions in the new European reality. Return or Endistancement?”.
09:20-09:40
10th Lecture: Mr. Konstantinos Kotsiopoulos, Lecturer at the Department of Pastoral and Social Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Subject: “Clash of Civilizations, Globalization and Europe”.
09:40-10:00
11th Lecture: Mr. Mariyan Bogoev Stojadinov, Professor at the Department of Theology at the University of Veliko Tyrnovo (Bulgaria). Subject: “Islam, partner or opponent in the European Integration? An approach to the Bulgarian reality”.
10:00-11:00
Discussion on the lectures.
11:15
Break.
Moderator: Mr. Mariyan Bogoev Stojadinov, Professor at the Department of Theology at the University of Veliko Tyrnovo (Bulgaria).
11:30
Interventions of the representatives of different Orthodox Churches.
1. His Eminence Metropolitan of Vranie Pachomios.
2. His Eminence Metropolitan of Targoviste Nifon.
3. Holy Metropolis of Alba Iulia (Romania).
Conclusions - Closure of the Congress by His Eminence Metropolitan of Demetrias Ignatius.
End of the Congress.
13:30
Lunch in honour of the members of the Congress.
Return to the Hotel by bus. Noontime rest.
18:00
Departure for the Church of St Nicholas at Volos. Festive Vespers on the nameday of St Nicholas, patron saint of the city of Volos. Official Dinner in the honour of the authorities of the city and the members of the congress, offered by the ecclesiastical council of the St Nicholas Church.
Wednesday December 6th 2005
Participation to the festive Divine Liturgy at the celebrant cathedral of St Nicholas in Volos.
Procession of the icon of St Nicholas and his Holy Relics.
Blessing of the bread (artoclasia) and holy sermon at the esplanade of Volos.
13:30
Lunch offered by the Mayor of the city of Volos, in the honour of the city authorities and the members of the Congress. Departures.