Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship

[ 51 ] — RELIGIOUS LEADERS’ PLATFORM — especially in times where we experience shame and suffer- ing. Initiatives such as those launched by KAICIID present us with the possibility of returning to a peaceful coexistence, and provide the opportunity to serve humankind by ena- bling us to alleviate the sorrows of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East. Please pray especially for Syria and for the brothers and sisters there who have been displaced. We pray every second for them to be able to return home. HE Metropolitan Isaac Barakat Greek Orthodox Bishop of Germany and Central Europe; Representative of His Beatitude Patriarch Yoganna X Yazigi, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East His Eminence, the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isaac (Barakat) holds a Bachelor of Theology awarded in 1996, a Master of Theology in 2000, and a PhD in Theology in 2011 from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He was ordained as a priest in 2000, and served at the Holy Cross Church in Damascus. He was then ordained as a Bishop in 2011 and became a Patriarchal Assistant until his election as Metropolitan in 2013. Our points of view, visions and initiatives should be the starting point for building bridges and creating hope