Maximos Harakopoulos informed the Prime Minister about the work of the DSO and the problems of Hellenism in Imvrou
“I sincerely want to thank the Prime Minister for the continuous and practical support he provides to the work carried out by the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy, about which I had the opportunity to inform him in detail. In an era of fluidity and great challenges, Greece has and must continue to have a leading role in the Orthodox world. At the same time, on the occasion of my recent trip to the long-suffering island of Imbro, I conveyed to the Prime Minister thoughts and proposals that can improve the lives of its Greek residents and the resettlement of those who were persecuted in the “stone years” of the 1960s. The above mentioned by Secretary General of the Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy (DSO), Member of the Hellenic Parliament, Dr. Maximos Charakopoulosafter the meeting he had with Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the Maximos Palace.
During the meeting, Maximos Harakopoulos presented the context of the actions developed by the DSO recently. Among them stand out:
- the initiatives, which have been taken together with other Western European organizations, to highlight the Christian tradition of Europe as well as Christian values,
- the campaign to awaken international public opinion for the conversion of Hagia Sophia into a Muslim mosque, and
- the dialogue that develops between representatives of different religions, with the aim of achieving peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding.
At the same time, Mr. Harakopoulos, on the occasion of his recent trip to the island of Imvrou, where he attended the festivities of the Virgin Mary, which were presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch Mr. Bartholomeos, shared with the prime minister thoughts and proposals that can contribute to a more auspicious future for the Greek residents of the long-suffering island.
As is well known, Imbros, where Hellenism once flourished, due to the adverse conditions created by the Turkish state, mainly in the 1960s, with the establishment of open prisons for baripoinites, the ban on Greek education and the forced expropriation of properties, lost most of the Greek population.
However, in recent years with the tireless efforts of the Ecumenical Patriarch, who is himself an Imbrio by origin, there are signs of improvement, such as the operation of a Primary, Middle and High School, with 50 Greek children in their classes. Also, permanent residents are increasing, as many are returning, even for half the year to their island of origin.
Source: www.enikos.gr
