Kiev, October 27, 2010
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent his greetings to the participants.
The main theme of the readings is “The Strategy of Spiritual Development in the Ukraine: Unity of Spirit in a Union of Peace.”
The organizers of the event were: The Missionary department of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the All-Ukrainian Orthodox pedagogical society, along with the Kiev National University of Taras Schevchenko, the Institute of questions of education of the Ukrainian Academy of Educational Sciences, the Kiev Educational University of Boris Grinchenko, the Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary, the Uzhgorod Ukrainian Theological Academy, the Poltava Missionary Theological Seminary, and the Kiev Religious-Philosophical Society.
The work of the conference is based at the Kiev Institute of International Relations of the Kiev National University and Humanitarian Institute of the Kiev Educational University.
The main issues discussed at the readings are:
- Education in the twenty-first century: continuity of tradition and innovation, cooperation between secular and spiritual components;
- Spirituality and art;
- Eternal values of Christianity and the calls of modernity;
- Christian service of mercy and questions of biomedical ethics;
- The Church’s view on problems of family and young people;
- Dialogue between theology and philosophy: arguments and cooperation.
Within the framework of the readings, a round table discussion will be held entitled, “Orthodox educational projects and perspectives for their development in the modern world,” and the anniversary meeting of the Kiev religious-philosophical society, dedicated to the celebration of Metropolitan Vladimir’s seventy-fifth birthday.
The working languages of the readings are: Ukrainian, Russian, and English. A volume containing a collection of reports given will be published at the forum’s conclusion.
