Bulgaria, US discuss possibilities for supporting Orthodox communities around the world
09 May 2019 News
Through their development assistance programs, Bulgaria and the United States can support the Eastern Orthodox communities in Northern Iraq and Syria, by participating in the restoration of their places of worship. That was the subject of discussion between Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva and Samuel Brownback, Department of State Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.
‘Traditionally, Bulgaria has been following attentively development in Syria and Northern Iraq and is now strongly concerned about the situation with the religious communities there,’ Minister Zaharieva underscored. She went on to point out that such cooperation is important for the Bulgarian state, which strives persistently to ensure equal rights and freedom of all religions. By way of example she referred to the small but well organized and integrated Syrian community in Bulgaria.
Samuel Brownback pointed out that such projects are important for communities in conflict zones, because they not only guarantee their religious freedoms but also provide an additional impetus for those people to stay in their home countries rather than emigrate.
Minister Zaharieva also raised the matter of the need for Orthodox places of worship of for the Bulgarian communities in the US as yet another possibility for supporting religious communities.
In the course of their conversation, Ambassador Brownback conveyed to his host the positive appreciation of the US for the persistence with which the Bulgarian Government combats hate speech and religious intolerance.
‘In Bulgaria, we do not divide people on the basis of their faith, and our government responds without delay to any manifestations of religious intolerance and hate speech,’ our Foreign Minister emphasized.
Ekaterina Zaharieva and Samuel Brownback also discussed the recent visit of Pope Francis to Bulgaria. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs recalled the large turnout and warm welcome afforded to the Pope and the generally positive attitude of Bulgarians to the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
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