Former Greek Orphanage to Foster Interfaith Dialogue

Reverend Dositheos from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, a title officially rejected by the Turkish state, told bianet that the orphanage building in Büyükada would be transformed into an environmental institute which will aim to foster interfaith dialogue.

Conforming the joint declaration made by prime ministers of Turkey and Greece in Qatar last week, the "environmental" did not necessarily include research only on biological and climatological fields.

"We chose this term not because we are going to research on climate and biology," Rev. Dositheos said. "In the light of Orthodox Christian theology, we are planning to aiming to establish an intellectual institution to foster interfaith dialogue and collaboration."

Rev. Dositheos said the project idea has been first brought up in 2009.

"Our Patriarch suggested the idea first when PM Erdogan paid a brief visit in 2009. At the time, the building has not been returned to the patriarchy yet," Rev. Dositheos said. "When PM Erdogan and Greece PM Samaras met in Doha last week over ethnically Turkish population in Greece, they also discussed on the orphanage issue."

Rev. Dositheos also mentioned their ongoing dialogue efforts with the Turkish government which will continue March 5 (today).

Following the Patriarchate's complaint in 2005, the European Court of Human Rights order Turkey to return the former orphanage building to Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and pay non-pecuniary damages for the Turkish government's seizure of the building after an appeals court rule in 1962. One of Europe's largest monolithic wooden buildings, the orphanage remained in ruins ever since. (YY/BM)