03/06/2026
H.E. Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden’s Presentation
at the Interreligious Dialogue and Peace
“Building bridges,”
organized by the European Institute of International Studies
Stiftsgården Marielund, Stockholm, June 2nd, 2026
Topic: “Religious Leaders as Promoters of Peace in Sweden”
Your Eminence Cardinal Anders Arborelius,
Your Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Elaia,
Reverend Members of the Clergy,
Distinguished Guests,
Dear Participants,
It is a great honor to join the European Institute of International Studies’ conference and participate in the final panel on “Conclusions: Religious Leaders as Promoters of Peace in Sweden.”
I am deeply grateful for the invitation addressed to me by the Institute on April 30th, 2026, and wholeheartedly thank the organizers for giving me the opportunity to present the Holy Metropolis of Sweden and All Scandinavia’s ministry and reflect on possible approaches to the topics under discussion.
1. The Holy Metropolis of Sweden and All Scandinavia – a Missionary Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Holy Metropolis was established in 1969, under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
When I was enthroned at the St. George Cathedral of Stockholm, on June 14th, 2014, I quickly realized that the Greek-Orthodox presence in Scandinavia was still comparatively young. Mass migration to Sweden and the Nordic countries only accelerated from the 1960s, meaning that our communities did not yet enjoy the institutional maturity of older diasporas.
Drawing upon my 22-year priestly in America, we launched new ministries in Scandinavia, emphasizing youth programs, cultural initiatives, renovation projects and digital outreach.
Since 2014, we have established Sunday Schools, Philoptochos and Youth Departments in every parish and offer classes in iconography, Byzantine music, and other creative activities.
Our youth programs go beyond catechesis; they cultivate solidarity through the Philoptochos/Charity Ladies Society, whose president Mrs. Fotini Batsela emphasizes that almsgiving is love made tangible.
Youth and catechumens meet every second Thursday at the Cathedral, and all our parishes, for presentations on prayer and spiritual challenges, and once a month we serve Vespers and the Divine Liturgy entirely in Swedish, so that young Scandinavians can participate fully.
In October 2025, we launched the “Greek Orthodox Youth of Scandinavia” (GOYS) for middle and high school students; this group organizes volunteering at a Sandwich Factory for the homeless, book sales, board games, prosphoron/holy bread baking and an annual summer camp.
We also provide young physicians and teachers to run Sunday School, while our Byzantine choir offers training for those interested in the liturgical arts.
Two volunteer legal advisers, Mr. Rafail Poumeyrau and Mr. Fredrik Styrlander, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, helped restructure all our parishes in Sweden under unified governance in 2024–25, ensuring that they have tax IDs and bank accounts and comply with local law.
These programs reflect our conviction that youth are not only the future, but the present of the Church, and that volunteerism and social service cultivate peace.
Our clergy and laity receive ongoing formation. Since 2015, the Holy Metropolis has organized annual “Priestly Vocation Seminars” at the Stockholm Cathedral and at the Saint Nicholas Hermitage in Rättvik.
These seminars gather clergy and candidates for the priesthood, to reflect on priorities and challenges in a changing world, to study chant and liturgy, to discuss parish organization, youth ministry, legal obligations and fundraising.
Speakers have included theology students, cantors, lay leaders of the Philoptochos Society, ecumenical guests and prominent priests from Greece and the United States.
The seminars emphasize the ecumenical dimension of priestly ministry, the need for dialogue with other confessions and the importance of involving youth and lay volunteers in parish life. They have strengthened the clergy’s pastoral skills and encouraged a missionary spirit that embraces all nations.
In the last twelve years, our missionary Eparchy has witnessed promising signs of growth. We have celebrated 135 adult baptisms and 151 chrismations since 2014. The interest in Orthodox Christianity has spread among both immigrants and native Scandinavians, and we have organized worship in the languages of the four Nordic nations, together with Greek and English.
A trilingual edition of the Divine Liturgy in Greek, English and Swedish, has been published to serve this diversity and numerous catechetical materials have been produced in local languages. Our parishes are being planted in cities across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, and we joyfully welcome visitors from all backgrounds to experience the beauty of our faith.
Catechetical meetings for catechumens and newly illumined faithful are held every other Thursday in English, at the Stockholm Cathedral and all our parishes, as well as online for those across Scandinavia.
Participants receive catechetical books in Greek, English, Swedish and Norwegian, and are taught that mission is integral to the Church’s life, both externally and internally. Through these meetings and our public preaching, we remind our listeners that Orthodoxy cannot remain an ethnic enclave but is for all peoples.
Our missionary outreach extends to Swedish and other European cities where Greek families had long lacked pastoral care; for example, in Kalmar more than 300 Greek families converted to Jehovah’s Witnesses before we established the parish of Apostle Cleopas.
Since my installation, we have founded thirteen (13) new parishes across Scandinavia, published a trilingual edition of the Divine Liturgy, and reopened the St. Nicholas Hermitage in Rättvik and the church of St Bartholomew in Reykjavík. These initiatives show that Diaspora and mission are inseparable; while we care for Hellenism abroad, we also bring the light of Christ to all nations.
The Metropolis is hosted at the St. George Cathedral on Birger Jarlsgatan in Stockholm. Recognizing the need to protect and renew this neo-Gothic landmark, we launched a complete renovation of the Cathedral – the first since its construction in 1889.
Our goal has been for the Cathedral to continue to serve as a center of spiritual reconciliation and coexistence, and a point of reference for the development of inter-Orthodox, inter-denominational and interfaith dialogue.
The renovation included the creation of the Museum of Hellenic-Christian Heritage, of a library, and parish offices, all dedicated by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, during his 2019 visit.
The museum displays icons and historical artefacts, offering visitors a tangible connection to the Christian heritage that shaped Scandinavia.
The Saint George Cathedral itself is not only a protected architectural jewel, but also the spiritual harbour of faith and hope for thousands of Greek Orthodox and native Scandinavians. In the words of our anniversary publication, it is the place where “prayer, memory, hope and community encounter one another”, a beacon of Orthodoxy for the whole of Scandinavia.
Since the first Divine Liturgy in Greek was celebrated there on May 2nd, 1976, generations of children have been baptised, couples have been married and funeral and national services have been held.
The Cathedral offers a point of reference for inter-Orthodox, inter-Christian and inter-religious dialogue; it hosts concerts, lectures, seminars and exhibits, that present our cultural heritage to visitors.
A month ago, we celebrated fifty years since the transfer of this neo-Gothic church from the Catholic Apostolic Church to our Metropolis. A commemorative volume honors the pioneers who labored for this transition, and we continue their legacy by opening the Cathedral to all people without exception, embracing them with love, discernment and respect.
Our partnership with the Apostoliki Diakonia of the Church of Greece has enabled us to publish ten studies that support our missionary work, including children’s books like The Story of a Little Angel (2018), a Swedish translation of the Divine Liturgy (2018), historical studies on Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis and Fr. Eusevios Vittis, and volumes on the history of the Metropolis and the Saint George Cathedral itself.
These publications, together with our annual pocket calendar, are distributed to visitors and dignitaries as blessings and educational tools.
We express heartfelt thanks to the Director General of the Apostoliki Diakonia, His Excellency Metropolitan Agathangelos of Fanarion, whose sacrificial care has provided invaluable support to our missionary Eparchy.
Our ministry also extends far beyond Stockholm. When Swedish educators visited the Cathedral in April 2023, we briefed them on the missionary work conducted across Sweden and the other nations of our jurisdiction, including our pastoral ministries in parishes throughout the region.
We explained how the trilingual liturgy and catechetical materials support the inclusion of migrants and converts.
Similarly, our regular meetings of catechumens and newly illumined faithful gather participants from a wide range of countries and cultural backgrounds; these meetings are held in English to accommodate diversity and are streamed online, so that those outside Stockholm may join.
Each participant receives catechetical books in Greek and English, offered by our partners and donors.
Our pastoral visits take us even to the Arctic Circle. In March 2022, we travelled 1,000 kilometers north to the Transfiguration of Christ Missionary Community in Överkalix. There we presided over at the Great Compline and delivered a homily encouraging the faithful, celebrated an Archieratical Divine Liturgy in Greek, Swedish, English, Slavonic and Finnish, and met youth for open dialogue.
Representatives from the local Lutheran faith-based community and municipal leaders attended the Divine Liturgy, illustrating our commitment to inter-Christian cooperation. We support our remote missions morally and financially, providing them with books and material to nurture their spiritual life.
Our pastoral journeys also strengthen the cohesion of the Greek Diaspora. During an archpastoral visit to Oslo in March 2017, we encouraged Hellenic organizations to work together, affirming that “unity must serve as the fundamental principle behind the common efforts of all Hellenic organizations without exception … In unity there is strength”.
We met with youth and discussed the special challenges facing young Greek migrants in Norway, emphasising that the Church stands as a spiritual home for all who seek faith and fellowship.
Volunteerism remains at the heart of our Metropolis. In April 2026, we welcomed two new volunteer clergy members; Rev. Fr Andrii Pinchuk to serve Ukrainian-speaking faithful in Norway and Rev. Dr. Christian Krister Tano, a physician and theologian, to shepherd a newly established parish dedicated to St. Tychon in Luleå.
Their selfless offerings illustrate how lay and ordained volunteers strengthen the Church’s mission and expand our pastoral reach. Indeed, many of our ministries rely on volunteers, whose dedication ensures that our limited resources can nurture numerous souls.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of our ministries. Besides clergy and youth, laity offers their professional skills pro bono: physicians teach Sunday School; musicians chant and instruct Byzantine music; lawyers restructure parish By-Laws; and families host guests.
The Philoptochos Ladies Society, under Mrs. Fotini Batsela’s energetic leadership, prepares meals for dignitaries and the needy, organizes charity drives and coordinates receptions for our numerous visitors.
Our vision for the future includes establishing a Spiritual Multi‑Center on Metropolis property, featuring spaces for events, concerts, lectures, a library, guest rooms and courses in Byzantine music, iconography and traditional dance.
We also plan to create an Environmental Studies and Research Center, to respond to climate change and highlight the ecological vision of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, known as the “Green Patriarch”. These projects underscore our commitment to holistic education, cultural diplomacy and environmental stewardship.
2. Commitment to Inter-denominational and Interfaith Dialogue
The Holy Metropolis of Sweden belongs to a society that values pluralism and multiculturalism. Our call is to witness to Christ while cultivating respectful relations with other Christian denominations and faiths.
When the Apostolic Nuncio to Sweden invited me to a Thanksgiving Mass, in May 2024, honouring Pope Francis’ eleven-year pontificate, I gladly attended, accompanied by parishioners.
The Nuncio thanked our Metropolis for our presence at this Roman Catholic celebration, which followed an archieratical concelebration at our own Cathedral. This mutual courtesy demonstrates how mutual hospitality fosters understanding and breaks down barriers.
As Vice-President of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), I spent five years working with Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox colleagues across Europe. At the conclusion of my term in June 2023, I noted that I was blessed to forge new friendships, interact with diverse religious leaders and stakeholders, and increase my understanding of the challenges that church leaders, religious communities and nations must address.
I stressed that dialogue and solidarity are at the heart of the Christian faith; just as the Resurrection follows the Crucifixion, our journey demands both sacrifice and mutual support. Such ecumenical cooperation helps us address migration, social justice, environmental stewardship and peace.
The topics we placed on the agenda for our first Clergy-Laity Synaxis, in 2019, reflected these priorities. Delegates were asked to prepare workshops on refugeeism and migration, the role of the parish in local society, Greek education in Scandinavia, philanthropy, digital ministry, inter-Orthodox and inter-denominational relations, environmental stewardship and youth participation.
We invited representatives from the Royal Palace of Sweden, the governments of Sweden, Greece and Cyprus, the Lutheran Church of Sweden, the Syriac Aramean community, the Roman Catholic Diocese, the Coptic Diocese, local universities and Greek cultural organizations.
In so doing, we signaled that the Orthodox Church does not operate in isolation; rather, we collaborate with civil and religious actors, to promote the common good.
Visits from educators and students testify to this openness. In April 2023, eighty retired Swedish professors and teachers visited our Cathedral as part of their annual tour of churches. We briefed them on our missionary work and responded to their questions about differences between Orthodoxy, Lutheranism and Roman Catholicism. Afterwards they toured the museum and received trilingual editions of the Divine Liturgy.
Similarly, on the First Sunday of Lent, in March 2025, and a few weeks ago, a delegation of twenty-six students from the 1st General Lyceum of Kifissia, Athens, attended the Divine Liturgy at St. George Cathedral. I addressed them on the importance of prayer as spiritual oxygen and urged them to strive for excellence.
A Lenten refreshment followed at the Museum of Hellenic Christian Heritage, and the students engaged in an enthusiastic dialogue about their future academic pursuits. These interactions form the basis for long-term understanding and social cohesion.
Our pastoral work also engages Swedish society during major feasts. During the feast of St. George in April 2023, our church services and concerts gathered faithful, dignitaries and youth from Sweden, Norway and Finland.
The celebrations concluded with a paschal concert performed by the Cathedral’s youth, featuring traditional Greek and Capadocian songs. The services were streamed live to reach those unable to be present. Such events showcase how liturgical life can inspire cultural exchange and remind Swedish society that faith communities contribute to the nation’s artistic and moral heritage.
The Cathedral’s vibrancy is reflected in the countless dignitaries who have crossed its threshold. Ambassadors of Greece and Cyprus, members of the Swedish Parliament, mayors, professors, musicians, hierarchs from the Syriac, Coptic and Assyrian churches, Roman Catholic nuncios, Lutheran bishops, and delegations of students regularly visit.
They tour the church, library and Museum of Hellenic‑Christian Heritage, learn about the restoration project and our missionary activity, and receive our publications as blessings.
Meals organized by the Philoptochos Ladies Society and guided tours of Stockholm foster friendship and cultural exchange. The Cathedral has hosted meetings of the Orthodox–Roman Catholic dialogue committee (2015), the Orthodox–Lutheran dialogue committee (2015), and visits from committees of the Church of Sweden and the Vatican.
Such encounters illustrate how religious leaders promote peace by offering hospitality, sharing cultural treasures and engaging in substantial dialogue.
Our presence in the mass media complements these personal encounters. I have given numerous interviews in Greek and English to Greek broadcasters and to the Swedish newspaper Dagen and Swedish TV station SVT, highlighting the Metropolis’ pastoral and missionary work. We view the media as a platform to share the Gospel and build bridges of understanding.
In June 2020, we launched the Metropolis Podcast, a series of 30–45‑minute episodes, covering spiritual, cultural and informational topics. Guests have included clergy discussing their vocations and the pandemic, surgeons who combine chant and medicine, parish leaders describing the Ecumenical Patriarch’s visits to Oslo, neuropsychiatrists, philanthropists, composers and representatives of various associations.
We also encourage all parishes to maintain pages and stream services, particularly during the pandemic, allowing the homebound and those in distant regions to participate in worship. This digital ministry has become an indispensable tool for education, fellowship, evangelization and re-evangelization.
3. The Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Leadership and Visits to Sweden
The Holy Metropolis of Sweden is an Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and we remain deeply grateful for the paternal care of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
The Patriarch has visited our Metropolis three times during my archpastoral tenure. In 2017, He visited Iceland – the first visit of an Ecumenical Patriarch to that island – to speak at an environmental conference and bless the establishment of St. Bartholomew parish.
In 2019, He travelled to Stockholm to mark the 50th anniversary of the Holy Metropolis and to bless the restoration work of St. George Cathedral. He dedicated the Museum of Hellenic-Christian Heritage and delivered addresses at the Lutheran Church’s Clergy-Laity Assembly, emphasizing cooperation and dialogue.
Most recently, in August 2025, the Patriarch returned to Stockholm to perform the Thyranoixia Service of the renovated Cathedral, deliver keynote addresses during the Ecumenical Week organized by the Lutheran Church, and meet Swedish state representatives.
These visits underline the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s commitment to the Nordic countries and highlight how our small community is nurtured by the Mother Church.
The Ecumenical Patriarch’s visits are not the only high‑profile occasions at our Cathedral. In 2019 and 2025, we welcomed large delegations of state officials, church leaders, academics and faithful, during celebrations of the 50th anniversary and the Thyranoixia Service.
Among those present were Metropolitans from Finland, Estonia and New Jersey, the Minister of Digital Policy of Greece, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Greeks Abroad, the Apostolic Nuncio to Sweden, Archons of the Mother Church from America, and hundreds of faithful who filled the Cathedral.
Such gatherings transform the Cathedral into a microcosm of global Orthodoxy and a site where civil and religious leaders pledge to work together for peace and social cohesion.
His All-Holiness is widely recognized as a champion of peace and interfaith dialogue. In a 2014 address to the Eurasian Economic Summit, He reminded the world that while human conflict may be inevitable, war and violence are not; faith communities must encourage people to choose peace through dialogue.
In a more recent keynote at the KAICIID Global Dialogue Forum, He urged religious leaders to raise awareness about human rights, build collaborative paths for peacemaking and connect the ecological crisis to spiritual values.
During the 2025 Ecumenical Week in Stockholm, He preached that the Divine Liturgy begins with the petition “Let us pray for the peace of the whole world” and emphasized that unity and peace are fundamental Christian characteristics.
He urged listeners to cultivate inner peace and stated that “unity and peace are the seeds for conversion of the heart”.
Speaking to Vatican News, in August 2025, He lamented the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and warned that “without justice there can be no peace”. These messages demonstrate how the Ecumenical Patriarchate links peace, justice and environmental stewardship.
His peace promoting moto was acknowledged internationally: “A war in the name of God is a war against God!”
Also, the Patriarch’s environmental activism is particularly relevant for the Nordic countries, whose natural beauty reminds us of creation’s fragility. At an ecological symposium, He noted that the ecological crisis underscores the unity of the world and called on people to assume global responsibility.
In this respect, environmental stewardship becomes a dimension of peace; when we respect creation, we contribute to social harmony and solidarity with future generations.
4. Lessons from the Patristic Tradition
The Orthodox tradition has long regarded peace, not merely as the absence of war, but as a positive virtue rooted in communion with God and neighbour. St. Basil the Great wrote that “nothing is so characteristically Christian as being a peacemaker”. “A Christian cannot be worthy of Christ without love towards others.”
St. John Chrysostom warned that public peace is of little benefit when one is at war with oneself; “for what advantage is it that the world enjoys profound peace if you are at war with yourself?”. He taught that resentment deprives us of peace and therefore forgiveness and inner transformation are necessary.
St. Gregory of Nyssa reminded the faithful that all things belong to God and that we are brothers and sisters; thus, all should inherit equal portions.
These Patristic insights frame peace as a holistic reality: reconciliation with God, self and neighbour; equitable sharing of resources; and inner conversion.
Our contemporary ministry draws inspiration from these teachings. We emphasise the formation of “peacemakers” who cultivate inner serenity, practise forgiveness, serve their neighbors and protect creation.
In our catechetical programs and youth gatherings, we teach that prayer and the Holy Sacraments nurture inner peace, which then radiates outward to families, workplaces and society.
5. Nathan Söderblom and the Stockholm Conference of 1925
The modern ecumenical movement owes much to Archbishop Nathan Söderblom, Primate of the Church of Sweden and Nobel Peace laureate. In 1925, he convened the Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work, in Stockholm, inviting Orthodox and Protestant churches to meet after the devastation of the First World War.
The Swedish Christian Council notes that peace was the central theme of the conference and that it became a milestone for the ecumenical movement, laying the foundations for the Christian Council of Sweden and eventually the World Council of Churches.
Representatives of former enemy nations prayed together and declared that churches could not remain isolated.
Söderblom argued that the churches’ mission was to heal divisions so that society might heal. In his Nobel lecture he proclaimed that “real peace requires fighting against selfish passions rather than leaving ourselves in peace” and emphasised that the commandment of love “transcends all frontiers”.
Söderblom maintained close relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and believed that contact with Constantinople was essential for Christian unity.
On the centenary of the 1925 conference, the World Council of Churches recalled his conviction that peace and unity are inseparable. His biographer Jonas Jonson explained that the conference enabled Orthodox and Protestant churches to break down barriers.
This spirit continues today; our Metropolis worked closely with the Lutheran Church of Sweden on the Ecumenical Week and other initiatives, and we recognize the contributions of our Lutheran and Roman Catholic partners to the common search for peace.
6. Religious Leaders as Promoters of Peace
The organizers of this conference have rightly noted that religious leaders play a strategic role in promoting interfaith dialogue and peace, guiding their communities and acting as bridges to foster social cohesion and prevent conflicts.
They have asked us how we, as leaders, can collaborate, support migrants’ integration into Swedish society and prevent radicalization. Drawing on our experience in the Holy Metropolis of Sweden and on the teachings of our tradition, I would offer the following reflections:
Cultivate inner peace and integrity. The Patristic tradition reminds us that genuine peace begins in the heart. Religious leaders must practise what they preach: forgiving those who wrong them, rejecting hatred and resentment, and nurturing prayer. When leaders radiate inner peace, their communities will trust their guidance.
Prioritize education and dialogue. We should engage with society through educational programs, museum exhibitions, concerts and lectures. Our Museum of Hellenic-Christian Heritage and trilingual liturgical publications invite Swedes of all backgrounds to encounter Orthodoxy. We host meetings for catechumens and newly baptized and chrismated from diverse cultures and welcome secular educators. Through such encounters we dispel misconceptions and foster mutual respect.
Support migrants and refugees. Scandinavia has welcomed migrants from Greece, Ukraine, the Middle East and beyond. Our Clergy-Laity Synaxis highlighted refugeeism and migration as key topics, and we created ministries to serve the Ukrainian-speaking faithful. We integrate migrants by offering the Divine Liturgy and catechesis in their languages, providing social support and advocating for their rights.
Promote inter-religious cooperation. We have learned that cooperation with other Christian denominations and faiths is essential. Sharing a Lutheran church for our Divine Liturgy in Västerås, attending Roman Catholic masses, inviting Lutheran bishops and Syriac Aramean and Coptic clergy to our events and working with the Conference of European Churches demonstrate that collaboration builds trust and prevents the isolation that fosters extremism.
Address social justice and environmental stewardship. Peace cannot exist without justice. Patriarch Bartholomew reminds us that “without justice there can be no peace”. Religious leaders must speak out against injustice, racism and discrimination, advocate for the vulnerable and oppose violence. We must also protect the environment and recognize that ecological responsibility is integral to peace.
Emphasize volunteerism and service. The growth of our Metropolis relies on volunteers who offer their time and talents. Volunteerism fosters social cohesion, enables cross-cultural encounters and provides migrants with opportunities to participate in the life of the Church and society.
Utilize digital platforms and communication. Streaming Holy Services and concerts, sharing sermons online and maintaining a multilingual digital presence, allow us to reach those isolated by distance or secularism. Digital ministry is essential for engaging youth and providing accessible catechesis.
One cannot speak of religious leaders promoting peace in Sweden without acknowledging the support our Church receives from the Swedish State. The Swedish Agency for Support to Faith Communities provides annual grants to qualifying religious communities.
Many faith communities benefit from this program. This financial support enables us to maintain clergy salaries, renovate churches, digitize archives, translate liturgical texts and expand social services.
We are deeply grateful to the Swedish Authorities for their moral and economic assistance, which empowers us to improve pastoral and missionary work and demonstrates society’s commitment to pluralism and peace.
7. Conclusion
As we gather in Stockholm, the city where Nathan Söderblom convened the Conference on Life and Work a century ago, we are reminded that religious leaders bear a special responsibility to cultivate peace.
Peace is not merely an absence of conflict; it is the fruit of justice, compassion and shared values. It requires conversion of the heart, mutual forgiveness and solidarity with all humanity. It demands that we speak truth to power, defend the oppressed, care for creation and welcome strangers.
The Holy Metropolis of Sweden and All Scandinavia is a small missionary Eparchy with limited resources, yet by God’s grace and the blessings of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, we have managed to embody these principles.
We celebrate the diversity of our faithful, welcome newcomers, engage with secular society, collaborate with other Christian churches and faith communities, and look to the wisdom of the Fathers and the example of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to guide our steps.
Our experience suggests that when religious leaders build bridges rather than walls, they help societies heal divisions and nurture hope.
May our deliberations at this conference inspire each of us to be peacemakers, both in Sweden and beyond. As St. Basil taught, nothing is more characteristically Christian than being a peacemaker. May God grant us the grace to live up to this calling.
Before concluding, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the organizers for their kind invitation to participate as a speaker at this distinguished conference. As a token of my appreciation for this honor, please allow me to present copies of my latest published study, "Saint George Cathedral of Stockholm," to His Eminence Cardinal Anders Arborelius, the Honorable Dr. Mario Torres Jarrín, and Mr. Javier Sádaba.
I would also like to thank them warmly for their gracious hospitality and generous welcome throughout this event. Furthermore, with the permission of the participants and this esteemed gathering, I would like to propose that the next Interreligious Dialogue and Peace Conference of the European Institute of International Studies be hosted at the Saint George Cathedral in Stockholm, as a sacred edifice and venue dedicated to fostering dialogue, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence among peoples and faith traditions.
Thank you.
