The meeting, also attended by MP Dragan Todorovic, touched on the IAO international photo contest with the topic “Destruction of Monuments of Eastern Christianity” and the participants announced the Annual Conference of the International Public Fund for the Unity of Orthodox People in February 2016 in Macedonia.

On the occasion, the officials also held a press conference where the Head of the National Assembly standing delegation to IAO Aleksandar Cotric said that the International Public Fund for the Unity of Orthodox People was founded 20 years ago and is operating under the patronage of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, working to promote Christian values, to contribute to better understanding in the world and help resolve disputes and conflicts.

“Like the Fund, the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy also works on strengthening unity, cooperation and understanding between Orthodox people. It is an organisation gathering parliamentarians from 28 countries, founded in 1993. Serbia has been a full member since 1995 and the standing delegation takes part in its operation”, said Cotric.

President of the International Public Fund for the Unity of Orthodox People and adviser to the IAO President Prof. Dr Valeriy Alekseev told the press at the National Assembly House that the Fund and the National Assembly have a long-standing cooperation, greatly aided by the Fund’s unit in Serbia working under the patronage of Patriarch Irinej of Serbia.

“It is my pleasure to announce that, by the decision of the Fund and under the patronage of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, it was decided that the Fund’s 2015 award be given to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic. Tomorrow, I will present him with Patriarch Kirill’s special invitation to visit Moscow and receive the award at the ceremony on 9 March.

This year, awards will also be presented to the Bulgarian Patriarch and the Speaker of the Russian State Duma Sergey Naryshkin. A political gathering will also be organised on the occasion, in Moscow, where the presidents of Serbia and Russia are planned to meet”, announced Alekseev.

Click here to see the press conference.