With the participation of the Director of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies, Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis and its academic associate Ms. Katerina Pekridou

On June 8-10, 2015 the international Halki Summit II, organized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Southern New Hampshire University (USA) was successfully held in Heybeliada, Turkey on the general theme: “Theology, Ecology, and the Word: a conversation on the environment, literature and the arts”. The Halki Summit is a gathering of activists, scientists, journalists, business leaders, theologians, and academics engaging and working across intellectual boundaries to bring the global environmental discussion to a new and richer place. At the heart of that discussion is the belief that no effort can be successful without a fundamental change in values as manifested in ethics, spirituality, and religion.

The present summit brought together pioneers and experts from around the world. After a brief tour at the Holy Patriarchal Stavropegic Monastery of the Holy Trinity and the area around the Holy Theological School in Halki (closed until today), the Halki Summit started with the welcome address by the Abbot and Scholarch of the Theological School, Metropolitan Elpidoforos of Prousis and the address to the delegates by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and continued with the introductory speech by the Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Secretary of the Halki Summit Rev. Dr. John Chrysavgis and the greeting by the President of Southern New Hampshire University Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc. The participants included among others, Ms. Terry Tempest Williams (poet and author), Terry Eagleton (literary theorist and critic), Prof. Timothy Gorringe (theologian and apiculturist), Dr. Raj Patel (author and activist), and James Balog (mountaineer and photographer), Bruce Clark (journalist Economist). During the sessions enough time was given for fruitful discussion to all the participants. Between the religious representatives were the Metropolitans of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe, the Chief Rabin of Constantinople Ishak Haleva, and the Greek General Consul Evangelos Sekeris.

The Volos Academy for Theological Studies was represented by its Director Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis who (along with Bruce Clark, Journalist of Religious Affairs, Economist journal), participated in the moderation of the IV Session and commented the main presentation of the Session, by Raj Patel, and Katerina Pekridou who introduced the theme of the III Session.

At the end of the Conference, the Director of the Volos Academy for Theological Studies Dr. Pantelis Kalaitzidis and his wife theologian-Byzantinologist Ms. Maria Nanou participated in the vespers of the feast of St. Bartholomew celebrated at the Holy Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of the Zoodochos Pigi, (Fount of Life) at Βalukli in order to wish to his All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for his name day.

To read the full program and the curriculum vitae of all the participants, visit the official website of the conference at http://www.halkisummit.com/program/