Metropolitans and collaborators of the Church of Greece in Brussels, 2008

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The European Commission invited twenty five distinguished members of the Church of Greece (Metropolitans, judges, jurists, academics etc) to pay a visit to the European Institutions in Brussels from 14 to 16 October 2008. The group of visitors met with the Metropolitan of Belgium Panteleimon, Commissioners Stavros Dimas (Environment) and Ján Figeľ (culture), H.E. Mr George Papadopoulos, Greek Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Mr. Vassilios Kaskarellis, Permanent Representative of Greece to the EU, Mr. Jorge Cesar Das Neves, European Policy Adviser, Mr. Christos Katharios, Head of division, DG Enlargement, Council of the EU, Mr. Theodoros Kallianos, DG for Translation, Ms. Varvara Kazira, DG Education and Culture, Mr. George-Stavros Kremlis, Head of Unit, DG Environment, Mr. Axel Wallden, Head of Unit, DG Enlargement - Strategy Coordination, and Ms. Daphni Gogou, DG Freedom, Security and Justice.

There was enough time for discussions which focussed on the importance of EU environmental policies, the need for the protection of cultural heritage, human rights, migration and enlargement. The Greek visitors expressed their gratitude to the organisers of the visit, especially to Mr. Ierotheos Papadopoulos, director of the office of the European Commission in Athens.