Metropolitan of Volokolamsk sent a greeting to the participants of the Second World Public Assembly

Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk sent a greeting to the Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly Andrey Belyaninov, as well as to the organizers and participants of the Second World Public Assembly "New World: Values That Unite", which started on 18 September 2026 at the World Trade Center.

We publish the full text of the letter:

— Dear Andrey Yuryevich!

Dear organizers and participants of the Assembly!

I cordially greet all those gathered at the Second World Public Assembly, which this year is dedicated to discussing values intended to unite society.

Any human society is built on unifying principles. For a believer, at the same time, the creative role of the values of faith is obvious. Despite the diversity of religious views and traditions, what is common to them is one thing — the priority of the sublime and spiritual over the material and mundane.

Only sublime spiritual motivation makes a person capable of self-sacrifice. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends," — said our Lord Jesus Christ (John 15:13). On the contrary, mundaneness turns a person into an egoist who puts his own personal interests at the forefront.

In this context, the Assembly's turn to the topic of interreligious dialogue is especially important: followers of various religious movements can share their experience of living in accordance with spiritual ideals. Readiness to listen to and hear each other is the best foundation for uniting society.

I wish all participants of the Assembly fruitful work and success in their endeavors.

With respect,
Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk

Additional information is on the official website of the World Peoples Assembly and at media@world-assembly.org.