ANTANANARIVO-MADAGASCAR

CONTACT US: OAC-IThE

University of Antananarivo, Madagascar
Orthodox Academy of Crete, Kolympari, Chania, Crete, Greece
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The Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC) is an ecclesiastical Foundation exercising the dialogical witnessing and the liturgical diaconia of Orthodoxy in the world that is passing and the world that is coming. The OAC is a non-profit Institution, observing its canonical reference to its appropriate Holy Metropolis of Kisamos and Selinon, and operating under the spiritual auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

The OAC is a modern Conference Center, situated in an exceptionally beautiful location only a few metres from the sea, and next to the Gonia Monastery (17th Century).

The OAC facilitates dialogue, and aims in it, as a way of thinking and living, self-reflection, interpersonal reconciliation, and a responsible relation with the Divine Creation. The OAC is based on the platonic tradition of “symphilosophein” (philosophising together), and on the Orthodox Christian spirit of ecumenical openness and the wholeness of the human community. As an offer of the Holy Metropolis of Kisamos and Selinon, and the Church in general, to modern man, it always remains accessible and welcomes everyone without discrimination.

With the organization of conferences and a variety of other activities, the OAC encourages mutual understanding and solidarity on an inter-Orthodox, ecumenical, interfaith, intercultural and interscientific level, for the reconciliation of peoples, the consolidation of peace, and for human progress. Even though most of the conferences are organized by the OAC, we accept cooperation with other institutions and organizations that want to use our facilities and broad experience, and who seek a tranquil atmosphere for creative work and fellowship.

Since 1968, the OAC has organized or hosted about 2000 conferences that are on international (53%) and nation level.

To contact OAC, please visit www.oac.gr or http://ithe.webs.com/ or email to [email protected]

About the Institute of Theology and Ecology at the Orthodox Academy of Crete

In 1991 the OAC established this Institute in order to advance the much-needed interlinking of theology and ecology in the struggle for the protection of the Divine Creation and to further develop and strengthen its work in this area. The Institute has, among other, the following tasks:

a) To promote the publication of texts of ecological interest, in particular:

- an epitome of texts of ecological interest from the Holy Scriptures and the patristic, liturgical and in general Christian Literature

- translation and publication of foreign theological and other texts of ecological content

- preparation and publication of a comparative Lexicon of Theology and Ecology.

b) Intensification of ecological dialogue between theologians, technologists, economists, politicians and others, taking into account related interecclesiastical and other initiatives and decisions.

c) The development of an interorthodox dialogue on ecological issues.

d) to establish and develop interreligious ecological dialogue (mainly between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) on the complexity of ecological problems of the Mediterranean and to formulate together and accept an ECOLOGICAL CHARTER OF THE MEDITERRANEAN with basic ethical principles and mutual affirmations for a long range cooperation toward ecological protection of the Mediterranean.

f) The application of pedagogical measures of ecological theory and praxis, especially in the framework of the ecumenical-international activity of the EUROMEDITERRANEAN YOUTH CENTER of the OAC.