Gratitude for Efforts in the Past
October 25, 1999
With the grace of God, we have successfully concluded the third international scientific symposium of the program “Religion, Science, and Environment,” which focused in detail this year on the specific theme: “Danube – A River of Life.” In our express desire to sensitize all the peoples living along the banks of the Danube to the urgency of this problem, we have held this symposium on board ship and traveled through all the States along this river. It was a pleasing experience to ascertain that all responsible factors are already aware of the problems and intend to take measures to address them.
We have heard the conclusions and recommendations of the distinguished participants in the symposium as formulated by specialists. I express my profound gratitude to all the eminent delegates, who have shed light on all aspects of the subject in their well-documented papers. I also thank all the authorities, as well as the people of the countries through which we have traveled, for their warm welcome, understanding and support for our endeavor. In particular, I would like to thank the members of the Religious and Scientific Committee of the symposium, and all those who have contributed to assuring its excellent proceeding and successful outcome, for their tireless efforts and flawless concern to ensure its smooth flow and harmonious progress, assuming the responsibility of the proceedings on land and on board. I would like as well to congratulate in advance and thank all those who will adopt the conclusions and work towards the implementation of the decisions of this symposium.
I express my joy in the fact that this year’s “Halki Ecological Institute” was a product and application of the decisions of our second international symposium, which took place on board a ship two years ago; its particular concern was the Black Sea. I hope that the greater awareness of environmental problems will lead progressively to more and successful measures that aim to preserve ecological equilibrium and natural harmony. Public opinion has almost universally become aware of the fact that a problem exists, and that it is possible to assume measures to deal with the threat and restore the natural balance of our world, which has been so severely disturbed.
Decrees for Nature in the Future
Until societies have been sensitized to such a degree that they are themselves able to produce this awareness, thereby keeping alive their sense of responsibility for the protection of the environment and for the assumption and application of the necessary measures, we shall continue to proclaim everywhere the necessity of addressing the environmental problems for the sake of all humanity.
We have all agreed that we are not permitted to hurt our fellow human being. This principle is usually understood and applied with respect to direct harm, for which, in any case, the law provides restitution. Consequently, those members of society who fail sufficiently to respect this principle are obliged by law to comply, with any necessary penalties also imposed. We now need to go one step further and agree even to pass appropriate laws – at least those who have not already done so – decreeing that indirect damages are also unacceptable. That is to say, those damages are also unacceptable which have been caused by activities far removed from their effect, whose consequences are cumulative, or are manifested in time, so that the cause-effect relation may not be immediately visible. These causes include pollution of all types, which are cumulative and thus frequently cover both long periods and long distances. The more scientific observation consolidates our knowledge about the harmful effects of the responsible, and as a result, the more in number and in efficaciousness will be the measures taken in order to avoid such causes.
Our struggle, then, is not in vain, and our effort is not without benefit. The Symposium has offered knowledge and moral sensibility, and therefore has provided the spiritual infrastructure required to assume and apply the necessary measures.
