“Churches and religious communities are not only pivotal in people’s personal or spiritual lives,” he said. “They also reserve a critical role in mobilizing institutions and societies on manifold levels.” He also emphasized the urgency of protecting our planet. "We are convinced that what we do for the earth is intimately related to what we do for people, whether in the context of human rights, international politics, or world peace,” said the Ecumenical Patriarch. “In other words, the way we respond to climate change is intimately connected to the way we respond to human challenges.” The Ecumenical Patriarch further noted that the entire world is daily witness to how the courageous people of Ukraine have struggled and sacrificed so much for independence from oppression and for religious freedom. “However, we have witnessed the same passion for life and liberty in Estonia and Lithuania as well,” he said. “And the Ecumenical Patriarchate remains dedicated to responding to such appeals for ecclesiastical integrity and sovereignty, respecting the distinct and unequivocal needs of every church and every community.” We are created for encounter, he said. “We are relational beings and institutions; and, as such, we are both responsible and accountable for one another,” he said. “We are social beings; and, as such, we share the world and the planet’s resources.” We live in a global community, the Ecumenical Patriarch concluded. “We can make a difference in the world,” he said. “We can bring greater healing to its people.” Address By His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew – Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, 27 January 2025 (in Greek and English) | 
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