SYNDESMOS Asia/Oceania Regional Activities of the Year 2001
Reported By
Rev. Daniel Na
Asia Region Representative
 

1. International Orthodox Youth Leadership Training Course 18-26 August 2001

As one of the Official 2001 Year Programs of SYNDESMOS, International Orthodox Youth Leadership Training Course on the theme, “ Go, therefore, make all the nations disciples of the Lord”, was executed successfully with the spiritual guidance of both Bishops, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia and His Grace Bishop Sotirios of Korea, and the leadership of three Syndesmos Resource Personals, Ms. Evangelia Tsavou-Lases, Mr. Costas Tsilis and Mr. Alexander Wasyluk. There were 34 participants from 7 International Orthodox Communities, Japan, China, Israel, Australia, Poland, Greece and Korea, including the keynote speaker, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, on the theme, “What can we do for our Orthodox Youth in Post-Modern World?”

All the programs of the Training Course were well orchestrated with varieties of the International Cultures and Customs, mostly with the local Orthodox traditions, such as the ones of Greek, Slavonic and Mission, and prepared by the Resource Persons with the instrumental training skills that created the outstanding international fellowship among the participants, which all of them will cherish for many years ahead.

The followings are the achievements of the International Orthodox Youth Leadership Training Course.

Excellent Fellowship among the participants from 7 different International Orthodox Communities.
Promotion of Individual Ability to support his/her Youth Group.
Spirit of Volunteering Supports for the Monastery.
Unified Prayer Meeting within Diverse Local Traditions.
Spiritual Converse with the Orthodox Leaders.
A lots of Memorable Activities with three different local communities, Holy Transfiguration Monastery, St. Nicholas Cathedral in Seoul, Assumption of Theotokos Church in Jeon-Joo and Art High School Campus.
New Regional Contact Persons appointed as followed;

Mr. Nectarios Cheo Chang-lek- Korea
Mr. Jonathan Wong- China
Mr. John Masatoshi Shoji- Japan

The Spirit of Syndesmos will be continued in the countries from where all the participants came from with the nourishments and methods implanted by the outstanding resource persons and the spiritual leaders who endured all the difficult conditions for the benefits of the Orthodox Youth People throughout the whole Orthodox World Communities. Many Thanks to SYNDESMOS, and our Hierarchs, His Eminence Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia and His Grace Bishop Sotirios of Korea.

Two Students from the Republic of Sakha, Russia.

Two of the three students from the Yakutia came back from their one moth summer vacation in their home land to Korea to continue their one year studies, on modern dance and violin lessons at the Fine Art High School in Jeon-Joo, Korea with the full scholarship, combined with the International Orthodox Youth Fellowship Program at the local Orthodox Communities in Korea through the spiritual guidance of local priests.

2. Inter-Orthodox Communication/Cooperation

There has been some significant Inter-Orthodox Communication/Cooperation made between Orthodox Churches in Far East, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Europe for the Asia Regional Orthodox Youth Movements.

His Grace Bishop Sotirios of Korea supports fully the programs of Syndesmos and provides the most convenient environment and spiritual guidance for the nourishment and growth of the Youth Movements.
His Eminence Eminence Metropolitan Dionysios of New Zealand, Exarch of Korea supports and gives His blessings for the SYNDESMOS through His addresses of wishes and greetings, and spiritual nourishment to the Syndesmos Events.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nikitas of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia supports substantially for the Programs of Asia Region by sending delegates from His Metropolitanate, and His experienced advises.
His Eminence Archbishop German of Yakutsk and Lensk supports for the Organizing Committee of the First-Ever Event of the Inter-Regional Orthodox Youth Conference in the Sakha Republic and for the Establishment of Orthodox Youth Movements in that region.
Very Reverent Archpriest John Takahashi keeps frequent communications for the Syndesmos Events
Very Reverent Archmandrite Philemon Castro is communicating with for the Syndesmos Event in his country, Manila, Philippines.
Dr. Soteri Mousalimas, Fellow-Lecturer of Edinburgh University in UK, is contributing his academic resources with his fellow professors to promote the Movements of Orthodox Youth in Asia and Yakutia.

3. Contact with SYNDESMOS Movements

Three Participants, Mr. Panteleimon Na Eui Chul, Mr. Lukianos Kim Jin Sung and Mr. Costa Na Eui Ryong from St. Paul Orthodox Youth Movement, Korea participated at the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth SYNDESMOS Festival in Saint Maurin, France 25-August - 2 September 2001.

4. Coming Events/Proposals of SYNDESMOS Asia Regional Projects 2002

Korea

Orthodox Youth Leadership Training Course in August 2002
Local Participants 30
International Participants 3-5
Organizer: Oikonomos Alexandros Han Eui Jong, Director of Youth Education Dept. of the Orthodox Church in Korea.
Resource Person: SYNDESMOS

2. First National General Assembly of the Orthodox Youth Movements in Korea in December 2001-January 2002
   Organizer: Oikonomos Alexandros Han Eui Jong
   Local Delegates: 15

Philippines

Ecology Seminar in Manila, Philippines
Organizer: Very Reverent Archmandrite Philemon Castros
Resource Person: SYNDESMOS
 

India

Philanthropic Program in Calcutta, India
Organizer: Very Reverent Archmandrite Ignatius Sennis.
Resource Person: SYNDESMOS

Yakutia

Inter-Regional Orthodox Youth Conference in Mirny, Yakutia.
Local Participants: 50
International Participants: 30
Organizer: Dr. Egor Shishigin, Mirny Academic Institute
Resource Person: SYNDESMOS and Dr. Soteri Mousalimas.