Valamo Monastery: site of SYNDESMOS
XVI General Assembly

HEINAVESI, FINLAND - Nearly 250 representatives from 120 Orthodox youth movements, organisations and theological schools from over 40 countries gathered at the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration here 18-25 July 1999 for the XVI General Assembly of SYNDESMOS, the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth.
    Convened every four years, the General Assembly is primarily responsible for establishing the SYNDESMOS programme for the next quadrennium, electing officers to the Fellowship's governing board, and providing forums for discussions on Orthodoxy in the contemporary world.
    His Eminence Archbishop John of Karelia and All Finland, welcomed the participants on behalf of the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Finland and its youth organisations, ONL, OOL and PISTIS. Several hierarchs from Greece, Estonia, India, Kenya, Lebanon and Russia attended the Assembly.
    Dr. Dimitri Oikonomou, SYNDESMOS President, opened the Assembly with a lengthy report on SYNDESMOS's activities and numerous projects since the last assembly, which was held at the Royal Kykkou Monastery, Cyprus in 1995. Mr. Vladimir Misijuk, SYNDESMOS General Secretary, also gave a detailed report on the work of the Secretariat, which is located in Bialystok, Poland. Several keynote addresses and numerous workshops on a variety of topics were held throughout the week. The programme of the Assembly was highlighted by two keynote speeches. The first one delivered by Archimandrite Symeon of Mt Athos covered the theme of the Assembly - "Serve the Lord in Unity". Ms Esther Hookway of Great Britain, former SYNDESMOS Assistant Secretary, addressed the needs of Orthodox young people on the eve of the third millennium. Ms. Hookway's presentation drew upon interesting responses to survey she had sent out to dozens of individuals throughout the world, which she shared with her audience throughout her presentation.
    The Assembly also provided a forum for participants to meet with members of their respective regions to plan future events.
As an expression of concern for those suffering as a result of the conflict in Kosovo and the Balkans, the Assembly issued a statement condemning violence and asking "for reconciliation and peaceful co-existence."
    "We pray that the Lord will enlighten all those who wield power in the whole region, to act with wisdom and seek peace and sincerely to respond to human misery wherever it is found," the statement reads. "Noting the close personal interest of His Holiness Pavle, Archbishop of Pea and Patriarch of Serbia, and His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania, we applaud the Orthodox Churches of Serbia and Albania for their efforts in peacemaking and relieving human pain before and during the crisis."
    The statement also expressed the participants' concern for damage to the region's environment as a result of the war and condemned the destruction of monasteries, churches, mosques, and other religious and cultural monuments in the region.       
    Fifteen new members were accepted into the Fellowship
    Dr. Manos Koumbarelis, Director of Athens Archdiocese Youth Office, Church of Greece, was elected SYNDESMOS President. Three new Vice Presidents - Natalia Koulkova, Russia; Milivoj Randjia, Serbia; Hildo Bos, the Netherlands and Federated Vice President Jacob E. John, India - as well as Regional Representatives were also elected to the governing board.