His Holiness Karekin II Receives World Bank Board of Directors
On December 10, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the World Bank. The board members represent the countries of Saudi Arabia, Canada, Switzerland, Finland, Pakistan and the Netherlands.
Welcoming the guests to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicos of All Armenians commended the directors, and asked them to convey his appreciation to the entire board of the World Bank, for their ongoing contribution in the educational and social spheres. His Holiness specifically placed emphasis on the efforts of the World Bank directed to poverty reduction, economic development, and the strengthening of peace. The Armenian Pontiff further expressed his satisfaction with the programs and projects realized by the World Bank that benefit the welfare of man, not only in Armenia, but also throughout the world, and noted that stability and peace in any region will be achieved in tandem with economic prosperity and growth.
The directors asked many questions during the meeting, focusing on Church-State relations, social services and educational programs of the Mother See, and church building and reconstruction. At the end of the meeting, the guests thanked His Holiness for the audience, expressing their contentment with the results of their three-day visit to Armenia.
