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International scientific conference entitled "Damascus: Prism of hopes" (Damasco. Prisma di speranze) was held on November 11-13 in Rome on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of foundation of Pontifical Oriental Institute. The event was organized by the Secretariat of the State, the Society of Jesus and the Institute itself.
 
As the press department at Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported, Armenian Embassy to the Holly See was involved in the organization of the event. The scientific conference was aimed at discussing the situation in Syria and wider, in the Middle East from different perspectives as well as outline solutions for existing problems.
   
The Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to the Holly See Mikayel Minasyan, Apostolic administrator of the arch eparchy of Istanbul of the Armenians, Archpriest Boghos Levon Zekiyan, representatives of Christian churches and universities from the Middle East partook in the conference.  

Apart from that, the event was attended by the Cardinal Secretary of State of the Catholic Church Pietro Parolin as well as politicians and diplomates.
 
According to the release, Ambassador Minasyan presented the report “Geopolitics of the memory”, where he presented how terrorists are distorting the cultural diversity of the Middle East. The Armenian Ambassador called for struggle against all forms of vandalism and indifference, against the systematic destruction of the Christianity and Christian values, stressing it seems impossible to see the Middle East without Christians.