PATRIARCHY NEWS
The event was organized by the Expert Council “Economics and Ethics” under the Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the Russian-Italian Coordinating Committee “Ethical Entrepreneurship”, the Club of Orthodox Entrepreneurs, the International Club “Economist” and the Expert Council “Potential of Russia”.
The event was held with the participation and support of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations.
The symposium was attended by Cardinal Paul Pupar, Chairperson of the Church and Society Relations Department, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, Holy See representative in Russia Nuncio Archbishop Ivan Yurkovich, DECR Vice-President Igumen Filaret (Bulekov), Executive Secretary of the Economics and Ethics Expert Council Pavel Shashkin , representatives of the expert, business and banking community of Russia and Italy.
Addressing the audience with a brief greeting, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, in particular, noted: “Christian thought today faces the most serious challenges of the economic crisis. Some will say: this is not our area, not our business, leave the economy to economists and practical actors in this field. But the crisis has first of all moral roots, which His Holiness Patriarch Kirill spoke about many times and what Cardinal Paul Pupar spoke about at this symposium. The gap between labor and income, social stratification in individual countries and around the world, injustice - these are just questions for the churches, this is precisely the area of their pastoral, prophetic judgment. ”
The speaker urged not to be afraid to pose uncomfortable questions related to the moral dimension of the economy to the elites, the authorities and the business community. He also expressed hope that such a critical dialogue would be supported by that part of entrepreneurs who care about the long-term, centuries-long results of their work, inconceivable without a moral basis for economic activity.
The symposium discussed current issues of interaction between business and financial institutions of Russia and the European Union in the face of new challenges of the economic crisis and ways to overcome it. Particular attention was paid to the problems of the formation of a new moral imperative of development based on Christian principles and traditions, on the idea of social and moral responsibility of business to society and the state.
The symposium participants noted a number of new factors that strengthen the importance of high standards of moral and social responsibility in economic activity. Among them are the tightening of business conditions during the crisis, the latest achievements of science and the growth of a series of risks in the fields of economy, geopolitics, ecology, technology and social life. Participants in the discussion noted the need for further formation and development of promising new socio-economic projects and technologies that contribute to the formation of a single long-term strategy for the actions of Christian social forces in the face of the challenges of the global crisis.
It was decided to continue cooperation between the Russian and Italian parties in the formation of effective institutions for the development of fair business, as well as in the implementation of joint projects related to the social sphere, education and healthcare, and support for small businesses.
