Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) organized a Christmas dinner for church representatives for the first time in its history.
Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant spiritual leaders in Istanbul attended the Christmas dinner held at the Haliç Congress Center.
The dinner that took place on the evening of 20 December was hosted by İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu. His wife Dilek İmamoğlu also took part in the dinner.
The invitation, organized under the coordination of the İBB Faith Desk, was a first in the history of the municipality.
In the invitation took place at the Haiç Congress Center, Istanbul and Ankara Syriac Ancient Community Spiritual Leader and Deputy Patriarch Metropolitan Filüksinos Yusuf Çetin, Istanbul Latin Catholic Community Spiritual Head-Apostle Acting Bishop S. E. Monsignor Massimiliano Palinuro, Patriarch of Armenians of Turkey Sahak II and Istanbul Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos gave a short Christmas greeting speech.
The program was also attended by the Spiritual Head of the Armenian Catholic Community of Turkey Archbishop Levon Zekiyan, the Deputy of the Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Turkey, bishop Mgr. Orhan Çanlı, Deputy of Spiritual Leader of the Chaldean Catholic Church Archbishop Mgr Ramzi Garmou; Mgr François Yakan, Protestant Churches Association President Pastor Ali Kalkandelen, Istanbul Protestant Churches Representative Pastor Carlos Madrigal and Community Foundations Representative S. Can Ustabaşı and Hatay Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Lütfü Savaş.
