wfn.org | WCC: Behind the News

["Sheila Mesa" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release PR-01-37
For Immediate Use
5 October 2001

Ecumenical organizations join forces to lift up churches' voices
in response to current global events

In response to the global situation after the September 11
attacks in the United States, the World Council of Churches
(WCC), Action by Churches Together (ACT) and the Ecumenical
Advocacy Alliance (EAA) have agreed to set up a short-term crisis
response mechanism to share information with their broad church
constituency.

Through an (English-only) electronic bulletin and a website,
Behind the news: Visions for Peace - Voices of Faith, they will
offer a selection of church statements and actions; information
on the responses and actions of other religions and
interreligious organizations; updates on humanitarian concerns,
particularly on the situation of refugees; analysis and
reflection; and study and worship resources to help churches to
respond to the unfolding situation. 

"This effort is intended to help to discern and interpret the
signs of the times from perspectives different than the dominant
discourse, in particular from the perspective of churches,
ecumenical and interfaith partners," explains Elizabeth Ferris
from the WCC International Relations team. "We want to nurture
hope and strengthen commitment for peace and justice. We want to
give voice to those who suffer most and help them to cope in
these times of crisis," says Ferris, who is also moderating a
crisis response group set up by the three organizations. Further
objectives, she says, are "to provide solid analysis and selected
resources to strengthen ecumenical action as well as study, and
to propose common ecumenical actions".

Similar response mechanisms to other crises may be considered in
the future. In announcing the collaborative effort to their
networks, acting WCC general secretary Georges Lemopoulos, ACT
director Thor-Arne Prois, and EAA coordinator Linda Hartke,
explained that "Given the urgency - and the uncertainty - of
global developments, we seek to provide the best possible
resources to our constituencies to enable that visions of peace
and voices of faith are heard at such a time as this."

Behind the news:  Visions for peace - voices of faith 
at http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/behindthenews 
Discussion board to share and request resources, reflections,
actions: 
http://www.wcc-coe.org/discussions 
To receive the bulletin via e-mail, contact
bulletins@wcc-coe.org 

The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) is a global action
network of churches and church-related organizations who have
pledged themselves to change unjust policies and practices
related to global trade and HIV/AIDS. 

Action by Churches Together (ACT) is an international alliance
of churches and relief agencies assisting thousands of people
recovering from emergencies in more than 50 countries worldwide.

For further information, please contact Karin Achtelstetter,
Media Relations Officer,
Tel.:  (+41.22) 791.61.53   Mobile:  (+41) 79.284.52.12

**********

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches,
now 342, in more than 100 countries in all continents from
virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is
not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The
highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately
every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general
secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Media Relations Office
Tel: (41 22) 791 6153 / 791 6421
Fax: (41 22) 798 1346
E-mail: ka@wcc-coe.org 
Web: www.wcc-coe.org 

PO Box 2100
1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
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