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Note #7467 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

UN Office plans AIDS meeting
02393
October 9, 2002

UN Office plans AIDS meeting

Oct. 24 event will focus on plight of Africa, role of churches 

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE - With AIDS threatening to wipe out a quarter of the work forces
of some African nations in the next 20 years, local churches are often the
only institutions capable of providing education or other support for those
infected with the disease.

The United Nations Office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) is responding by
sponsoring a consultation in New York City this month to mobilize support for
churches in Africa and highlight the faith community's unique role in
fighting the epidemic.

The Global AIDS Pandemic: A Consultation for People of Faith, scheduled for
Oct. 24-27, is a joint project of the Presbyterian AIDS Action program in the
Worldwide Ministries Division (WMD), and the Presbyterian UN Office, part of
the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program.

"One person dies every 11 seconds (from AIDS) worldwide," said Dorothy
Hanson, AIDS project manager for the International Health Ministries Office,
which coordinates the PC(USA)'s international health and development
ministries. "This (consultation) is extremely urgent."
Hanson will provide an overview of the pandemic during the first day of the
program. She will be joined by educators, theologians and healthcare experts
- some from various African nations - for the consultation. 

National staff members from the PC(USA)and the Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, moderator
of the 214th General Assembly, also are expected to attend. Workshops,
community building and worship also are planned during the event at the
Presbyterian UN Office in Manhattan.

AIDS has infected about 40 million people worldwide. About 16,000 people
become infected every day. Nearly 13 million children worldwide are orphans
because of the disease; officials say that figure could reach 30 million by
2010. 
Africa, the hardest-hit continent, has more than 28 million people living
with HIV/AIDS.

Participants in the consultation will be instructed in addressing the crisis
through education, advocacy, fund-raising and support of PC(USA) partner
churches in regions most impacted by AIDS. 

They also will be encouraged to become involved in a new program aimed at
building relationships between five PC(USA) partner churches in Africa and
congregations and presbyteries in the United States, said Jennifer Butler,
the associate for global issues at the Presbyterian UN Office.

"This consultation is about the power of partnerships," Butler said. "We are
forging partnerships between churches in the United States and in other parts
of the world, and between the United Nations and the church. Only through
such partnerships can we address such a devastating problem."  

Subjects for discussion will include prevention, home-based care and orphan
care. The program will also explore how poverty fuels the pandemic, the
stigma associated with the disease and what Christians can do to address
economic disparities around the world. 

Organizers hope participants will leave the gathering with action plans for
their congregations and communities.

"This is the dawning of a new age, in terms of how churches respond to the
AIDS crisis," said Dorothy Brewster-Lee, coordinator of the Presbyterian
International Health Ministries Office, a consultation speaker.
"Strengthening the churches so they can address the pandemic is our
priority."

The consultation will also explore Presbyterian efforts to ease AIDS-related
suffering in Africa and globally, such as the 0.7 percent initiative, adopted
last summer by the General Assembly, which calls on the U.S. government to
direct 0.7 percent of the Gross National Product to international development
programs and urges Presbyterians and Presbyterian congregations to lead by
example.
Organizers say 83 people are already registered - about double the number
expected for most such UN Office functions. 

"There is a lot of energy and hope around this consultation," Butler said.

For more information, contact the Presbyterian United Nations Office by mail
at 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017; by phone at (212) 697?4568;
or by email at unoffice@presbyun.org. Or visit the UN Office's Web site:
www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/un.

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