wfn.org | World AIDS day: Churches express their concern at European consultation in Minsk, Belarus

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

World Council of Churches
Press Release PR-02-32
For Immediate Use
29 November 2002

World AIDS day: Churches express their concern at European consultation in Minsk, Belarus

Issued jointly with the Conference of European Churches (CEC)

The following communiqui has been released by an ecumenical consultation on HIV/AIDS in Central and Eastern Europe:

 From 27 - 29 November, just before the commemoration of the World AIDS day (1 December 2002), representatives of 14 churches and church organizations from 10 countries in Western, Central and Eastern Europe came together in Minsk, Belarus, for a consultation on the "Healing Ministry" of the churches. The consultation was organized by the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches. The major topic was the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in Central and Eastern Europe and the role churches can play in combating this disease. Different forms of prevention, education and healing were discussed.

Representatives of UNAIDS (United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS) explained
that the spread of the disease in Eastern and Central Europe is by far the
highest in the world, and that it will become an epidemic if all efforts are
not taken to prevent it. The epidemic has its roots in the enormous increase
in poverty during the past 10 years of economic and political transformation.
Lack of prospects for the future brings many people to alcoholism and other
desperate behaviour. Youth are left unattended and many youngsters are
vulnerable to risky experiments like the use of injected drugs and
unprotected sex; two factors which lead to the rapid increase of the
infection. 

Many churches in Europe have expressed their concern and their commitment to
combat this worsening situation. In a meeting with representatives of UNAIDS
in March 2002, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia of
the Russian Orthodox Church declared his commitment to co-operation within
the UN-framework to combat HIV/AIDS. He said that the church will be involved
in the development of spiritual and social assistance to the victims of
HIV/AIDS and their families.  In April 2002, leaders of the Russian Orthodox
Church blessed the Church-Related Aids Network, formed by four
ecumenically-oriented organizations from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, who
were present at this consultation.					     
						       

Testimony was given by an ex-prisoner with HIV infection, who was received by
the Ecumenical Round Table in Belarus when released from prison. The church
was the first contact that had shown respect without stigmatization and has
assisted him in beginning his new life. Similar testimonies were obtained
during the field visits to several projects in Minsk.

Church and inter-church organizations are involved in all types of anti-AIDS
projects, often in co-ordination with other organizations. Participants
underlined that the church is specifically equipped to provide care and
counseling to the victims, to educate people and to work on prevention.  The
strength of the church is that it can reach many people, is mostly seen as
reliable, and has excellent networks of volunteers. Next to social,
psychological and medical help, spiritual assistance is valued by many
infected and affected people and care providers. A holistic approach to
healing can return dignity and hope to the victims. Theological reflection is
needed on essential questions around sin and illness, life and death,
fatalism and self-responsibility, and charity and neglect.

Participating organizations expressed their commitment to work together and
to support each other in this fight against inhumanity. They plan to present
their progress to the 12th Assembly of the Conference of European Churches,
which will be held from 25 June - 2 July 2003 in Trondheim, Norway, under the
theme of  "Jesus Christ heals and reconciles: our witness in Europe".

For further information, please contact: 

WCC Media Relations Office, tel: +41 (0)22 791 64 21 or
CEC Office of Communications tel: +41 22 791.6485 or .6325

**********

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.

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