From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


Close Cooperation among Faith Communities a Prerequisite to


From "Frank Imhoff" <franki@elca.org>
Date Sun, 28 Mar 2004 16:35:50 -0600

Close Cooperation among Faith Communities a Prerequisite to Africa's Unity
LWF General Secretary Noko Affirms Action as Focus of Inter-Faith Initiative

NAIROBI, Kenya/GENEVA, 28 March 2004 (LWI) * The general
secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Rev. Dr Ishmael
Noko has singled out close cooperation among faith communities as
a prerequisite to shaping a new and more unified Africa. 

"Africa should take the lead in finding solutions to its own
problems and we, religious leaders, have a key role to play
alongside political leadership to make the African Renaissance a
reality," Noko said in his opening address to participants in the
Horn of Africa, East and Central Africa Inter-Faith Peace Summit
in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The March 27-29 gathering under
the theme "Faiths Building Bridges of a Culture of Peace
Together," is the second sub-regional conference in a follow-up
process of the LWF-facilitated Inter-faith Action for Peace in
Africa. The initiative was launched with the October 2002
convening of the first continent-wide summit attended by over 100
religious representatives in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Noko reminded religious leaders and communities that they could
not advocate for cooperation and peace if they themselves were
unable to work together. The peace efforts of faith communities,
he stressed, should be a good example to politicians and the rest
of society. More than 60 participants including delegates from
Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan,
Tanzania and Uganda are attending the sub-regional conference.
Representatives from Eritrea could not attend due to logistical
difficulties.

The general secretary spoke of the main objective of the
Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa -- to help the religious
communities on the continent to establish a common ground for
dialogue and cooperation for peace building in Africa. "We want
to focus on action," providing the faith communities with the
necessary skills, strategies and opportunities to work together
on the common objective of peace, he declared. 

He appealed to "all friends of Africa and those who give
financial assistance to ensure that their support for
inter-religious programs in Africa does not lead to division,
duplication and competition."

Noko emphasized the ownership of the Inter-Faith Action for Peace
in Africa rests with the religious communities themselves. He
encouraged the faith communities to contribute their time,
expertise, finances, venues and facilities, in order to
strengthen their mutual efforts for peace and to build African
ownership of the initiative. He acknowledged that the unfavorable
economic situations in which many religious communities and
organizations find themselves may impede the immediate
realization of such a vision, but said "it is very important that
we begin to take small steps in this direction."

The Inter-Faith Action for Peace in Africa, Noko noted,
recognizes the efforts of global organizations and networks
working for peace. In this respect he cited the World Conference
on Religion and Peace (WCRP) and Parliament of the World's
Religions as potential partners in the shared objectives of peace
building efforts in Africa. WCRP Secretary General Dr William
Vendley participated in the Johannesburg summit. The Parliament
of the World's Religions has invited the Inter-Faith Action for
Peace in Africa to participate in its assembly to be held in
Barcelona Spain in July this year. Participation in the global
inter-faith event, said Noko, would help build links between the
African process and the wider global inter-faith community. 
 
Some important activities have taken place since the first summit
of the inter-faith initiative. In 2003, the South African
su
b-regional conference was held September 30-October 1 in
Johannesburg; an inter-faith delegation visited Liberia October
14-19; a preparatory meeting for the West African region took
place in Nigeria, and the regional summit there will be held in
June year. Other initiatives included exchange visits between
inter-faith networks. Noko affirmed preparations are underway for
the second continental summit in October 2004 as mandated by the
Johannesburg plan of action. 

Religious communities will gather at the second summit to assess
what had been done so far, and focus on the way forward for a
permanent and genuine inter-religious cooperation for peace in
Africa. A pre-summit focusing on the role of women in peace
building is planned as an affirmation of the important role of
women in any peace efforts in Africa. It was Noko's hope that the
WCRP and all other inter-religious networks in Africa would
participate in the planning and implementation of the second
summit for the sake of a common witness for peace on the
continent.

In their respective country reports, delegates to the Nairobi
conference are focusing on peace building efforts by religious
networks. (747 words)

[The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the
Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund (Sweden), the LWF now
has 136 member churches in 76 countries representing 62.3 million
of the almost 66 million Lutherans worldwide. The LWF acts on
behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as
ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian
assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects
of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information
service. Unless specifically noted, material presented does not
represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various
units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation
(LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with
acknowledgment.]

*    *	   *

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Tel: (41.22) 791.63.54
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Editor's e-mail: pmu@lutheranworld.org 


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