wfn.org | WCC NEWS: Churches to discuss advocacy work while UN meets in

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

World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 11/11/2004

CHURCHES TO DISCUSS THEIR INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY WORK WHILE UN MEETS IN NEW
YORK 

UN reform, economic justice, the crisis in Sudan and the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty will be the focus of this year's World Council of
Churches' (WCC) UN Advocacy Week, scheduled to take place from 14-19 November
in New York City at the "Church Center" at the UN and the WCC's UN liaison
office, with some seminars taking place in the United Nations building
itself.

This will be the second time that WCC has coordinated a week for advocacy,
information-sharing, and strategizing on a number of international affairs.
Last year, the event brought together over fifty people from the wider
ecumenical movement to share their expertise and concerns and learn from one
another. Those participants agreed unanimously to return to New York City for
another Advocacy Week in 2004. 
This year, key people responsible for international affairs and advocacy in
member churches, specialized ministries and ecumenical organizations will
come together for strategic discussions on topics like "The responsibility of
the international community for peace in Sudan" and "The role of the churches
in fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals". Participants in seminars and
working sessions on many regions and issues of concern will address how to
improve cooperation and prioritize efforts in the present international
political environment. 

Representatives from diplomatic missions, UN staff and NGOs will be invited
to attend the week's four main public seminars in addition to the
participants from the WCC's Commission of the Churches on International
Affairs (CCIA). 

"The CCIA/WCC witness on issues of war, peace, justice and human rights has
been a source of information and guidance to Christians and churches around
the world faced with complex dilemmas of international politics," says CCIA
director Peter Weiderud. "We have deliberately chosen this week in New York
to coincide with the meeting of the UN General Assembly. We hope that the
event will be an expression of support for the United Nations' work on peace
and conflict resolution".

Media contact person: Dr Laurence Konmla Bropleh, permanent representative,
WCC UN Liaison Office, tel: 212- 867 5891, Mobile: 1 202 258 4166 email:
lbr@wcc-coe.org 

Information on the 2004 WCC Advocacy Week is available at:
http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/advocweek04.html

More information on the work of the WCC UN Liaison Office (UNLO) in New York
is available at
http://www.wcc-un.org

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363
media@wcc-coe.org

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in more
than 120 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, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary Samuel Kobia
from the Methodist church in Kenya.

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