From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


WCC NEWS: Global Week of Action for Just Trade


From "WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>
Date Thu, 31 Mar 2005 17:33:37 +0200

World Council of Churches - News Release
Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org
For immediate release - 31/03/2005

CHURCHES LEAD EFFORTS FOR TRADE JUSTICE DURING GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION

Churches and church-related organizations around the world are leading
events during the Global Week of Action on Trade, 10-16 April 2005.

Actions are being planned in over 70 countries, involving faith groups and
civil society organizations. Campaigners are challenging the myth that
free trade helps to reduce poverty and are calling for changes in
international trade rules to safeguard the rights of all people.

A petition calling for international trade policies that put human rights,
the environment and economic justice first, will be presented to officials
at the World Trade Organization in Geneva by a delegation representing the
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance on 13 April.

The delegation, led by Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the
World Council of Churches, will present the Trade for People petition
signed by over 180 religious leaders and discuss with officials its main
challenges to current international trade policies and practices.

National events focus on trade issues close to home. Church-related events
include ecumenical and interfaith worship services, trade tribunals, grain
marches (where marchers carry grain to a symbolic location), demonstrations for peace and justice, educational seminars, "unjust" football matches,
and letter-writing campaigns.

An initial list of faith-based events can be found at
http://www.e-alliance.ch/gwa.jsp#faith

For more information on the Global Week of Action, including a media
brief, country and daily listings of events, press contacts for national
campaigns, quotes and more, see
http://www.april2005.org/media

The Trade for People Petition, including a running list of signatures, is
available at
http://www.e-alliance.ch/tradepetition.jsp

Media contact: Sara Speicher +44-1524-727-651 media@e-alliance.ch

The Global Week of Action on Trade is endorsed by the Ecumenical Advocacy
Alliance as part of its Trade for People Campaign. The Alliance is a broad
international network of over 90 churches and Christian organizations
cooperating in advocacy on global trade and HIV and AIDS. Website:
http://www.e-alliance.ch

- - -

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

Sign up for WCC press releases at
http://onlineservices.wcc-coe.org/pressnames.nsf

The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 347, 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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