ELCA News Blog
April 27, 2007
ELCA partners with Jolie, Global Action for Children
by Annie Lynsen, ELCA News Service
Actress Angelina Jolie appeared at a news conference April 26 in Washington, D.C., to announce the launch of Global Action for Children (GAC), a coalition advocating for orphans and vulnerable children around the world. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a member of the leadership council of GAC with 20 other faith groups and nonprofit organizations.
GAC is working to increase U.S. government funding by $2.5 billion a year for programs that support orphans and vulnerable children, and that provide free primary school education in developing countries. The news conference followed meetings of Jennifer Delaney, GAC executive director, and Jolie with senior officials at the U.S. Department of State to discuss policies and funding that will support orphan and vulnerable children's programs and access to education.
"We shape our future by the way we raise our children," said Jolie, who serves as the honorary chairperson of the GAC board. "And orphan children are the world's children." With Jolie at the news conference were Delaney; Gene Sperling, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress; the Rev. Mpho Tutu, Episcopal priest and founder of the Tutu Institute for Prayer and Pilgrimage; and Kay Warren, executive director of Saddleback Church and wife of the Rev. Rick Warren, author. The panelists issued a call to the American public to encourage the U.S. government to support orphans and educate all kids for the future by calling 1-888-731-KIDS.
Global Action for Children: http://www.globalactionforchildren.org
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog