wfn.org | RCCongress 2010 Announces Global Scholarships

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

RCCongress 2010 Announces Scholarships to Attend Global Interfaith
Gathering of Religion Communicators

NEW YORK, May 16,2008--Organizers of a once-a-decade conference of
faith  communications practitioners today announced a fund to help young
religion communicators and students attend the world's largest
interfaith gathering of religion scheduled for April 7-10, 2010 in
Chicago.

The event, Religion Communication Congress 2010
(www.rccongress2010.org), will bring together more than 1,000 religion
communicators to explore the theme Embracing Change: Communicating Faith
in Today's World.

Under the financial assistance program, called the Global Partners
Fund, eligible individuals are invited to apply for grants of up to
$3,000 to help cover the cost of registration, travel, food, and lodging
for the event.

Fund Coordinator Father Derek Simons SVD says, "The grants are for
applicants aged 40 and under, from countries other than the U.S. and
Canada, who are working in the field of faith and religion communication
or studying with the objective of moving into this field. The fund also
is open to overseas applicants who are working or studying here in North
America but who eventually want to carry on that work in countries
outside of the United States and Canada."

The four-day congress will feature panel discussions, roundtables,
performances and skills-building workshops.  The focus will be on
changes in technology, society and perceptions of religions that affect
the way religion communicators tell their faith stories.

The fund grew out of concern that young people from around the world
might be unable to participate because of the expense involved.

That, explains Simons, is why congress organizers are "asking
everyone to share this information with people who can encourage
deserving young colleagues or students to seek a grant from the Global
Partners Fund."  (www.rccongress2010.net/globalpartners)

Their presence, he adds, will yield benefits not just for them but also
for others with whom they interact.

"The greatest gift at RCCongress2010 is that bridges might be built
between all these young people from around the world who are answering
the call to communicate faiths that are so varied in different cultures
and traditions."

Participants in the upcoming event--the fifth congress in succession
since 1970--will include communicators at every level of experience, in
all forms of faith and religion communications, from print to broadcast
to Internet. Twelve hundred people attended the last congress, held in
Chicago in 2000.

At that gathering 14 young communicators from all corners of the
globe

> were assisted by the Global Partners Fund.

"Ultimately we all want to see the face of God, Simons says.

"That's the purpose of us communicating religion--so that light
and grace might be shared.  We want these young people to join us in
Chicago at RCCongress 2010 so that they will have an opportunity to
share with all of us their dreams for effectively communicating faith in
a world where so much is changing so rapidly."

Full details and applications for the Global Partner Fund scholarships
are at www.rccongress2010.net/globalpartners.  The application deadline
is July 15, 2009.  Scholarship recipients will be announced on September
15, 2009.

To date, 71 religious denominations and communions, ecumenical agencies

and religion communications organizations have signed on as cooperating
organizations for the 2010 religion communication congress.

> Contact

Fr. Derek Simons, 312-234-9838, simons@racebridges.net
RCCongress Web Site: www.rccongress2010.org