wfn.org | Day of Fasting for N. Korea

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the
U.S.A.
Contacts: Wendy McDowell, NCC, 212-870-2227
     Rev. Paul Kim, KAPI, 201-440-6975
Internet: news@ncccusa.org

37NCC4/20/98              FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK COALITION HOLDS INTERFAITH EVENT ON
APRIL 24 WORLD DAY OF FASTING FOR THE PEOPLE OF
NORTH KOREA

WHAT:
An interfaith service sponsored by a
multicultural coalition of organizations
from the New York City-area Protestant,
Jewish and Buddhist communities to mark
the World Day of
Fasting for the People of North Korea.  The service
will include Korean music, a testimony about "The
Silent Famine in North Korea" by Rabbi Schindler,
readings and meditation on scripture by the Rev.
Calvin Butts, and a slide show by Korean youth.

WHEN:
APRIL 24, 12:30 to1:30 p.m., to coincide
with the APRIL 25 Day of Fasting in
Korea.

WHERE:
The Interchurch Center Chapel, 475
Riverside Drive (120 St.), New York City

WHO:
Speakers at the service will include: The
Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts, Pastor of
Abyssinian Baptist Church and President,
Council of Churches of the City of New
York; The Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell,
National Council of Churches (NCC) General
Secretary; The Rev. Dr. Young Choon Chang, Pastor
of Korean American Presbyterian Church of Queens
and co-chair of the Council of Greater New York
"Help My People"; Venerable Hwi-Kwang, Abbot of
Bulkwang Temple, New York and Chair, NY Buddhist
Sharing Movement; Rabbi Alexander Schindler, Board
Member, American Jewish Joint Distribution
Committee, and Mr. Man Woo Shin, President of The
Korean American Association of Greater New York.

Sponsoring organizations include: Council of
Churches of the City of New York, American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee, Council of Greater NY
"Help My People," Council of Korean Churches of
Greater NY, Council of Korean Buddhist Temples of
Greater New York, The Korean-American Association
of Greater New York, Coalition of Sharing with the
People of North Korea, National Council of the
Churches of Christ in U.S.A., General Board of
Global Ministries (United Methodist Church), Join
Together Society of USA/Buddhist Sharing Movement,
Korean American Peace Institute, Common Global
Ministries Board United Church of Christ, Christian
Church [Disciples of Christ]), Korean American
Church Women United of NJ, National Association of
Korean Americans-New York Chapter, The Korea
Society, American Friends Service Committee of NYC,
United Methodist Committee on Relief, U.S.
Committee for UNICEF, and The Riverside Church.

WHY:
People in at least 70 cities around the
world, including Pope John Paul II and
the Dalai Lama, are joining the Day of
Fasting to demonstrate their humanitarian
concern for the North Korean people.
"The situation is desperate," according to Madam
Bertini, Executive Director of the World Food
Program.  In March 1998, the World Food Program
warned that food supplies in North Korea will run
out by the end of April.  The people of North
Korea, especially children and the elderly,
continue to suffer every day from pervasive famine.
Over a million North Korean children under age 6
are suffering from serious malnutrition.  Some
experts estimate that the number of deaths from
famine and hunger-related diseases may already have
exceeded that of the Ethiopian tragedy of the
1980s.
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