wfn.org | NCC Head at Mine Ban Events March 5-11

[CAROL.FOUKE@ecunet.org]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Contacts: 	NCC News, 212-870-2227
Email: news@ncccusa.org   Web: www.ncccusa.org
		See Event-Specific Contacts Below

NEWS ADVISORY: MINE BAN CAMPAIGNERS IN “D.C.” MARCH 5-11
Bob Edgar to Address News Conference; Brenda Girton-Mitchell to Lead Worship

March 6, 2001, WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Landmine ban advocates from nearly 50
states and nearly 100 countries are joining together March 5-11, 2001 in
Washington, D.C.  Among participants: the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, National
Council of Churches General Secretary and former six-term Congressman from
Pennsylvania’s Seventh District.  He will be among speakers at a March
8 news conference (10 a.m., Capitol Hill, East Front Lawn, Senate Side; Rain
Location: Cannon House Office Building).

The NCC and its global service and witness ministry, Church World Service,
are long-time and active participants in the campaign to ban landmines and
support demining and mine education programs in several heavily mined
countries. (See NCC News Release -- February 28, 2001, NEW YORK CITY –
Landmine Eradication an Ongoing Church World Service Priority at
http://www.ncccusa.org/news/01news18.html.)

In addition to the news conference, the week’s events will include an
interfaith prayer service (March 10, 2-3:30 p.m., Church of the Epiphany,
1317 “G” St. N.W.  Brenda Girton-Mitchell, NCC/CWS Associate
General Secretary for Public Witness and Washington Office Director, will
lead.)

Also on the week’s schedule: the International Campaign to Ban
Landmines’ 2001 General Meeting; the U.S. Campaign to Ban
Landmines’ Legislative Action Conference and more than 300 meetings
with members of Congress; a giant shoe pile at the Capitol; a reception at
the Organization of American States with Keynote Speaker Her Majesty, Queen
Noor of Jordan, and a demonstration and handover of roughly half a million
petition signatures across the street from the White House.

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) is holding its first
meeting in the United States since the historic signing of the 1997 Mine Ban
Treaty. The U.S. has not signed the treaty.  Details of the week’s
events available at http://www.banminesusa.org.

Contacts:   Nathaniel A. Raymond; Tel: 617-413-6407 (cell); Email:
nattyray@hotmail.com, and Barbara Ayotte, Tel: 617-549-0152 (cell); Email:
bayotte@earthlink.net
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