wfn.org | ACNS3694 Anglicans and the United Nations

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3694     |     USA     |	  2 DECEMBER 2003 

Anglicans and the United Nations

The following letter was presented to the UN secretary general on World
AIDS Day (1 December 2003) at his office in New York:

1 December 2003

His Excellency Mr Kofi Annan
Secretary General
The United Nations

Dear Mr Secretary General,

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, I am delighted to know that you have
agreed to meet our Anglican Observer at the United Nations, Archdeacon
Taimalelagi Fagamalama Tuatagaloa Matalavea, in order to hear from her
something of the important work she does at the United Nations on behalf
of the 75 million-member Anglican Communion.

The continuing engagement of the churches of the worldwide Anglican
Communion with the HIV/AIDS pandemic is one of the top priorities for
the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. The Primates of the
Anglican Communion, meeting in Brazil in May 2003, made the stark
admission that the "Body of Christ has AIDS". The Primates determined to
engage more deeply in combating HIV/AIDS, and particularly in
challenging cultures and traditions which stifle the humanity of women
and deprive them of equal rights. They agreed that the greatest
challenge was to nurture and equip our children to protect themselves
from HIV, so that we can fulfil the vision of building a "generation
without AIDS".

To that end, the twelve Provinces of the Anglican Communion in Africa
which make up the Council of the Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA)
have adopted the All Africa Anglican Planning Framework to address the
AIDS pandemic. This framework singles out prevention, pastoral care,
counselling, HIV care, death and dying as the Church's core areas of
intervention. The Anglican Communion does not believe that AIDS is a
punishment from God, for God does not visit death and disease upon his
people. It is rather an effect of "our broken humanity", reminding us of
our call to respect the dignity of every human being.

In a Pastoral Letter following their May 2003 meeting, the Primates of
the Anglican Communion reminded us that Christ calls us into community
as friends so that we might befriend others in His name. In that spirit,
the Anglican Communion has resolved to build on what has already been
achieved in the fight against AIDS, and to strengthen its efforts,
prayers and support for all who are living with, and dying from, the
effects of HIV/AIDS.

Our UN Observer and my Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mark Pellew, will
join the New York community tonight, in our Cathedral of St John the
Divine, in prayer and determination that one day our world will be free
from this devastating disease.

Yours sincerely,

[signed]

John L. Peterson
Secretary General
Anglican Communion Office

END OF OFFICIAL LETTER TEXT

For additional information on the work of the Anglican Observer at UN
please visit: www.anglicancommunion.org/un

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