wfn.org | WCC AGENDA: October 2004

["WCC Media" <Media@wcc-coe.org>]

>>> WCC Media 09/29/04 12:07PM >>>

World Council of Churches - Agenda
Contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org 
For immediate release - 28/09/2004

 OCTOBER 2004

> Samuel Kobia to Canada
> Consultation on climate and water
> Annual meeting of WCC-US member churches
> New approach to overcoming racism
> UK chief treasury secretary to speak at WCC
> IMF and World Bank heads at WCC headquarters

>>> WCC general secretary to visit churches in Canada 30 September - 4
October, Winnipeg / Toronto / Ottawa, Canada

The WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia will preach at an ecumenical
worship service and meet with Canadian Council of Churches general
secretary Rev. Dr Karen Hamilton during a visit to member churches and
ecumenical organizations in Canada.  During the visit, Kobia will take part
in a public lecture and panel discussion on "The impact of emerging
inter-faith relationships on classical ecumenism" as part of the 40th
anniversary celebrations of the Canadian Center for Ecumenism, and conduct
a seminar with theological students of African descent from the Toronto
School of Theology.

Media contact: +1-416-972-9494 hamilton@ccc-cce.ca 

>>> WCC convenes strategy consultation on climate and water
3-9 October, Soesterberg, Netherlands

Due to churches' growing concerns regarding climate change and water
issues, the WCC will gather representatives from member churches and
church-related relief and development agencies to shape a common ecumenical
strategy on these issues. This consultation - hosted by Kerkinactie (Church
in Action), a Dutch church-related ecumenical diakonia and mission
organization - will act as a forum to analyze the current impact of climate
change and water availability, and provide an opportunity to build
consensus on an ecumenical strategy to influence international negotiations
regarding these issues.

WCC work on climate change and water
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/ecology.html 

Kerkinactie (in Dutch)
http://www.kerkinactie.nl 

Media contact: Wim Brouwer +31-30-880-1786 w.brouwer@kerkinactie.nl 

>>> Annual meeting of WCC-US Conference: "The Power and Promise of Peace" 5-6
October, Atlanta, Georgia

"The Power and Promise of Peace" is the compelling theme for the 2004 focus
on the United States of the "Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV): Churches
Seeking Reconciliation and Peace (2001-2010). It is also the theme of the
2004 annual meeting of the United States Conference for the WCC, scheduled
for 5-6 October in Atlanta, Georgia, as a major DOV event. The WCC general
secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, will be the keynote speaker.

For more detailed information see the WCC press release at:
www.wcc-coe.org > press corner > US conference for the WCC

For registration materials and further information, please visit:
http://www.wcc-usa.org 

Media contacts:
Deborah DeWinter 212-870-2522 dhd@wcc-coe.org 
John Baker Brown Jr., 404.523.5554, jbrown@faithandthecity.org 
Joan Harrell, 404.527.5713, harrelljoan_@hotmail.com 

>>> Churches looking for a new approach to overcoming racism
12-15 October, Geneva, Switzerland

Some 35-40 participants, including women and men from different continents,
of different ages and ethnic backgrounds - such as Indigenous People,
Dalits and people of African descent - will take part in an encounter in
Geneva on "Overcoming Racism Today". Issues to be covered include the
church's mission, its role in perpetuating discrimination and, on the other
hand, its contribution to the process of reconciliation in communities
dealing with the consequences of racial, ethnic or caste discrimination.
The main objective of the gathering, being organised by the WCC and its
Programme to Combat Racism, is to promote a deeper understanding of
approaches and challenges faced by churches and ecumenical groups living
out their commitment to combat racism.

More information about WCC work on Justice, Peace and Creation:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/index-e.html 

More information about the Programme to Combat Racism:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/racism-e.html 

>>> UK chief treasury secretary speaks at WCC seminar on poverty eradication
18 October, Geneva, Switzerland

The WCC will host the Rt Hon. Paul Boateng, chief secretary to the treasury
in the United Kingdom, for a seminar on current initiatives in eradicating
poverty. Boateng will speak about British initiatives towards achieving
Millennium Development Goals, specifically in Africa, and describe the
British proposal to create an international financial facility to ensure
the implementation of those goals. WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel
Kobia will address "The ecumenical concern for poverty eradication and
social justice", and WCC Africa president Dr Agnes Aboum will speak on "An
assessment of poverty eradication in Africa". Representatives from church
and civil society groups as well as members of the African Union and
Geneva's diplomatic community will be present.

>>> IMF and World Bank heads at WCC headquarters 22 October, Geneva,
Switzerland

WCC general secretary Samuel Kobia will join World Bank (WB) president
James D. Wolfensohn and International Monetary Fund (IMF) deputy managing
director Agustmn Carstens for a panel discussion on poverty eradication,
the integration of human rights and justice, and the participation of
developing countries in WB and IMF policy development. Held as a
culminating high-level encounter in a series started on February 2003, the
panel will be attended by members of the three organizations and invited
guests from social movements and ecumenical organizations. A statement on
future common action will be produced after the encounter.

For more information on the series of encounters see past WCC press
releases at:
www.wcc-coe.org > press corner > WCC encounters with IMF & World Bank

Need more advance warning?
Check the WCC Media Calendar at:
www.wcc-coe.org > Press Corner > Media Calendar

Unless noted otherwise, events are by invitation only and not open to the
	 press or general public. The information above may change without
	 notice.

	 Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153  +41 79 507
	 6363 media@wcc-coe.org 

Sign up for WCC press releases at
http://onlineservices.wcc-coe.org/pressnames.nsf

 The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 342, in
 more than 120 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian
 traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works
 cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly,
 which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally
 inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by
 general secretary Samuel Kobia from the Methodist church in Kenya.