wfn.org | Blair meets with NCC's Edgar, and religious leaders

["NCC News" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

Washington -- National Council of Churches USA General Secretary, the Rev.
Dr. Bob Edgar, was among top religious leaders who met with British Prime
Minister Tony Blair here Tuesday to discuss debt relief, alleviating poverty
in Africa and the growing threat of global climate change. Mr. Blair called
the meeting to encourage religious leaders to push the U.S. government to do
more to address these issues. 

"NCC has already been working diligently to advocate for better environmental
stewardship and debt relief in Africa and other countries," Edgar said. "I am
glad we had the opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Blair to share what
we are doing and to discuss how we can move forward in a positive direction
to find solutions to these challenges."

NCC's Governing Board passed a resolution in February supporting the United
Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which lay out a concrete plan
for improving the quality of life in developing countries. Affectionately
called a "Love Letter to the World" because it was passed on Valentine's Day,
the letter urges NCC member denominations to support the MDGs. In addition,
NCC has developed a church bulletin insert on the MDGs and is also launching
an initiative to engage U.S. Latino communities in how to help their
countries of origin deal with the debt problems that prevent them from
investing in the health and education of their people.

Through a partnership with the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life
(COEJL), ongoing state campaigns that address climate change, and NCC's
involvement in the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, a
broad coalition that includes COEJL, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
and the Evangelical Environmental Network, NCC has been promoting policies
and practices that will reduce the negative impact of global climate change
on people and communities around the world.

"We recognize that communities around the world are already being negatively
impacted by our over-consumption and misguided choices here in the United
States," said Edgar. "I agree with Prime Minister Blair that we are all in
trouble if we do not do something to stop global climate change."

Contact NCC News: Leslie Tune, 202-543-2350, ltune@ncccusa.org; Philip E.
Jenks, 212-870-2252, pjenks@ncccusa.org