wfn.org | WCC NEWS: International AIDS Conference / Mexico - Faith groups emphasize action

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

World Council of Churches - News Release

Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

>For immediate release - 29/07/2008 14:12:13

FAITH GROUPS EMPHASIZE ACTION BEFORE INTERNATIONAL AIDS

>CONFERENCE

Can religions do more in response to the AIDS pandemic? To
address this question over 450 representatives of faith-based
organizations currently responding to HIV and AIDS will gather in
Mexico City, 31 July - 2 August, in advance of the XVII
International AIDS Conference. 

"Solutions to the global crisis of HIV and AIDS are not possible
without the active engagement of faith communities", says Dr
Manoj Kurian, programme executive for health and healing at the
World Council of Churches (WCC). "Although churches and other
faith communities around the world are providing critical input
to overcome the pandemic, much more action is called for from us
- action that upholds the teachings and values that guide us", he
adds. 

Leading church, civil society, and government speakers will
address the Ecumenical Pre-Conference including: 
Dutch AIDS Ambassador Paul Bekker 
Rev. Mark Hanson, presiding bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America 
Msgr. Gustavo Rodriguez, president, National Social Commission
in Mexico of the Catholic Church 
Mr Emilio Alvarez Icaza Longoria, president, Commission on Human
Rights of Mexico City 
Ms Kay Warren, executive director, Saddleback Church's HIV/AIDS
Initiative (USA) 
Dr Jacob Gayle, deputy vice president, Ford Foundation 
Rev. Patricia Sawo, regional coordinator (East Africa), African
Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected
by HIV and AIDS (ANERELA+) 
Dr Purnima Mane, deputy executive director, United Nations
Population Fund 
Ms Beatríz Rebeca Jarero, director, Meson de la Misericordia
Divina (Mexico)

"Faith groups have taken a leadership role in many areas in the
response to AIDS," states Linda Hartke, coordinator of the
Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, which has led the planning for the
Ecumenical Pre-Conference. "We hope that everyone participating
here will be inspired, re-energized, and challenged to expand and
strengthen our efforts."

Plenary sessions over the three days focus on key obstacles and
opportunities to reaching the goal of universal access to
prevention, care and treatment. They include leadership,
prevention, violence, vulnerability of children and stigma and
discrimination.

"I expect the Ecumenical Pre-Conference to be an opportunity to
hear from those within the faith communities who are striving to
make a difference", says Rev. Dr Nyambura Njoroge, project
coordinator of the WCC Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiative in
Africa (EHAIA). "I hope religious leaders and decision makers
around the world will listen to a crescendo of prophetic voices -
voices from the eye of the storm called HIV and AIDS", she adds.

The 3-8 August XVII International AIDS Confere nce, probably the
largest conference on a single health issue to date, is the first
to be held in Latin America. Known as AIDS 2008, the conference
will bring some 25,000 participants from the academic, scientific
and medical communities, as well as from business, government,
faith and civil society organizations together with HIV positive
people's networks. Over 33 million people worldwide are living
with HIV. The AIDS 2008 conference theme is "Universal Action
Now".

Churches and church-related organizations in Mexico have formed
a Christian Host Committee to support and facilitate the
faith-based presence at AIDS 2008. The Ecumenical Advocacy
Alliance provides overall coordination and support for
faith-based participation through its secretariat and several
international planning committees.

Media contact in Mexico

Sara Speicher +521 55 5075 2752 sspeicher@e-alliance.ch

Schedule and speakers list for the Ecumenical Pre-Conference in
PDF format can be downloaded at: 
http://www.e-alliance.ch/iac2008/resources/Plenary_Background_Paper_List_of_Plenary_Sessions.pdf

Media are welcome to attend the Ecumenical Pre-Conference. Press
should bring appropriate credentials, and inform the
above-mentioned media contact in advance of attendance. 

Extensive coverage, including photos, news, features, video and
audioof faith-based participation at the International AIDS
Conference will be available beginning 31 July at 
http://iac.e-alliance.ch
All materials can be reprinted free of charge provided credit is
given to the source.

Sign up to receive a daily digest of the latest news and
features, video and photos, as well as other media products by
sending an email with the subject "subscribe IAC" to 
media@e-alliance.ch

Webcasts of all Ecumenical Pre-Conference plenary sessions will
be made available by Kaiser Network at: 
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/ecumenical/31jul08

The Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance is a broad international
network of churches and Christian organizations cooperating in
advocacy on global trade and HIV and AIDS. The Alliance is based
in Geneva, Switzerland. For more information, see
http://www.e-alliance.ch

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

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith,
witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical
fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings
together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches
representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110
countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic
Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from
the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.