wfn.org | CWS Early Registration for Ecumenical Advocacy Days ends Feb. 13

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> Church World Service
> 475 Riverside Drive
> New York, NY 10027
> (212) 870-2676

Early registration deadline for Ecumenical Advocacy Days near

NEW YORK, Monday, Feb. 9, 2009--Advocates and activists from across the
United States will gather outside Washington, D.C., March 13-16 for a
long weekend of policy issue discussions and advocacy training that will
end with them descending upon Capitol Hill to lobby lawmakers for
effective climate change legislation.

The early registration deadline for the event, Ecumenical Advocacy
Days, is Friday, Feb. 13.

The gathering, themed "Enough for All Creation," is an exploration of
the connections between climate change, migration and poverty in the
U.S. and around the world and ways to bring about a world where the
earth's abundant resources are shared fairly and justly.

The Rev. John McCullough, executive director and CEO of Church World
Service, will deliver the sermon at the Sunday, Mar. 15 service.

Several Church World Service international partners also will address
conference plenaries and workshops. Fe'iloakitau Kaho Tevi, General
Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, will speak on the
displacement of populations due to climate change.  Ramzi Zananiri,
Executive Director of the International Christian Committee - Jerusalem
will speak on environment, water, poverty and peace building in the
Palestinian Territories and Deborah Katina, coordinator of Yangâ??at  in
Kenya, will speak on water as a sustainer of life and source of
conflict.

Hundreds of people of faith representing different Christian communions
will participate in discussions of U.S. policy and its effect on the
developing world, receive training in effective advocacy and attend
meetings centered on climate change legislation with members of congress
or their staff.	

The opening keynote address for the event will be given by Fr. Sean
McDonagh, a Catholic priest who has lived and worked in the Philippines
for many years and who is regarded as a leader in the faith community on
climate change, environmental justice, genetically engineered food and
human rights.

Other speakers include the Rev. Dr. Janet Parker, recipient of the
National Council of Churches' 2007 Environmental Sermon Award, Tyler
Edgar of  National Council of Churches' Eco-Justice Program, Leo Atakpu,
national coordinator of the Nigeria Civil Society Network for Water and
Sanitation and deputy executive director of the Africa Network for
Environment and Economic Justice; and John Cavanaugh, executive director
of the Institute of Policy Studies.

The conference will be held at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel
in Alexandria, Va.

For information and conference registration, visit
http://advocacydays.org/.  Young adults interested in student
scholarships can find information on the young adult page or by email to
scholarships@advocacydays.org.

Media Contacts

Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, media@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin, (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net