World Council of Churches - Geneva Info
Contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

For immediate release: 11 October 2004


UK government chief secretary to the Treasury Paul Boateng
to address WCC seminar on Millennium Development Goals



A seminar on "The challenge of poverty eradication", to be held in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on 18 October, will assess progress towards realizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) adopted by 190 countries in 2000. Organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC), the seminar will also advocate for translating these goals into concrete action.

The MDG are to be met within 15 years, and range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS. Deeply concerned about the 1.2 billion people living in extreme poverty in the world today as well as those living with HIV/AIDS, the WCC is worried that little real progress has yet been made towards their realization.

The seminar will therefore attempt to assess current initiatives in eradicating poverty, with a special focus on Africa; hear a report by UK government chief secretary to the Treasury Paul Boateng on how the British MDG initiative to create an international financial facility may work; and attempt to identify the role of churches and the ecumenical community.

18 October programme at the Ecumenical Centre

08.30-09.00: Worship in the chapel
09.00-09.15: The WCC general secretary welcomes Rt. Hon. Paul Boateng and participants
09.15-09.45: Poverty eradication and social justice: the ecumenical commitment, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, WCC general secretary
09.45-10.15: MDG assessment in Africa, Dr Agnes Abuom, WCC president from Africa
10.15-10.45: Tea/coffee break
10.45-12.00: British government commitment on implementing MDGs, Rt. Hon. Paul Boateng
12.00-12.45: Discussion

12.45-13.15: Press conference

Press representatives are welcome to attend the seminar and the press conference.
Please contact WCC Media relations office in advance: 022-791-6421, 079-507-6363,media@wcc-coe.org

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