World Council of Churches - Agenda
Media contact: + 41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

For immediate release: 19 February 2004


March 2004



WCC and Roman Catholic representatives to meet
4-6 March 2004, Antelias, Lebanon

The Executive Committee of the Joint Working Group (JWG) between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Roman Catholic Church will hold its annual meeting to identify emerging priorities in the ecumenical relationship between the two bodies. Issues will be further discussed at the JWG annual plenary meeting taking place 6-13 May in Kolympari-Chania, Greece.

History of the JWG:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/ecumenical/jwgh-e.html


Pacific churches and youth to address climate change
4-11 March 2004, Tarawa, Kiribati

The WCC in collaboration with the Pacific Conference of Churches will gather scholars, clergy, lay people and youth from the region to raise awareness on climate change. Experts from the South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme and the World Wildlife Fund as well as from other regions will be on hand to provide advice and guidance to the Pacific churches. The consultation will be preceded by a youth event on the same topic to allow youth to share from their perspectives. Work done at both meetings will feed into the work of the WCC Climate Change Network and the upcoming WCC assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2006.

On religion and climate change:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/jpc/moscow2003.html


Samuel Kobia to give keynote speech at US Ecumenical Advocacy Days
5-8 March, Washington DC, USA

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia will give the keynote speech on the evening of Friday 5 March, opening the 2004 Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice. Dr Kobia will be available to participants for questions regarding his work in the ecumenical movement on the following evening, 6 March. This event, sponsored by a broad range of US churches and faith-based coalitions, marks the second annual ecumenical gathering in Washington, DC concerning global issues.

http://www.advocacydays.org

Consultation: Christian unity and challenges of identity
30 March - 6 April 2004, Faverges, France

The WCC will bring together theologians and social scientists to explore problems of national and ethnic identity in the search for Christian unity. This consultation is the latest in a series of theological studies on Christian unity in local contexts. The goal of the study is to develop materials for local use that will enable the churches to act as agents of reconciliation in conflict situations.

WCC work on unity:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/faith/goal-e.html#5


Media representatives interested in attending any of the events listed above should contact the WCC media relations office in advance. Unless noted otherwise, events are by invitation only and not open to the general public. Dates and venues may change without notice.

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 Olav Fykse Tveit, from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.