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

For immediate release: 2 February 2005


TV documentary on debt and global campaign on trade launched at WSF


The launch of an ecumenically-sponsored TV documentary on illegitimate debt and a call to take part in a Global Week of Action on Trade next April were among the highlights of a seminar on "Moving further on illegitimate debt" held during the fifth World Social Forum in Porto Alegre on 30 January 2005.

The TV documentary, called "The debt of the dictators", was produced by Norwegian journalist Erling Borgen. He investigated Argentina's, South Africa's, the Philippines' and the DR of Congo's debt burdens in 2004. The documentary was sponsored by the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches and will be available in English, Spanish, Portugese and French.

The Global Week of Action on Trade is an initiative promoted by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance. Scheduled for 10-16 April, it seeks to raise awareness on the unjust trade agreements, indiscriminate liberalization and privatization that the rich and powerful impose on the poor, violating their rights to food, a decent livelihood, water, health, and education.

More information (in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese) on the Global Week of Action is available at:
http://www.april2005.org

For more information and free copies of the TV documentary, contact:
Fredrik Gjernes +4722092724 +4790673106 (mobile) fg@nca.no

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This material may be reprinted freely
This material may be reprinted freely.

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.