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Church World Service Announces July U.S.-African Interfaith Summit in Washington

June 9, 2006

U.S. Faith Leaders, Advocates, Policymakers, and Delegates from Across African Will Pursue Collaborative Solutions for Continent’s Toughest Issues

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WASHINGTON -- (Updating earlier release) More than 45 high level Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Jewish leaders from Africa will meet in Washington this July with Africa-vested American faith leaders, U.S. advocacy organizations, think tank analysts, academicians, and congressional policy makers focused on foreign policy, to dialogue concerning the continent's major challenges in an effort to affect US Government policy and encourage the US Administration to make good on promises made.

Presented by humanitarian agency Church World Service, the Interfaith Summit on Africa has gained support from members of Congress and will deal with key African issues including small arms trafficking; malaria and HIV/AIDS; durable solutions for the continent's thousands of displaced people; sustainable economic development; interfaith alliances; and the impact of faith voices in government policymaking.

WHAT:

Church World Service Interfaith Summit on Africa
"A Dialogue of Religious Leaders from Africa and the United States"

WHEN:

Wednesday, July 19 - Friday, July 21, 2006

WHERE:

Hyatt Regency
Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC, USA 20001
Phone: (202) 737-1234

WHO:

The summit's key presenters, panelists and contributing experts from Africa and the U.S. include:

Wednesday opening plenary:

Ambassador Legwaila Joseph Legwaila, Director, Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, The United Nations

"Toward Authentic Strategic Alliances with Africa"

Wednesday luncheon keynote speaker:

Bishop Charles E. Blake, West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Los Angeles

"Faith-Based Solutions to Social Issues"

Wednesday banquet keynote speakers:

Victor A. Barnes, PhD, Director, HIV/AIDS Initiative of the Corporate Council on Africa

"HIV/AIDS in Africa, the Private Sector Response"

-and-

Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, Anglican Church of the Province of Southern Africa

"Roles of Religion in Public Life"

Thursday banquet keynote speaker:

Sheikh Mohamen Omari Riyami, Deputy Secretary General, National Muslim Council of Tanzania

"Interfaith Alliances: Seeking Solutions to Religious Intolerance"

and

Prof. Ruth K. Oniang'o, Ph.D., Editor in Chief, African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director and CEO, Church World Service
Sabina Khoza, President, National African Farmers Union
Dr. John Kilama, President, Global Bioscience Development Institute
Archbishop Seraphim Kykkotis, Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa
Bishop Mvume Dandala, General Secretary, All Africa Conference of Churches
Mr. Prabhudas Pattni, Secretary General, Hindu Council of Africa
Rt. Rev. Josiah Idowu Fearon, Anglican Archbishop of Kaduna, Nigeria
Sheikh Abu Bakarr-Conteh, First Vice President, Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone
Katherine Marshall, Counselor to the President, The World Bank
Rt. Rev. Dr. Nyansako-ni-Nku, President, All Africa Conference of Churches
Rev. Edward Matuvhunye, President, United Church of Christ, Zimbabwe
Patrick Purtill, Director of New Partner Outreach, Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, U.S. Department of State
Diana Aubourg, Executive Director, Save Africa's Children
Rev. David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World
Leonard Robinson, Director, The Africa Society
Dr. Kamel Esseghairi, Commission of the African Union
Dr. Awa Marie Coll Seck, Executive Secretary, Roll Back Malaria Partnership

PROGRAM:

The summit, designed to be a highly interactive dialogue between key presenters, summit participants and attendees, will include plenaries and work sessions on critical issues including:

The prospects of uprooted people--including human warehousing and the oppression of thousands of displaced persons, many living in camps with little hope of returning to their homes or resettling in new communities or countries

Innovative solutions for children in Africa--the stressors--including being orphaned, heads of households, displaced--and conditions--education, health and trafficking; new models now being practiced; and how faith-based organizations, NGOs and governmental entities can partner to alleviate the suffering of African children

Specific gender issues faced by women and the pivotal role of women in Africa--including economic, health, political, social and spiritual challenges

Water justice--community accessibility, affordability, sanitation and conservation, including discussion of government and faith community collaborations on just water policy and solutions in Africa

A Congressional reception is also scheduled for the African delegates. The delegates will testify at a Congressional Hearing on Africa on Tuesday, July 18, before the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations.

International relief, development, and refugee assistance agency Church World Service is conducting a multi-year, comprehensive Africa Initiative and related national fundraising. CWS Executive Director Rev. John L. McCullough says of the Summit, "We intend to engage and listen to prominent African interfaith leaders to discern what they experience firsthand as critical issues, to discern the important work we will engage in together, and then from our side to positively affect U.S. government policy regarding Africa."

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676;
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526;

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