1. The Committee spent important time initially on clarifying its task (as set out in GS 5 and the annotated agenda provided for members) and removing misunderstandings concerning its role within the new structure which had aroused expressions of confusion and frustration. After discussion, the Committee accepted its task and agenda as:

• to reflect on and refer to the Central Committee issues that had emerged through the deliberative processes (small groups, Padare, regional meetings, Africa plenary) and were of significance to the ecumenical agenda and our continuing journey as churches, both individually and together;
• to consider and make recommendations to the Central Committee on
  1. the concept and methodology of Padare;
  2. the role and place of the "regional plenary" in the light of the experience of the African plenary;
  3. the draft message on the Decade to Overcome Violence;
• to identify for further consideration issues emerging from the regional meetings.

2. After lengthy discussion, the Committee with unanimity agreed that the concept of Padare provided valuable "open space", free and safe, that enabled Central Committee to share insights, concerns and experience. It was concluded that there was scope within Padare to include sessions that facilitated maximum interaction and some that had a more educational function and presentational mode: some should feed into the Central Committee agenda and others would enable Central Committee members to get to know one another and our respective contexts better. It was decided, after discussion, that the use of the term "Padare" was not inappropriate outside Africa: this was an African contribution to the ecumenical vocabulary to be developed, applied and understood in particular local contexts.

3. It is recommended that:

1. provision for Padare should be made in future Central Committee meetings;
2. members of Central Committee should be invited beforehand to offer suggestions for content or to lead sessions in Padare;
3. decisions about the topics and arrangements (number, length of sessions, etc.) should be made by the Executive Committee and should involve careful preparation;
4. a small Padare "listening group" should be appointed to accompany the process during Central Committee meetings;
5. within Padare there should be flexibility as to the possibility of different approaches (as described in paragraph 2 above);
6. there should be flexibility also as to whether Padare sessions might link with the Central Committee agenda or be free-standing explorations of particular topics of concern;
7. consideration should be given to the possibility of adopting the Padare approach in certain plenary sessions of Central Committee.

1. recommendations were passed to the Programme Committee concerning:
   • the continuation of the Protestant/Orthodox dialogue' through the Special Commission and further conversations at future Central Committee meetings;
   • specific urgent initiatives for WCC and CEC concerning the situation in the Balkans, and Kosovo in particular;
   • support for the proposed youth programme on ecumenical formation;
   • greater priority for (cross-team) programmes on ecumenical spirituality;

2. it is recommended that the next Central Committee meeting should include a full deliberative plenary on such issues relating to world trade, international economics, etc. as had been explored in the WTO session in Padare.

5. Appreciation was expressed for the opportunity, in the Africa plenary sessions, to follow up issues raised at the Harare Assembly, but a number of delegates expressed the view that the sessions had not advanced the discussion significantly or provided an adequate opportunity for those from outside Africa to consider how they might accompany the African churches in facing the challenges; and it was regretted in particular that there had been little consideration of the paper on Africa (I&T 1) and the issues it raised which provided a valuable conceptual framework for continuing work within the Africa programme.

6. It is recommended therefore that there should be further work, in the specific context of Africa, through an integrated approach on:

1. the impact of war and conflict (recognising the links with DOV), micro disarmament, children and women in armed conflict situations;
2. economic justice, including economic globalisation, debt and governance from the perspective of human rights and human dignity;
3. spirituality and the promotion of ethical values that enhance life with dignity in sustainable community.

7. The value of "regional plenaries" was strongly affirmed in enabling churches to engage in dialogue, listening to the voices of the region, and informing the ecumenical agenda. It is recommended that regional plenaries should be a regular feature of Central Committee meetings (but not necessarily to the exclusion of deliberative plenaries on other topics). After consideration of the various suggestions made (in the regional meetings and small groups as well as within the Committee - Asia, Europe, the Middle East), it is recommended that, at the next Central Committee meeting, there should be a plenary on Asia, exploring among other issues the economic dimension, and providing delegates from other regions opportunity to consider the significance, for their own church and context, of the issues raised.

8. On the particular issue of children in situations of armed conflict, following the address to Central Committee by Mr Olara Otunnu, the UN Secretary General's Special Representative and the UN Security Council resolution of 29 August, a draft statement, prepared by the Africa regional meeting, was passed to the Public Issues Committee.

Regional Reports

9. In receiving reports from the regional meetings, the Committee noted and endorsed a wide range of areas of work and concerns (for instance regarding spirituality, identity, globalisation, inter-religious dialogue, issues relating to environmental sustainability and indigenous cultures) relating to existing WCC programmes, in which it was hoped that the WCC would continue to encourage and collaborate with regional projects and initiatives. The following were identified as "emerging issues" to which it is recommended that further consideration should be given by staff and subsequent meetings of the WCC governing bodies:

1. issues of ethnicity, identity, territory and church including the relation between religion and ethnic conflicts, the political and economic effect of the emergence of forms of misused religion, racism and xenophobia;
2. the implications of the legacy of colonialism and cold war for the process of reconciliation;
3. the mobilisation of youth in the pursuit of spiritual renewal and Christian unity;
4. the organising, in consultation with member churches, partners and REOs, of an international consultation for peace and security in North East Asia;
5. the creation of a framework to enable the WCC to take up the specific offer from South Africa in relation to truth and reconciliation;
6. the review of mission policies where they have disruptive even violent potential in the local context.

10. A revised draft is attached of the message to be sent to member churches and others relating to the Decade to Overcome Violence.

11. During discussion of the Padare sessions, Africa plenary and regional meetings a number of issues were identified as requiring attention in the context of the DOV - including the intrusion of international militarisation, small arms proliferation, conflict resolution and peace-building, the linkages between DOV and religious and ethnic conflict.

Issues relating to Process, Staffing, etc.

12. The Committee recommends that the following matters be taken into account in planning future Central Committee meetings and the process within Central Committee meetings, and in developing the CUV process:

1. the dominant methodology, with its emphasis on the consideration of papers often presented at short notice and couched in fairly complicated language, is weighted against those more familiar with other ways of working;
2. further work needs to be done on issues of communication for example in strengthening links between the WCC and REOs and enhancing links among the regions;
3. the development of a sense of mutual accountability, involving both support and challenge, within the Central Committee meetings is to be welcomed; but further attention needs to be given to the development of a consistent process whereby issues emerging from the regional meetings can be identified and discussed;
4. considerable sensitivity is needed in planning the process for the conduct of meetings - even in relation, for example, to seating arrangements, and to securing participation by all Committee members;
5. there is concern that certain regions (e.g. Asia, Caribbean) are under-represented within the current staffing structure: it is important that the aspirations and perspectives of all regions should be reflected in staff appointments and that in the development and prioritising of work through the CUV framework careful consideration should be given to the most appropriate methodology (whether within WCC itself, at REO level or through a process of collaboration):
6. concerns for disappearing langauges of Indigenous Peoples.

Seek peace and pursue it.
(Psalm 34:14)

In response to a call by the Eighth Assembly of the World Council of Churches,we embark on a Decade to Overcome Violence in the years 2001-2010 and invite churches, ecumenical groups, individual Christians and people of good will to contribute to it.

We are gathered for the first Central Committee meeting after the Harare Assembly at the end of the most violent century in human history. We are convinced: the churches are called to provide to the world a clear witness to peace, to reconciliation and nonviolence, grounded in justice.

We remember the saints and martyrs who have given their lives as a witness for God against the powers of violence, destruction and war. We recall the witness of people who became signs of hope within and beyond their respective communities, opening up alternatives to the deadly cycle of violence. As representatives of member churches of the World Council of Churches, we are inspired by the Gospel message of the peace of Christ, of love and of reconciliation, and the rich biblical tradition of peace with justice. God's promise of life and peace for all humankind and creation calls us to make our lives consistent with our faith, as individuals and as communities of faith.

But we are also aware that Christians and churches have added, through words and actions, to growing violence and injustice in a world of oppression and graceless competition. We are yearning for a community of humankind, in which nobody is excluded and everybody can live in peace with human dignity. As we engage in constructive efforts to build a culture of peace, we know that we are required to embark upon a deep process of change, beginning with repentance and a renewed commitment to the very sources of our faith.

We must give up being spectators of violence or merely lamenting it and must act to overcome violence both within and outside the walls of the church. We remind ourselves and the churches of our common responsibility to speak out boldly against any defense of unjust and oppressive structures, of racism, of the use of violence, including especially violence against women and children, and of other gross violations of human rights committed in the name of any nation or ethnic group. If churches do not combine their witness for peace and reconciliation with the search for unity among themselves, they fail in their mission to the world. Leaving behind what separates us, responding ecumenically to the challenge, proving that nonviolence is an active approach to conflict resolution, and offering in all humility what Jesus Christ taught his disciples to do, the churches have a unique message to bring to the violence-ridden world.

There are a number of positive and encouraging examples from congregations and churches around the world. We recognize the steady witness of monastic traditions and of the "historic peace churches", and we want to receive anew their contribution through the Decade. There are congregations and churches that have become centers of reflection and training for active nonviolence in their own context. They show the kind of courage, skills and creativity that is necessary for active nonviolence and nonviolent resistance. They are sensitive to the destruction of nature and concentrate on the situation of the most vulnerable groups. Part of the contribution to building a culture of peace involves listening to the stories of those who are the primary victims of violence, including people who are poor, women, youth and children, people with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples.

There are those who teach us through their example that presence in the situations of violence, on the streets and in the war torn areas, the active involvement with victims and perpetrators of violence, is the very key to every process of transformation and change. Prior to the Harare Assembly, the WCC Programme to Overcome Violence and the Peace to the City Campaign have shown: peace is practical, it grows at grassroots level and is nurtured by the creativity of the people. They cooperate locally with civil society and engage in dialogue and common action with people of other faith. The groups from the seven cities participating in the campaign were strengthened and encouraged by each other, sharing their experiences across different contexts and gaining new insight from reflection and exchange at the global level.

The Decade to Overcome Violence will provide a platform to share stories and experiences, develop relationships and learn from each other. The Decade will build upon the initiatives that are already there; we recognize that our work is parallel to the work of the United Nations "Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World". We hope to connect with such initiatives and help them to motivate and strengthen each other. It will facilitate the churches to assist and support each other in their ministry. We offer with the Decade to Overcome Violence a truly ecumenical space, a safe space for encounter, mutual recognition, and common action. We will strive together to overcome the spirit, logic and practice of violence. We will work together to be agents of reconciliation and peace with justice in homes, churches and communities as well as in the political, social and economic structures at national and international levels. We will co-operate to build a culture of peace that is based on just and sustainable communities.

The Gospel vision of peace is a source of hope for change and a new beginning. Let us not betray what has been given to us. People around the world wait with eager longing for Christians to become who we are: children of God embodying the message of love, peace with justice and reconciliation.

Peace is possible. Peace is practical. Seek peace and pursue it.

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.
(Matthew 5:9)