International Affairs - UN advocacy week 2004

WCC UNITED NATIONS ADVOCACY WEEK
New York City
14-19 November 2004

SEE: Provisional agenda / Focus areas / Working sessions

UN reform, economic justice, the crisis in Sudan and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty will be the focus of this year’s World Council of Churches' UN Advocacy Week, scheduled to take place from 14-19 November in New York City at the "Church Center" at the UN and the WCC's UN liason office, with some seminars taking place in the United Nations building itself. This will be the second time that WCC has coordinated a week for advocacy, information-sharing, and strategizing on a number of international affairs.

This year, key people responsible for international affairs and advocacy in member churches, specialized ministries and ecumenical organizations will come together for strategic discussions on topics like "The responsibility of the international community for peace in Sudan" and "The role of the churches in fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals".

Panel at a public seminar on Sudan during the WCC Advocacy Week at the UN. Opening session of the International Affairs UN Advocacy Week in New York City (Monday 15 November 2004)	The Church Centre at the United Nations at 777 UN Plaza, New York, just opposite the UN building

Participants in seminars and working sessions on many regions and issues of concern will address how to improve cooperation and prioritize efforts in the present international political environment. Representatives from diplomatic missions, UN staff and NGOs will be invited to attend the week's four main public seminars in addition to the participants from the WCC's Churches Commission on International Affairs (CCIA).

Focus areas

Sudan

Nuclear profileration treaty

UN reform

Economic justice

Working sessions
In addition to the above focus areas, a number of working sessions
during the 2004 Advocacy Week will look at:

Southeast Europe

Colombia

Israel-Palestine

Eminent persons' response to conflicts in Africa

Advocacy in conflicts and crisis

International Criminal Court

Iraq

Provisional agenda
(6 October 2004)

Friday, November 12 – Saturday, November 13 (noon): Workshops on advocacy at the UN (separate program)

Saturday, November 13
6-7.30 pm Social gathering - information-sharing (for early arrivals and workshop participants)
Church of Sweden, 5 East 48th Street.

Sunday, November 14
Arrivals
Participation in worship services in New York City (for participants of the advocacy workshops and early arrivals)
Registration folders at the hotels (detailed hotel information in cover letter)
2.00-5.00 pm Extended officer’s meeting (only for CCIA commissioners),
475 Riverside Drive
5.00 pm Welcome reception,
475 Riverside Drive
6.00 pm Welcome dinner hosted by the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA),
475 Riverside Drive

Monday, November 15
8.00 am Breakfast at the Church Center
9.00 am Opening Service, Chapel at the Church Center
10.00-11.00 Welcome/Opening Session
Mr Peter Weiderud, director of the CCIA
11.00-11.15 Coffee break
11.15-12.00 Continued opening session/methodology and expectations
12.00-1.00 pm Lunch at Church Center
1.00-3.00 pm Public seminar on ECONOMIC JUSTICE: The role of the churches in fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals
UN building, Salle IV

Keynote speaker: Mr Salil Shetty, executive director, UN MDG Campaign
Response: Mr Chien Yen Goh, Third World Network,
Mr Neil Watkins, US Jubilee Movement

3.00-3.30 Coffee break
3.30–5.00 pm Working session on economic justice
5.00-6.00 pm Presentation from the office of the UN secretary-general

Tuesday, November 16
8.00 am Breakfast at the Church Center
9.00 am Morning prayers
9.30-10.30 am Working session on regional focuses
Plenary on South-East Europe and Colombia
10.30-11.00 Coffee break
11.00-12.00 Working in groups: South-East Europe and Colombia
12.00-1 pm Lunch break at the Church Center
1.00-3.00 pm Public seminar on Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): churches’ quest for a nuclear-free world, UN building, Salle IV

Speakers: Amb. Henrik Sahlander, secretary-genral, Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission (Blix Commission)
Mr Nobuyasu Abe, under-secretary-general for Disarmament
Dr Ernie Regehr, executive director, Project Ploughshares

3.00-3.30 Coffee break
3.30-5 pm Working session on NPT
5-7 pm Extended officers' meeting (only for CCIA commissioners)
Witness from Ecumenical accompaniers in Israel and Palestine, Church Center

Wednesday, November 17
8.00 am Breakfast at the Church Center
9.00 am Morning prayers
9.30-10.30 am Working session on “Eminent persons’ response to conflicts in Africa”
10.30-11.0 Coffee break
11.00-12.00 Working session on the UN reform
12.00-1 pm Lunch break at the Church Center
1.00-3.00 pm Public seminar on SUDAN:
The responsibility of the international community for peace in Sudan
UN building, Salle IV

Speakers: Hon. Abel Alier, former vice-president of Sudan
Mr Jan Egeland, unders secretary general for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief coordinator
Rev. John McCullough, executive director, Church World Service

3.00-3.30 Coffee break
3.30-5.00 pm Working session on advocacy in conflicts and crisis
5.00-6.00 Open agenda

Thursday, November 18
8.00 am Breakfast at the Church Center
9.00 am Morning prayers
9.30-10.30 am Working session on International Criminal Court
10.30-11.0 Coffee break
11.00-12.00 Working session on Iraq
12.00-1 pm Lunch break at the Church Center
1.30-3.00 pm Public seminar on UN REFORM: Church contribution to UN reform
UN building, Salle IV

Speakers:
Mr Andreas Zumach, UN correspondent
Response:
Prof. Peter Wallensteen, Dept. of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala Univ., Sweden (on video link)
Amb. Bethuel Kiplagat, Kenya, CCIA

3.00-3.30 Coffee break
3.30-5.00 pm Closing evaluation
7.00pm Farewell reception
(Representatives of UN delegations and UN staff invited), Church Center

Friday, November 19
Departures

Possibility to follow debates at the UN General Assembly

Please Note: All working sessions, morning worships, breakfasts, coffee breaks, lunches and the farewell reception will be held at Church Center, 777 UN Plaza, New York.

All Public Seminars will be held at the UN building, Room IV, New York.

Press releases / Photos / Press information / Documents & presentations