Ecumenical Church Heads Pledge to Work with U.N. to Achieve MDGs

By Lillian Kwon, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, September 29, 2005

In a continued effort to achieve global justice and equality, the heads of seven international ecumenical church bodies sent a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations earlier this week concerning the Millennium Development Goals.

"As faith leaders, as church leaders we are committed to our mandate to ensure the care of the most vulnerable of God's children," stated the letter addressed to Kofi Annan, "and we see these goals as a way forward in this mandate, a way forward that ensures respect and dignity for all."

The letter was drafted during the church leaders' annual meeting, which this year opened in Washington, D.C., and concluded in New York City.

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"We were very hopeful that the world was going to be very true to its word not only in terms of what was promised but also in terms of the pace of achieving the goals," said the Rev. Mvume Dandala, General Secretary of the All African Council of Churches, during a press conference in Washington last Friday. "We are not convinced that the world has responded as initially hoped."

Revealing the support of the churches to respond to the suffering, Dandala added that the churches in Africa would like to "lend the weight" of its word in overcoming poverty.

Further expressing "pastoral concern" for the complexities presented to Annan in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including the global poverty issue and the Darfur genocide, the ecumenical leaders ensured their commitment to the endeavors of the United Nations.

"We wish to encourage you to continue this vital work and pledge ourselves to work with you to try and hold the countries of the world accountable to those goals which are so vitally important to so many of our people in so any places," the letter read.

The Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, announced during the press meeting that they will be releasing a new curriculum on the MDGs in the upcoming months "to help our churches understand how they can in fact engage."

With a commitment to join hands with the United Nations, the heads of the church bodies proposed a meeting with Annan to discuss the global issues mentioned in the letter.

"We wish to express to you at this particular time, therefore, our solidarity and our support for all that you have been endeavoring to do to enable the United Nations to better serve the peoples of this globe in justice and equality."

Signers of the letter facilitated through the offices of the NCC USA include:

Rev. Dr. H. Mvume Dandala, General Secretary, All Africa Conference of Churches
Rev. Keith Clements, General Secretary, Conference of European Churches
Mr. Gerard A.J. Granado, General Secretary, Caribbean Conference of Churches
Rev. Israel Batista, General Secretary, Latin American Council of Churches
Mr. Guirguis I. Saleh, General Secretary, Middle East Council of Churches
Rev. Dr. Karen Hamiltonl, General Secretary, Canadian Council of Churches
Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of Churches