World Council of Churches Office of Communication
Press Release
150 route de Ferney, P.O. Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
E-mail: media


12 October 1999

WCC CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM CONSULTATION FOCUSES ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM


Over 36 theologians, academics, and public figures from 17 countries will meet 14-16 October in Hartford, Connecticut, USA for a consultation on "Religious Freedom, Community Rights and Individual Rights: A Christian-Muslim Perspective". Organized by the WCC Inter-religious Relations and Dialogue team, this consultation continues the efforts of the World Council of Churches to establish a permanent Christian-Muslim Forum on Human Rights.

Noting the re-emergence of religious freedom as a divisive issue, participants will work towards developing common principles, guidelines for action, and a strategy of advocacy for a Christian-Muslim approach to religious freedom.

Dr Jane Smith, USA, and Imam Rahied Omar, South Africa, will co-chair the meeting. Other participants are from Egypt, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Sudan, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Contact: WCC Media Relations Office (see below)
From 14-16 October, contact Sara Speicher, WCC Communication Officer, Tel: +1-860-509-9500 or +1-860-549-2400.

For more information contact:
 Karin Achtelstetter, Media Relations Officer
tel.: (+41 22) 791 6153 (office);
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1999 press releases

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The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 337, in more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.