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Church representatives to visit Rwanda on 10th anniversary of genocide - news from ekklesia

Church representatives to visit Rwanda on 10th anniversary of genocide - news from ekklesia

By staff writers
6 Apr 2004

Church representatives to visit Rwanda on 10th anniversary of genocide

-6/4/04

The moderator of the World Council of Churches' central committee, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, and the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, are to visit Rwanda, following the 10th anniversary of the 1994 genocide.

The slaughter was triggered by the shooting down of a plane with Rwanda's Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana onboard on 6 April 1994.

Along with the Jewish Holocaust, it is one of the worst atrocities of the last century.

The two representatives of the WCC will pay a pastoral visit to Kenya (8-15 April) and to Rwanda (16-18 April).

In Nairobi, Kenya, they are scheduled to visit the headquarters of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and the National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), to meet their leadership as well as national church leaders and local congregations. A meeting with President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya is also scheduled.

This will be Kobia's first visit to his home country and continent as WCC general secretary and African Christian leaders will offer a thanksgiving service at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi for the WCC general secretary's ecumenical work and commitment.

Aram I is to give a public lecture on "Challenges of the ecumenical movement in the 21st century and the role of Africa" at UFUNGAMANO, an initiative of churches, other religious faiths and civil society organizations. Kobia will give a public lecture on the theme "Behold, I create a new Africa" at St Andrew's Church in Nairobi.

Aram I and Kobia will then proceed to Kigali, Rwanda, for meetings with WCC member churches and government officials, and to address an ecumenical workshop on "Lasting peace in Africa", which will gather participants from all over Africa.

Aram I will speak on "Genocides in the 20th century and lessons to humanity," while Kobia will speak on "Hope for lasting peace in Africa". They will also pay respects at the Kigali genocide site.

The visit will close with an address to the people by Aram I during a service of worship at the National Stadium in Kigali.

Those accompanying the WCC central committee moderator and general secretary will include, among others, Dr Agnes Abuom, one of the WCC presidents, and in Rwanda: the Rev. Dr Mvume Dandala, AACC general secretary, and Mr Peter Weiderud, director of the WCC Commission of Churches on International Affairs.

Church representatives to visit Rwanda on 10th anniversary of genocide

-6/4/04

The moderator of the World Council of Churches' central committee, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, and the WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, are to visit Rwanda, following the 10th anniversary of the 1994 genocide.

The slaughter was triggered by the shooting down of a plane with Rwanda's Hutu President Juvenal Habyarimana onboard on 6 April 1994.

Along with the Jewish Holocaust, it is one of the worst atrocities of the last century.

The two representatives of the WCC will pay a pastoral visit to Kenya (8-15 April) and to Rwanda (16-18 April).

In Nairobi, Kenya, they are scheduled to visit the headquarters of the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and the National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), to meet their leadership as well as national church leaders and local congregations. A meeting with President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya is also scheduled.

This will be Kobia's first visit to his home country and continent as WCC general secretary and African Christian leaders will offer a thanksgiving service at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi for the WCC general secretary's ecumenical work and commitment.

Aram I is to give a public lecture on "Challenges of the ecumenical movement in the 21st century and the role of Africa" at UFUNGAMANO, an initiative of churches, other religious faiths and civil society organizations. Kobia will give a public lecture on the theme "Behold, I create a new Africa" at St Andrew's Church in Nairobi.

Aram I and Kobia will then proceed to Kigali, Rwanda, for meetings with WCC member churches and government officials, and to address an ecumenical workshop on "Lasting peace in Africa", which will gather participants from all over Africa.

Aram I will speak on "Genocides in the 20th century and lessons to humanity," while Kobia will speak on "Hope for lasting peace in Africa". They will also pay respects at the Kigali genocide site.

The visit will close with an address to the people by Aram I during a service of worship at the National Stadium in Kigali.

Those accompanying the WCC central committee moderator and general secretary will include, among others, Dr Agnes Abuom, one of the WCC presidents, and in Rwanda: the Rev. Dr Mvume Dandala, AACC general secretary, and Mr Peter Weiderud, director of the WCC Commission of Churches on International Affairs.

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