June 14, 2010 issue
Interfaith summit will back development goals
By Dan Dyck Mennonite Church CanadaWINNIPEG, Man. — Mennonites will be represented at a World Religions Summit that will emphasize goals for the developing world.
More than 50 leaders of the world’s major religious faiths — including Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Baha’i, Hindu, Sikh and Christian — are expected to attend the June 21-23 gathering in Winnipeg.
Mennonite Church Canada will be represented by general secretary Robert J. (Jack) Suderman.
Participants will seek to hold accountable the Group of Eight nations that pledged to support the eight Millennium Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2000.
These goals seek to end hunger, enhance child and maternal health, work toward universal education, achieve gender equality, care for creation in sustainable ways, treat people with HIV-AIDS and become better global partners.
The pledges of the G8 nations expire in five years. Over the past 10 years they have achieved about half of their commitments.
In Winnipeg, religious leaders will draft a joint statement to the G8 political leaders seeking renewed commitments to the Millennium Development Goals commitments.
An appointed delegation hopes to deliver the statement personally to the G8-G20 meetings in Huntsville, Ont., where the political leaders will meet June 25-27.
“Society is growing ever more ambivalent about the role and influence of the world’s faiths and their leaders,” said Karen Hamilton, general secretary of the Canadian Council of Churches. “This is ultimately an exercise in proclaiming what we believe together, and acting on it together.”
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