PRESS RELEASE 21 MAY 2003

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PRESS RELEASE 21 MAY 2003

Sustainable Development: Churches urged to contribute to policy change.

The 4th Assembly of ECEN in Volos, Greece, 6-11 May 2003

In Johannesburg we negotiated established principles for sustainable development in the light of new developments. Goals were formulated, but there were close to no decisions made on implementation mechanisms", said Jan Pronk in his evaluation of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. He addressed the representatives of European churches at the 4th Assembly of the European Christian Environmental Network (ECEN), which convened in Volos, Greece, 6-11 May 2003. Mr. Pronk urged churches "to contribute to policy change. People need to gain perspective and politicians need to be reminded of the challenges in everyday life. In this the churches have played, and need to continue to play, an important role. At the Summit in Johannesburg the catalogue of partnerships was developed and the churches are an important partner as they bring forward the stories of the victims". Jan Pronk, the special envoy of the UN Secretary General at the Johannesburg Summit, was the key-note speaker at the ECEN Assembly.

The Assembly also emphasised the issue of water and its various aspects. The main speaker addressing this part of the Assembly was Fritz Brugger. Mr. Brugger is from Switzerland and is an expert in dealing with problems involved with water issues.

60 delegates and guests of ECEN from 20 countries gathered in Volos under the main theme of "Water for Life - Sustainable Future", responding to the invitation of the Greek Orthodox Church and the Greek Evangelical Church. The local context and the particular situation of Greece as related to both major topics were underlined by Metropolitan Ignatios from the Greek Orthodox Church as well as by Rev. Meletis Meletiadis from the Greek Evangelical Church. The Assembly was greeted by Mrs. Rodoulo Zissi, deputy minister for environment of the Greek government.

The Assembly discussed the work of ECEN in the recent period of time and perspectives for the future. In particular, discussion centred around thematic fields: sustainable development, water, creation time and eco-theology, climate change, eco-management, transport and mobility, and environmental education. Delegates to the Assembly were reminded what practical consequences water management has on environmental habitat when they visited one of the great environmental projects in Greece located near Volos. The delegates visited a monastery and were encouraged by the use of environmentally friendly agriculture they found there.

A new "Enabling Team" has been elected and was given responsibility to organise and facilitate further activities of the network. The Enabling Team was also assigned the tasks of securing the financial stability of the network and raising the awareness of environmental issues in European churches.

ECEN was founded upon recommendation of the churches in Europe following the 2nd European Ecumenical Assembly in Graz in 1997, and has a close relation with the Conference of European Churches. To its mandate belong: promoting of environmental responsibility based on Christian conviction, encouraging and supporting its members in developing practical action to fulfil the churches' ecological responsibilities, as well as the raising of ecological commitments of the churches in Europe.

For further information, contact the ECEN Secretariat Footer

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