E-Update No. 22,April 7, 2004

Main News

Forthcoming Global Activities

29th Plenary Assembly

Study Session : July 24 to 26, 2004 in Warsaw
Statutory Session : July 28 to 29, 2004 in Krakow

The preparations for the forthcoming Plenary Assembly (PA) is now in full swing. Preparatory Committee had its first meeting in Geneva on March 19, 2004, and discussed various aspects of the practical preparation including speakers, logistical arrangements and finance. Below is some updated information.

Venue and Dates

The Study Session will take place in the building of Senate, prestigious and symbolic architecture at the heart of Warsaw from July 24 (Saturday) to 26 (Monday), 2004. It is open to all members and friends of ICMICA.

The Statutory Session will take place in Krakow, Poland from July 28 (Wednesday) to 29 (Thursday), 2004 at the Jesuit Retreat Center. It is open only to official delegates of ICMICA federations (maximum three delegates per federation).

One-day tour to concentration camps in Auschwitz and cultural places in Krakow will be organized on July 27 (Tuesday) in between the two meetings.

Friday morning of July 30 will be devoted to the first meeting of International Council whose members will be elected at the Plenary Assembly.

Speakers

Three keynote speakers have confirmed their attendance. They are Ms Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland & former UN High-Commissioner for Human Rights, M. Jerome Binde, Deputy Director of Social, Philosophy and Human Science of UNESCO and Cardinal Renato Martino, President of Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Several more prominent speakers have been invited.

You can get more detailed information about the Assembly at our special website - http://www.kik.waw.pl/paxromana/

Human Rights Internship at the 60th Session of UN Commission on Human Rights (Geneva, March 8 to April 30, 2004)

Pax Romana Working Group on Human Rights (WGHR) is organizing its annual Human Rights Internship Program in Geneva from March 8 to April 30, 2004 in connection with the Commission on Human Rights (March 15 to April 23, 2004). Besides Anselmo Lee and Joseph Rajkumar, about dozen interns and collaborators such as Alex Owona from Cameroun, Samuel Mukundi from Kenya, Owen Daka from Zambia, Jules Wahare from Togo, Jean Lokenga from D.R. CONGO, Hyeyoung Lee from South Korea, Deepika Singh from India, Budi Tahnjono from Indonesia, Elisabet Calzada Oliveras and Blanca Pardo Garcia from Barcelona, Spain are currently participating in the program.

WGHR has developed a new project called Web-based Monitoring and Documentation (WMD) to help human rights defenders to monitor the deliberations of the CHR more closely and effectively through a website www.unchr.info

Asia - Regional Forum on FABC (Daejun, South Korea, June 6-10, 2004)

ICMCIA Asia/Pacific is planning to organize a regional forum on FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops' Conference) in South Korea from June 6 to 10, 2004. It is hosted by the Woori Theology Institute (WTI) in cooperation with the Korean Catholic Women's Community for a New Era (KCWC), two affiliated federations to ICMICA. This Forum is to provide input on the study session of the 8th Plenary Assembly of FABC (Daejun, August 17 to 22, 2004) under the theme "The Family towards a Culture of Life".

Africa - Sub-regional Workshop on Christian Social Advocacy (Cameroun, June 26 to July 1, 2004)

Sub-regional Workshop on Christian Advocacy Advocacy (CSA) is to take place in Yaounde or Camround from June 26 to July 2, 2004. The proposed Workshop is expected to bring together leaders of ICMICA federations as well as other lay movements and Church-based organized involved in social advocacy to reflect on common challenges and priorities in the West and Central African region.

News in Brief

• Fr Luis-Maria Goicoechea luismagb@euskalnet.net from Basque Country, former International Chaplain of ICMICA (1992-1998) was appointed as the European Chaplain in Feb. 2004.
• Mr Budi Tjahjono, budi@paxromana.int.ch former International President of IMCS (International Movement of Catholic Students) began his work as assistant coordinator of Pax Romana Working Group on Human Rights based in international secretariat in Geneva.