Published on Pax Romana ICMICA/MIIC (http://www.paxromana.org)

E-Update No.20, October 6, 2003

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Geneva again. The Luxembourg Declaration produced by ICMICA Europe during the Conference held in Luxembourg in early September gave us a food for thought and reflection on Europe in the world and the world in Europe in a globalized world. It is worthy of reading with attention, for those Europeans and non-Europeans who were not present there.

This issue will be taken up again in a more global context when ICMICA meets again at our World Assembly in Warsaw, Poland on July 24 to 30, 2004. We thank our European members and friends who had worked so hard for the rich outcome of the conference and once again congratulations!

I am happy to bring more news to you from other regions in this issue of No 20, specially about Africa and World Social Forum IV in Mumbai, 2004. Busy days are ahead for ICMICA Africa and Asia/Pacific. All the best and hope to hear about another successful meetings soon!!!

I would like to ask for your special attention to the appeal from Elisabeth Pomberger, our permanent representative to UN in Vienna. Hope some of you can respond to it positively and in time.

That is all for now, hoping to hear from you soon,

Yours in solidarity,
Seonghoon LEE (Anselmo)

Main News

ICMICA Global Activities

1. ICMICA Africa - Lay Leadership Training Workshop in Advocacy in Southern Africa (Lusaka, Zambia, Nov. 7 - 14, 2003)

The ICMICA Africa and IMBISA Justice and Peace Desk (Sr Basilia imbisa@mango.zw) joint advocacy workshop is to take place in Lusaka, Zambia from Nov. 7 to 13, 2003. The ICMICA federation in Zambia, in which Felix Chanda fchanda@usaid.gov ICMICA Vice President for Africa belongs to, the local hosts of the Workshop. About 40 participants, mainly from Justice and Peace Commissions and ICMICA members and partners from Southern African countries are expected to attend.

Participants will also attend the Southern African Social Forum (SASF) sasf@afrix.zzn.com which will take place in Lusaka from Nov. 9 to 11 as part of the regular workshop program. It was originally scheduled in Harare, Zimbabwe in August this year but due to worsening political situation, it was postponed to November. IMBISA stands for

2. ICMICA Asia/Pacific - Co-ordination Team Meeting (Chennai, Sept. 24 to 27, 2003)

Bernard D'Sami, aruno@xlweb.com Jerald Joseph jerald.joseph@lycos.com and Fr Manual Alphonse, manu50@md4.vsnl.net.in three members of ICMICA Asia/Pacific coordination together with Anselmo Lee from International Secretariat in Geneva had its annual team meeting to assess the past activities and plan for the future. They had also a joint - meeting with IMCS (International Movement of Catholic Students) Asia/Pacific, the AICUF (All India Catholic University Federation) and the Voice of Professionals to discuss joint programs during the 4th World Social Forum to be held in Mumbai, India from January 16 to 21, 2004. The AICUF is IMCS-affiliated federation in India while the Voice of Professionals is ICMICA-affiliated federation in Chennai, India.

It was agreed during the meeting that the Catholic Social Forum (CSF) would be organized on January 15 in Mumbai prior to the WSF in order to bring together Catholics from all over the world involved in the WSF process for networking and mutual support. A brief orientation about the WSF will be provided for those who are not familiar with the WSF process.

3. World Social Forum IV 2004 - Another World is Possible (Mumbai, India Jan. 16 to 21, 2004)

The 4 th World Social Forum (WSF) is to take place in Mumbai, India from January 16 to 21, 2004. ICMICA and IMCS Asia/Pacific Team members attended the meeting of Asian NGOs solidarity meeting for the WSF in Chennai, India from September 24 to 25 during their own team meeting. This is the first time that the WSF takes place outside Brazil, and the WSF will return to Brazil again in 2005. The WSF took place first time in Porto Alegre, Brazil in January 2001. More information, please visit www.worldsocialforum.org or www.wsfindia.org

The main themes of the WSF 2004 are as follows;

  1. Militarism, War and Peace
  2. Media, Information, Knowledge and Culture
  3. Democracy, Ecological and Economic Security Debt, Finance and Trade
  4. Sustainable and Democratic Development
  5. World of Labour and Work in Production and Social Reproduction
  6. Social Sectors -- Food, Health, Education -- and Social Security
  7. Exclusions, Discrimination, Dignity, Rights and Equality Nation, State, Citizenship, Law and Justice
  8. Caste, Race and Other Forms of Descent and Work-Based Exclusions
  9. Religion, Culture and Identities
  10. Patriarchy, Gender and Sexuality

4. Working Group on Human Rights - Human Rights Interns' Workshop in Africa (Lusaka, Nov. 14-15, 2003) and Asia (Bangkok, Dec. 15 to 20, 2003)

The Working Group on Human Rights (WGHR) is going to organize two regional workshops for ex-interns who have attended the Human Rights Internship program in Geneva since 1999. The Workshops are intended to assess the impact of the Geneva internship program, and to develop long-term plans and strategies. Participants are expected to produce a training manual on "UN and Human Rights" based on their experiences.

The Asian Workshop will be in Bangkok from December 15 to 20, 2003. The first two days will be devoted to the Asian human rights NGOs meeting on the appraisal of 10 years after the World Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in 1993 (Vienna+10).

The African Workshop for Southern Africa will be held on Nov. 14 and 15 immediately after the Lay Leadership Training Program in Lusaka. The other Workshop for Central and Eastern Africa may take place in Nairobi in late November or early next year for interns.

5. Pax Romana and UN in Vienna - Your Cooperation

Dr Elisabeth Pomberger, Pax Romana Representative to UN in Vienna has requested for information on the following three issues, namely,

  1. trafficking in persons - particularly women and children,
  2. contribution of civil society and community to crime prevention and
  3. implementation of UN norms and standards in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.

The deadline for submission is Oct. 25, 2003. For more information, please visit the website of UN in Vienna at www.un.or.at

The agreed text of the Convention against Corruption was finally adopted on October 1, 2003 on the last day of the seventh session of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Convention against Corruption. The Convention will be submitted to the General Assembly, which is expected to adopt it and open it for signature by Member States in Merida, Mexico, from 9-11 December 2003. It will come into force after 30 countries have ratified it. Ms Pomberger has been involved in the negotiation process as NGO observer. Congratulations!

6. SIIAEC Annual Meeting

The SIIAEC (International Secretariat for Catholic Engineers, Agronomists and Industry Officials) will organize its annual meeting in Vienna from October 24 to 26, 2003. Themed "Money Instead of Labour", the meeting will address "A critical view to the financial markets". For further information, please contact SIIAEC annimator Wolfgang Spitaler at ws96612@i-one.at or Secretary General, Bernard Hyon hyon@noos.fr

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