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The Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Information |
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| 10.09.2004 |
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| LWF Council Approves Appointment of Ad Hoc Group to Review Involvement and Membership in ENI |
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LWF Council Meeting, Geneva, 1 – 7 September 2004
PRESS RELEASE NO. 19-2004
Need for Communication Guidelines in Crisis Situations
GENEVA, 10 September 2004 (LWI) – At its meeting in Geneva, the Council of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) agreed to the appointment of an ad hoc group to review the LWF’s membership and involvement in Ecumenical News International (ENI). The Council’s action was based on recommendations from the Program Committee for Communication Services, presented by the chairperson Rev. Kristin T. Tómasdóttir, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland.
In carrying out its tasks, the ad hoc group would be expected to take into account the changing context of information technology and the life of the LWF member churches. It would also be required to address with member churches and related agencies the issue of pledges for LWF membership in ENI with the view to secure funding commitments for 2005, 2006 and 2007. Its report and recommendations will be presented to the LWF Executive Committee in February 2005, on the basis of which the committee would decide on the LWF’s future involvement in ENI.
The ad hoc group will be expected to also address the issue of an overall LWF funding strategy for ecumenical news endeavors at global and regional levels. The group will be comprised of four Council members or advisers, representing the Program Committees for Mission and Development, Ecumenical Affairs, Finance and Administration, and Communication Services, and one LWF staff person.
Tómasdóttir in her report commended the LWF for its contribution and active involvement in the World Summit on the Information Society(WSIS). Acting on the committee’s recommendation, the Council resolved to call upon the LWF and its member churches to actively engage in the Summit process and for the Secretariat to develop “talking points” on issues related to the WSIS, so as to enable the Federation to work toward a policy on the Information Society.
The Council further agreed that a comprehensive communication audit of publications and Web sites of all LWF units be carried out in 2005. This would include making a summary of what is currently available in print and via the Web sites and recommend a consistent LWF message and look for publications and the Web. Communicators from the LWF member churches will be enlisted to a four-member team representing the North, South and the four official languages of the LWF.
Another Council action from recommendations of the program Committee for Communication Services, was that the LWF develop appropriate guidelines for communication procedures in situations of crisis. Ms Karin Achtelstetter, director of the LWF Office for Communication Services, cited the bomb explosion in the LWF Department for World Service regional office in western Nepal last April to illustrate the importance of such guidelines. Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko, LWF General Secretary underlined the need for such procedures. He noted that when LWF field staff were kidnapped a few years ago in Angola, clarity was needed on what was publicized, when and how this would be done.
During discussion on the report of the communication program committee, Rev. Marie J. Barnett, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sierra Leone, emphasized the need to have LWF documents and other information in printed format. Sending materials only by electronic mail or making them available on the Web site, she stressed, excluded many people especially the majority in the South, who did not have access to modern technology.
(565 words)
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Around 100 church representatives including the 49-member Council attended this year’s meeting at Chavannes-de-Bogis near Geneva. In addition there were 70 participants consisting of invited guests, LWF staff persons, interpreters, stewards and journalists. The Council is the LWF’s governing body between Assemblies, normally held every six years. The current Council was elected at the July 2003 Tenth Assembly in Winnipeg, Canada, where it held its first meeting. The Council comprises the President, the Treasurer and ordained as well as lay persons drawn from the LWF member churches. The LWF currently has 138 member churches in 77 countries all over the world, with a membership of nearly 65 million people.
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