Updated News about the ICMICA activities

• Visit to Zimbabwe and Ghana
• Annual Meetings of SIJC and SIIAEC
• The Global Economy – CMICA Notebook
• Inter-religious Dialogue on Peace
• Asian Civil Society Forum (ACSF) in Bangkok, December 2002
• Congratulations to Archbishop Renato Martino, Onno Seroo, Egide Rwamatwara and Fr Etienne Traille, S.J.

Visit to Harare, Zimbabwe (Sept. 5 to 8, 2002)

Anselmo Lee, Secretary General recently visited Harare, Zimbabwe immediately after the Johannesburg WSSD (Sept. 5 to 8). The main purpose of his visit was to discuss with IMBISA (Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa) a joint training programme on advocacy in 2003. He met with Fr Juan Jose Luna and Sr Basilia Dembetembe, L.C.B.L. of IMBISA and agreed to organised a training programme on "Lay Leadership Training in Advocacy in Southern Africa" in Harare, Zimbabwe from September 7 to 14, 2003. Catholic Social Teaching and the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) will be two main pillars of the programme. About 20 participants, half from Justice and Peace Commissions and another half from lay movements/organisations will be invited. He also met a group of young professionals in Harare which Egide Rwamatwara belongs to and Tsitsi Masvaure who was a human rights intern in Geneva in March/April, 2002.

Visit to Accra, Ghana (Sept. 26 to Oct. 1, 2002).

Anselmo Lee and Fr Antoine Sondag, International Chaplain recently visited Ghana from Sept. 26 to October 2, 2002. They attended the International Committee Meeting of IMCS and IYCS on behalf of ICMICA for two days, and made contacts with some old ICMICA members like Wilbert Tangy as well as the regional Church bodies like Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) www.sceam-secam.org based in Accra and Association of Episcopal Conferences of Anglophone West Africa (AECAWA) based in Kumasi, Ghana. During the meeting with Fr Peter Lwaminda, Secretary General of SECAM, a concrete proposal to organise a regional seminar on NEPAD (New Partnership for African Development) www.nepad.org and follow-up to the WSSD as part of the preparation for the forthcoming SECAM Plenary Assembly in Dakar, Senegal from September 30 to October 12, 2003, was discussed.

We are now exploring the possibility of making the proposed regional seminar part of the study session for the International Council in 2003. The proposed dates of the seminar is from July 1 to 5, 2003, followed by the International Council which will take place from July 6 to 8, 2003. The venue will be either in Accra, Ghana or a city in one of the neighbouring countries in West Africa. The ICMICA Council (Lima, July 2002) made the recommendation that the Africa, particularly West Africa, be given priority for the venue of 2003 Council meeting.

40^th Anniversary of "Pacem in Terris"by SJIC

The International Secretariat of Catholic Jurists (SIJC) organised a seminar on "Pacem in Terris" in London on October 3, 2002 in order to commemorate its 40^th anniversary. Professor Louis Leon Christians, professor of canon law in the Catholic Institute in Paris and Louvain university, gave a talk about the document from a theological and human right perspective in today’s global context. About a dozen participants from SIJC, Roda Ventura Group in Barcelona Newman Association, an ICMICA affiliated federation in U.K attended the event. Anselmo Lee, Secretary General who was returning to Geneva from Ghana, stopped by London to attend the seminar.About more information on SIJC and the seminar, Eugeni Gay-Montalvo, President Barcelona@gayvendrell.com and Christophe Pettiti, Secretary General mecpettiti@ad.com

SIIAEC Annual Meeting in Krakow, Poland

The annual meeting of SIIAEC will take place in Krakow, Poland from October 25 to 27, 2002. The main theme of the seminar is "non-economic responsibilities of global players and globally thinkingcitizens/Christians". Those who wish to attend are requested to contact Dr Wolfgang Spitaler, President of SIIAEC ws96612@i-one.at or Bernard Hyon, Secretary General hyon@noos.fr.

"The Global Economy" – Focus of the next Notebook, CMICA Magazine

CMICA (Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs), ICMICA Affiliated federation in USA is preparing for a special edition of is its periodic magazine on the global economy Notebook. Its main focus is to highlight contemporary debates on the global economy, especially in relation to the poor and ecology. The CMICA is expecting contributions from economists among ICMICA members throughout the world. Please contact Dr Joe Holland, President of CMICA who is also Notebook’s chief editor. EJHolland@aol.com

Asian Civil Society Forum (ACSF) in Bangkok, December 2002

The Asian Civil Society Forum organised by CONGO (Conference of NGOs in consultative relationship with the UN) is going to take place at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand from December 9 to 13, 2002.The forum themed "UN/NGO Partnerships for Democratic Governance – Building Networks and Capacities for Human Rights and Sustainable Development" is expected to bring together more than 200 leaders in civil society in Asia and individuals working at various UN bodies.

CONGO has about more than 300 NGOs as members with 20 NGOs sitting on the Executive Board. Anselmo Leeis the convenor of the CONGO Working Group on Outreach to Asia. He has been involved in the organisation of the Forum since Pax Romana ICMICA was elected to be a member of the Board in 2000. Ms Parinya BOONRIDRRTHAIKUL (Ann), who was a former member of Pax Romana IMCS Asia team (1998-2000) and a human rights intern in Geneva during the UN Commission on Human Rights in 2001 is working as local coordinator in Thailand for ACSF 2002.

For details, please visit www.ngocongo.org / www.acsf.net from Oct. 13, 2002. For registration form and enquiries, please go to: acsf2002@iprolink.ch / acsf2002@hotmail.com

Inter-religious Dialogue at the People’s Forum ASEM IV

Anselmo Lee and Fr Antoine Sondag were invited to the inter-religious workshop on peace and spirituality respectively as moderator and panellist. The workshop took place on September 21, 2002 as part of the People’s Forum in connection with the summit of the Asia Europe Meeting (AESM) IV held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Three presentation were made from three speakers of different religious and cultural backgrounds – Buddhism, Islam and Christianity on three questions:

• challenges of neo-liberal globalisation and militarism to inter-religious dialogue/cooperation
• challenges of globalisation and religious fundamentalism for peace movement
• role of religion in conflicts resolution/transformation and peace building.

It was a follow-up to the inter-religious workshop on globalisation and spirituality held in Seoul, Korea in October 2000 during the ASEM III which ICMICA participated as one of key organizing committee members. The next ASEM V is scheduled to take place in Hanoi, Vietnam in September or October 2004. For more information on People’s Forum at ASEM IV, www.asem4people.org

News in brief - Congratulations!

We are happy that this Issue brings to you three joyful news, not sad news.

Archbishop Renato Martino, 69, the permanent observer of the Vatican to the United Nations inNew York was appointed as the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Hesucceeds Cardinal Franois Xavier Nguyn Van Thun, who died on Sept. 16 this year. He co- celebrated the special Sunday Mass initiated by ICMICA in Johannesburg, South Africa during the WSSD in September this year.

Mr Onno Seroo, co-editor of Convergence and staff of the UNESCO Center in Barcelona is a father of a baby boy Adam. He was born in Marseille on September 15, 2002. Big congratulations on his first baby!!!

[img_assist|fid=24|thumb=1|alt=Mr Onno Seroo's son Adam|caption=Mr Onno Seroo's son Adam.]

Mr Egide Rwamatwara, part-time Secretary of ICMICA Africa based in Harare, Zimbabwe got married a few months ago. Anselmo Lee who recently visited Harare in September was pleasantly surprised with this new ‘discovery’. Here is his wedding photo with his wife Mrs Jeannette Niyitegeka.A Big congratulations once again!!!

[img_assist|fid=27|thumb=1|alt=Mr Egide Rwamatwara and his wife Ms Jeannette Niyitegeka, 2002|caption=Wedding photo of Mr Egide Rwamatwara with his wife Mrs Jeannette Niyitegeka (October 2002)]

Fr Etienne Triaille, s.j. Chaplain of ICMICA and IMCS Africa, celebrated his golden jubilee, the 50^th anniversary of his priesthood as Jesuit on September 14, 2002. He had spent most of his time in the Democratic Republic of Congo before he moved to Nairobi to work as the regional chaplain of IMCS Asia in 2000. He was chosen by ICMICA Africa as regional chaplain. He chose the following phrase for his anniversary. "What can I offer the Lord for all his goodness to me? The cup of salvation I will raise" Ps 116, 12-13. Another heartfelt congratulations!!!