Decade to Overcome Violence focuses on the Caribbean
"We want to convey the message that the Caribbean is not just sun, sand and sea," participants at the launch stated in a report. The poor of Haiti for example often have no other way of surviving than to cut trees to make charcoal. Here, the results near Dupres in northwestern Haiti.
The Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) sponsored by the World Council of Churches (WCC) has launched its 2009 focus on the Caribbean region with the theme: "One Love: Building a Peaceful Caribbean".
The DOV's Caribbean focus aims to strengthen and resource churches and movements working for peace in the region, and deepen the churches' understanding of the violence involved in issues such as migration, human trafficking, food security, HIV and AIDS, drugs abuse and trafficking, amongst others.
"We want to convey the message that the Caribbean is not just sun, sand and sea," participants at the launch stated in a report.
The launch of the Caribbean focus took place in Panama City at an 11-14 November gathering of representatives from churches and regional as well as international ecumenical organizations. Four countries were identified as requiring special attention within the region: Haiti, Granada, Surinam and Cuba.
The gathering brought together some 30 participants from national councils of churches, the Conference of Caribbean Churches, the WCC regional Caribbean group. It was hosted by the Ecumenical Committee of Panama.
The Caribbean region will host the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation that will mark the culmination of the Decade to Overcome Violence. The Convocation will take place in Kingston, Jamaica in May 2011.
The Decade to Overcome Violence (2001-2010): Churches seeking reconciliation and peace is an initiative of the World Council of Churches. It calls churches, ecumenical organizations and all people of goodwill to work together for peace, justice and reconciliation.
International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (May 2011, Kingston, Jamaica)
WCC member churches in the Caribbean
