The experience of people of African descent in the USA

The Hearing is organised by the World Council of Churches, together with the National Council of The Churches of Christ in the USA. It will be an opportunity to learn about the racial discrimination, xenophobia and afrophobia that people of African descent are experiencing in the USA, and acknowledge and reaffirm the role of faith communities as agents of transformative justice in the face of racial injustice.

Programme of the day:

Words of welcome and introductory remarks

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary, World Council of Churches (WCC)

Keynote address

Mr Sabelo Gumedze, chairperson, UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent (WGEPAD)

Moderator: Prof.  Isabel Apawo Phiri, deputy general secretary, WCC

Panel discussion

• Dr Iva Carruthers, general secretary, Samuel Dewitt Proctor Conference
• Rev. Mike Kinman, rector, All Saints Church
• Rev. Traci Blackmon, executive minister, United Church of Christ
• Dr Leah Gunning Francis, vice president for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis
• Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, secretary on the Executive Committee and the Governing Board, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA

Moderator: Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, vice-moderator, WCC Central Committee

When: 25 September 2017, 9-11 a.m. CET

Where: Ecumenical Centre, Visser’t Hooft Hall (Main Hall)

Livestream: www.youtube.com/wccworld/live