United Nations Advocacy Week
&
Global Platform for Theological Reflection

The Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches convened its Fifth Annual United Nations Advocacy Week (UNAW) on 15-20 November 2009 in New York City. UNAW 2009 brought together 80 global ecumenical leaders from 35 countries and 18 confessions to raise the voices of the churches on three critical issues needing urgent attention at the United Nations: Climate Displaced Peoples, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and the situation in Colombia. As a follow-up to last year’s theme on Climate Change and the upcoming COP 15 negotiations in Copenhagen, UNAW delegates, with the participation of the
Pacific Council of Churches, engaged in common advocacy on the rights of Climate Displaced Peoples at the United Nations.

Unique to 2009 was the partnership with the WCC’s Global Platform for Theological Reflection (GPTR) that took place immediately following UNAW, from November 20-22, 2009 in Long Island, NY. The theme for GPTR 2009 was “Praying, Speaking Out and Acting Together – Theological Reflection on Advocacy.” GPTR utilized an inductive approach using the concrete advocacy during UNAW 2009 as a catalyst to help rearticulate the theological rationale for advocacy in the 21st century.