October 26 — “Making your voice heard in Washington on Holy Land Peace”
“Making your voice heard in Washington on Holy Land Peace” is the theme of the 7th annual Christians for Peace and Justice in the Middle East conference. The all day event is highlighted by keynote speaker Warren Clark, retired U.S. Ambassador and current Executive Director of “Churches for Middle East Peace.”
When: Sunday October 26, 1:30-5:30 PM
Where: St. Luke’s UMC, 100 W. 86th St. Indianapolis
Admission is free, public is invited and welcome. For more information contact Greg Foote at gregorypfoote@sbcglobal.net.
Highlights of the afternoon:
3:00-4:00 PM concurrent workshops:
- Zaineb Istrabadi on “The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict — Its Impact on Broader Middle East Issues”
- Videos about “Occupation: Israel’s Expanding Fact on the Ground”
- Charlie Wiles and others who made the trip to the Middle East this summer on “Three Faiths working together for peace with justice”
3:30 PM Keynote speech by retired Ambassador Warren Clark: “Making your voice heard in Washington on Holy Land Peace.” Warren Clark was a US Foreign Service officer in the Department of State, serving in Beirut, Aleppo, Luxembourg, Ottawa, at US Mission to the UN in New York, and in Lagos. He was US Ambassador in Libreville and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa. Upon his retirement he worked as a consultant in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2005 he received a degree in theological studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. He later worked for the Washington National Cathedral, at the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and as a Chaplin at Sibley Hospital. The Ambassador holds a BA from Williams College and graduate degrees from Harvard, Georgetown, and John Hopkins Universities. The Ambassador speaks French and eastern Arabic. Warren Clark became Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) in January.
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of 22 public policy offices of national churches and agencies — Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant. CMEP began its work in 1984 out of the conviction that the policy perspectives and long Middle East experience of our member bodies should be more widely known in the public policy arena. We therefore seek to maintain an on-going dialogue with Congress, the Administration and the diplomatic community, to advance such concerns, assessments, and advocacy positions.
The work of Churches for Middle East Peace focuses on Washington in the knowledge that sound United States policy is crucial to achieving and maintaining just and stable relationships throughout the Middle East. In addition, CMEP seeks to help the members of our organizations advocate in a knowledgeable, timely and effective way their concerns about justice and peace for all people and countries in the region.
Among our principal advocacy concerns are: the avoidance and resolution of armed conflicts, human rights, arms control, foreign aid, and the unique nature of Jerusalem - sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims.
Why does Provocate think you should attend this event?
This conference has an interesting tension built into it. On the one hand is the keynote speaker, Amb. Clark, whose message is that we need to make our voices heard to the Powers-that-be in DC. On the other is the example of Charlie Wiles and others, who do what they can to build bridges regardless of what the Powers in DC decide. There is not necessarily a contradiction … but be aware of the two distinct perspectives.
If you think this sounds interesting, be sure to check out …
- October 15 — Provocate presents: The Fall of the American Empire, an Empire without End
- October 27 — Susan Nathan and Pierre Atlas on the Israeli Palestinian Reality
- November 15 — The Israeli war film “Beaufort”
And for your listening pleasure …
