ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE Declaration of People's Forum held in Mumbai 16-21 January 2004

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

First Preference:
General Secretariat (GS)
Second Preference:
Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)
28 January 2004
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

We, as faith communities and people's movements from Asia and Africa, came together at Mumbai to share our common vision and witness for an alternative, just and peaceful world. We shared perspectives in building community of peace for all, from Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians. We heard the voices of the victims of globalization -- women, youth, dalits and tribals, farmers, labourers and children, and their aspiration of hope for another world.

The People's Forum jointly organized by the Christian Conference of Asia - Urban Rural Mission and the National Council of Churches in India held at NESCO ground, Goregaon and International YMCA, Mumbai from 16 to 21 January 2004 during the World Social Forum 2004, deliberated on "the spirit of Bandung Conference 1955 in the Globalized Context -- Building Community of Peace for All." The Forum reaffirmed the significance of the Spirit of Asia-Africa solidarity for people, social organizations, governments and nations as well as other nations in the world who advocate freedom and independence. Asia-Africa solidarity is the base for alternatives in the face of cultural, economic and political hegemony and to struggle for a common future for justice with peace and life for all.

We condemn

- The abuse of religion for self serving political, economic and cultural interest.
- The commodification and trafficking of women and children
- Exploitation of migrant, displaced workers and refugees
- The exploitative system and structure of international and national financial institutions and multinational corporations that continue to drive many people into poverty.
- The unjust world trade system and agreement that continue to impoverish the people of Asia-Africa and the two-third world countries.
- The interference of the US and its allies in the political affairs of other sovereign. nations through the collaboration of puppet regimes in implementing the conditions of global economic powers and support the US led "war on terror."
- The irrational nuclear arms race among nations.
- Globalization through military hegemony in the world at the cost of social justice and human development.
- The displacement of tribal people and exploitation of their land, forest resources and river, and alienating their rich cultural heritage.

We demand

- The revision of the terms of agreements and the charters of the world bodies such as the IMF, IBRD, and the WTO to provide transparancy, equal representation and authority to all the members.
- Fair and just international trade which protects economic, social and cultural rights.
- Nuclear free world and elimination of all weapons of mass destruction in the world.
- Immediate and unconditional withdrawal of foreign occupying military forces from Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine.
- Justice to the dalit, tribal, refugees and ethnic minorities.
- End sex trafficking of women and children
- Stop the trafficking and export of labour, including the unjust and inhuman deportation of migrant workers.
- Stop mass media which promote consumerist culture which endanger social values and environment.
- Cancellation of all illegitimate and immoral debts.

We call for

- A community of peace for all through interfaith cooperation and networking
- Commitment to further developing and strengthening ties of solidarity between the people and countries of Asia and Africa and working together in the spirit of solidarity to give a new meaning and direction to liberation struggles of the peoples.
- The creation of an alternative world order based on the values of equality, justice, cooperation, sharing and mutual empowerment.
- Respect of all ethnic, cultural and religious activities.
- Peaceful resolution of all disputes among countries in Asia and Africa through respectful dialogue keeping in line with the Ten Principles of Bandung Conference 1955.
- Elimination of all forms of discrimination and manipulation on the basis of race, caste, class, ethnicity, gender, religion, culture, deficiency syndrome.
- Protection of environment and biodiversity by upholding appropriate and human face development.
- The faith institutions to heal themselves and actively participate in national and international affairs towards the development of marginalized people.

The People's Forum calls upon the peoples and governments of Asia-Africa and all peace loving nations to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Asia-Africa Conference in April 2005 to promote peace with justice and life with dignity for all. We particularly appeal to those countries who participated in the first Bandung Conference in 1955 to reaffirm and recommit themselves to its TEN PRICIPLES for realization of peace alongside the involvement of people's movement.

We solemnly affirm to commit ourselves to consciously promote the declaration of People's Forum to make ANOTHER WORLD POSSIBLE at al levels.

ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE - LET'S BUILD IT TOGETHER