CCA hosts Asia's Interfaith Network Conference on HIV and AIDS

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:
Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)
Second Preference:
General Secretariat (GS)
18 January 2016

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Asian Interfaith Conference on HIV and AIDS  attended by representatives of Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) in Asia  is being engaged in  a biennial process  of mapping out HIV and AIDS programs and services that different FBOs are implementing in various Asian countries.  

Organised under the auspices of the Asian Interfaith Network on AIDS (AINA) and hosted by the Christian Conference of Asia ( CCA), the Asian Interfaith Conference meets at the Payap University , Chiang Mai, in Thaliand on 15.16 Janaury 2016.  

The conference  brings together  about 30 leaders from diverse faith communities and representatives of UNFPA and UNAIDS. While  assessing  the commitments and gaps regarding the work on HIV andAIDS, the Conference  also aims at developing new strategies and methodologies to enhance the cooperation among the interfaith network in Asia.   

While welcoming the participants and extending greetings , the General Secretary of CCA Dr Mathews George said that, “CCA is committed to continue to support these kind of interfaith initiatives addressing the concerns on HIV and AIDS. The new program structure of CCA has placed the HIV and AIDS advocacy as a priority are as part of the Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy program area”. 

The CCA General Secretary added that “CCA wants a genuine sense of ownership by  all partnering organizations for effective advocacy and  there is a need to systemize the approach in terms of advocacy in this area”.   .”  

Venerable  Phra Maha Boonchuay Dooji, Chairperson of AINA said in his introductory remarks that ,  “ as a  Buddhist monk  in Thailand,  it is difficult to collaborate with other faiths in many areas, but my personal interest and commitment to foster good relations with other faiths is the reason to work in this area.” Mr. Roy Wadia from United Nations Population Fund in Thailand stated that faith communities often oppose this kind of work as sex is something most people don’t feel comfortable to openly talk about. Hence having a conference on HIV/AIDs inviting Asian faith communities and Interfaith Networks is timely.  

The establishment of AINA as a network of various faith based organization was initiated by CCA in 2005 during an international consultation on HIV and AIDS was organised by CCA with the participation of interfaith leaders from various Asian countries.