Demise of His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian OAM Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Australia and New Zealand

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).

No preference updated.

25 September 2012
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity
It is with great sadness that we learned about the untimely demise of His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian OAM, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Australia and New Zealand at the age of 66, on September 22, in Sydney.
Archbishop Baliozian was held in high esteem both in Australia and around the world for his wisdom and commitment to Christian unity, inter-religious dialogue and peace building.  He will always be remembered for his qualities as a spiritual leader, as the dean of the Armenian Patriarchate Seminary, his oratorical skills and his contributions to ecumenism.  
In recognition of his "devout service and contribution to the country and society, especially to the Armenian community,” the Australian Government awarded him the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1995 and again the Centenary Medal in 2001. 
In a condolence letter to the leaders and members of the Armenian Church, Dr. Henriette H. Lebang, CCA General Secretary said "In his demise, the CCA, the ecumenical world at the global, regional and national levels, the Orthodox churches and his own church members have lost a great leader and a visionary."
On behalf of the CCA family, she conveyed heart-felt sorrow and grief at this great loss, and wrote "Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May there be comfort and consolation and the hope that we can move on to build a new tomorrow, in the light of God's wisdom, wherever we are."
May his soul rest in peace.