Every effort towards preventive diplomacy for defusing tensions in the Korean peninsula needs to be ensured, says CCA General Secretary

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.

27 July 2024

Chiang Mai, Thailand: Reiterating the Christian Conference of Asia’s (CCA) support for Korean churches’ calls for a permanent peace treaty to replace the 1953 armistice, CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara stated, “Every effort towards preventive diplomacy through meaningful dialogue will defuse military tensions and reduce nuclear risks.”

Through a video-recorded message shared on the occasion of the 71st Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice and the observance of Korea Peace Action Day organised by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) and Korea Peace Action, the CCA General Secretary commended the enduring efforts of the Korean churches and noted that the Peace Rally scheduled for 27 July would be helpful in sustaining attention on the dire need to promote peace and reconciliation in the region.

“The division of Korea into ‘North’ and ‘South’ more than seven decades ago symbolizes one of the most painful political and ideological tribulations of the Cold War era. We urge all Christians across Asia to continue to pray for peace, reconciliation, and reunification of the divided Korean peninsula, and to also pray for the leaders and citizens of both Koreas that they may be guided by wisdom and compassion in their pursuit of lasting peace,” said Dr Mathews George Chunakara.

Although the Korean War was said to have “technically” ended on 27 July 1953, with the signing of an armistice, the country remains divided.

The East Asia region has been in a stalemate for 71 years that has caused much suffering to the people living in both North and South Korea, the stakes being raised higher than ever with the growing nuclear weapon capacity in the region.

The video and full text of the message can be found here:

CCA General Secretary's Message on Korea Peace Action Day

CCA General Secretary's Video Message on Korea Peace Action Day