Tourism, Tradition and Terrorism

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:
Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)
09 May 2003
christian conference of Asia, Asia christianity

The representatives of civil society, academe and religious bodies from Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, France, Germany, Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand met in Bangkok at the Consultation on Tourism, Traditions and Terrorism during April 28 - May 1, 2003.

In discussing the various issues related to tourism, the group stressed that the debate on sustainable tourism must give due importance and consideration to the issues that concern human dignity, peace, justice and for the protection of nature. Like terrorism, tourism in the contemporary world is often a form of aggression on unsuspecting communities, cultures and the environment. The tourist as a pilgrim of peace and justice cannot be realized as long as commodification and conspicuous consumption, unsustainable uses of natural resources like land, water, energy, forests and oceans as well as unfair labour and trade practices are the norm in tourism. [read Declaration]

The meeting has been held in the midst of fears and anxieties triggered by the outbreak of SARS - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. This deadly virus has so far claimed the deaths of several hundred people and thousands have become victims of atypical pneumonia caused by the virus.

The participants of the consultation expressed their deep felt sympathies and condolences to the kin of those who died and have fallen victims of this serious illness.

The General-Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia and Chairperson of Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism (ECOT), Dr Ahn Jae Woong, underlined that governments and health workers of the affected countries are taking unprecedented steps to contain the spread of the virus. The response from the civil society have been one of caution and reflection. They have mostly supported governmental action while being skeptical of the media sensationalisation of this unfortunate and tragic epidemic. [read Press Release]