Contact: World Council of Churches
Media Office, +41 79 507 6363
GENEVE, May 29, 2018 /
Christian Newswire/ -- The National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) drew together 27 Australian-Sudanese and South Sudanese leaders from seven churches for a national consultation held 15-16 May in Canberra.
Photo: A child in a camp of internally displaced persons in Wau, South Sudan. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT AllianceParticipants issued a "Unity Statement for Peace" at the end of the consultation, which was presented to the Addis Ababa peace talks and South Sudan Council of Churches on 17 May.
The meeting was held at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
The statement was read by Ismail Wais, Intergovernmental Authority on Development special envoy for South Sudan.
The Australian Sudanese and South Sudanese church leaders in Canberra represented seven different denominations and six different Australian states and territories.
The statement reads: "We acknowledge the impact of war in giving rise to conflicting loyalties based on tribe, denomination and nationality within South Sudan and the South Sudanese diaspora in Australia."
The statement resolves to build unity and model one people within the diaspora in Australia.
"We long for there to be, and we pray for, peace and unity within the leadership and people of South Sudan based on universal values for good government," the statement reads.
NCCA Unity Statement of Peace sent to South Sudan Peace Talks
WCC member churches in South Sudan
