WCC to Mark Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster with Interfaith Ceremony

|TOP|To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is organising an interfaith ceremony and panel discussion, in partnership with Green Cross International.

Representatives from Geneva’s Jewish, Islamic and Christian communities will participate in the ceremony. In addition, a member of the discussion panel, Russian Orthodox Church representative Rev. Mikhail Gundaev will comment on his Church's decision to make St Thomas Sunday, 30 April, a day of prayer for the victims and the survivors of Chernobyl in all Russian Orthodox churches.

Churches in several other European countries and cities are also planning ceremonies and prayers to mark the day. Kiev, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Budapest, Exeter and Bern are among those arranging events.

Another panel member, Green Cross International communications director Mrs Nadia Sikorsky, will present her organisation's Chernobyl-related activities.

|AD|A Geneva-based non-governmental organisation concerned with environmental problems, Green Cross International is chaired by former USSR president Mikhail Gorbachev, and runs social, medical and education programmes among populations living in still contaminated parts of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.

The Interfaith Ceremony and Panel Discussion will take place at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday 26th April 2006.

The programme and speaks is scheduled as follows:

18:30 Interfaith ceremony
with the participation of:

Rabbi François Garaï, Liberal Jewish Community
Mr Hafid Ouardiri, spokesperson, Islamic Cultural Foundation
Mr Léonard De Pury, representative of the Rassemblement des Églises chrétiennes de Genève - RECG (Geneva gathering of Christian Churches)

19:15 Panel discussion
followed by a questions and answers session with:

Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches - welcome speech
Rev. Mikhail Gundaev, representative Russian Orthodox Church - reflections
Mrs Nadia Sikorsky, director of communications, Green Cross International - presentation of the organisation's Chernobyl-related activities.