Against all forms of slavery

European and African bishops will meet October 13-18 in Cape Coast Ghana, to discuss Slavery and New Forms of Slavery”: the initiative is promoted by the Council of European Bishops Conferences (CCEE) and by the Symposium of Bishops Conferences of Africa and Madagascar which includes National Bishops Conferences, 9 Regional Conferences and the Assemblies of Catholic authorities of Eastern rite. The event is part of a three-year project (2007-2010) envisaging seminars in Europe and Africa for a greater “communion and solidarity” between Churches “in the epoch of human mobility”. The first meeting took place in Rome in 2004. About 30 participants will take part in this year’s seminar, representing European and African Episcopates, Vatican dycasteries and solidarity organisms. Among the addressed topics figure: slavery in the Bible; experiences in African and European history; liberation from the new forms of slavery; cooperation between African and European Churches. The meeting envisages visits to local communities and a commemoration of the 200th anniversary since the end of slavery in Africa, to be held on Sunday November 18. In the meantime, in Kenya is under way the Global Christian Forum promoted by the World Council of Churches (WCC- representing 347 Christian confessions with co-operation of the Catholic Church) From November 6-9, 250 representatives of the major Christian traditions will discuss how to promote dialogue and cooperation. Monsignor ALDO GIORDANO , Secretary General of the CCEE takes part in the event.Mons.Giordano, what are the new elements emerging from the Global Christian Forum?“This Forum well represents the present situation of Christianity. There is the Protestant and the Catholic world along with many Orthodox churches, plus the new presence of the Pentacostal and Evangelical Churches which is the characteristic of this meeting. A large amount of space was devoted to our mutual experiences of faith, since faith is the uniting element between us. Unity stems from wanting to live the Gospel. It is felt that ecumenical organisms should develop further to as to include Pentecostal and Evangelical realities, that are very widespread in Latin America and in Africa. There is also the need to collaborate on major human issues: peace, justice, poverty and AIDS. Africans especially insist on this point. After all, we realize that if we share the same needs there are also many unanswered questions. How can we collaborate for the benefit of humanity if there is no consensus on a series of ethical considerations? There is consensus between a few Christian Communities but not between all. This is a problem”.Churches pay increasing attention to Africa. Next week European and African bishops will meet in Ghana to talk of slavery…“At Catholic level we have become aware that European and African bishops have a common responsibility which derives from the fact that they are Christians and bishops. Also European bishops want to share their problems with Africans, sharing a responsibility that can become concrete, in the present world, in the phenomenon of human mobility. In Ghana we will celebrate 200 years since the end of slavery and we will be discussing the new forms of slavery. We will talk of historical slavery in Africa, for which both Europeans and Africans are accountable. But as Europeans we will also talk of our forms of slavery, starting from the Greek world, the Romans, until the Middle Ages, to Nazism and Communism. Special focus is given to the new forms of slavery: trade of human beings and markets of women and children from Eastern Europe; trade of organs, of jobs. We will speak of existing markets between Europe and Africa so see what we can do as Churches. In positive, we would like to communicate the experiences of liberation already existing. We asked the Spaniards to tell us about their struggle against illegality, to the Africans we asked to share their experience in the recovery of exploited children”. How can modern forms of slavery be countered?“We believe that the answer lies in recovering, in Africa and in Europe, a culture of life from the moment of conception to natural death, ans in the family, the place of human dignity where life is preserved. We would like to trigger public awareness and cooperation on these topics through the networks of the Bishops Conferences and of the various bodies so as to transmit the fruits of this endeavour. There also is a work of political lobbying to be done. The EU will hold a summit in Lisbon on Africa. Perhaps from the seminary will emerge suggestions and proposals for those politicians who are more sensitive to the African problem. There’s an African saying: ‘If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to travel far, go together’. As European and Christian Churches we want to go together.”