LUCCEA member churches Capacity building workshop

This is a Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop that seeks to realize increased capacity among church diaconal actors to initiate and implement inclusive community resilience (ICR) projects by communities utilizing innovative skills.

The main challenge to be addressed is ensuring that advocacy engagements become more collaborative and well networked to ensure sustainability. In view of improving specific skills for diaconal engagement the training shall focus on specific and selected topics: “Building ICR”, “Embracing Diversity in ICR”, “Promoting Learning and Innovation” and “Characteristics of Resilience”.  ICR link to Sustainable Development Goals and the Framework on Overcoming Poverty shall be demonstrated and the revised program implementation strategy rolled out.

Language: English and French

Department: Department for Mission and Development

Churches and sustainable development

Workshop with the Lutheran Church of Peru

Many LWF member churches operate in disaster-prone contexts. If a tsunami, an earthquake or a sudden violent outbreak hits, churches have to be prepared and know how to respond to such emergency situations.

The overall objective of the workshop is to enhance participants’ understanding and skills for improved engagement in humanitarian response. An important element of the training is theological reflection on disaster preparedness and emergency response. Through biblical stories participants gain a deeper understanding of the church’s role in the face of human loss and suffering – and explore common ground between faith and humanitarian principles in a people-centered approach which affirms the dignity of every person. They acquire practical skills relating to psychosocial support, risk analysis and contingency planning, and learn about other humanitarian networks and actors in their context.

DRR & Emergency Preparedness and Response

Department: Department for Mision and Development with Department for World Service

Program: Capacity for Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response (CDPER)

Languages: Spanish

LWF member churches and funding partners gathering

Since its founding, the LWF has relied on the faithful and generous financial support of some member churches and other church-related organizations. These partners meet each year to review the LWF’s work, understand the current priorities and agree the working relationship for the forthcoming year. With the approval of the new LWF strategy by the council in the summer, this is a key opportunity to present it to partners.

The focus for February in particular will be to update partners on the work of the LWF, engage partners in the LWF new strategy and operational implications and to review the LWF-partner Strategic Agreements.

At this meeting, partners will also have the opportunity to share their own organizational plans and priorities.

LWF Strategy 2019 – 2024

Second Conviviality Workshop in the LWF European Diaconal Process

Participants will continue to reflect on the concept of conviviality defined as “the art and practice of living together” in the context of growing cultural change in Europe. The background of this workshop is a need to respond to growing mobility, migration and refugee movements.

Through visiting several diaconal programs, participants will get an impression of the huge diversity present in Amsterdam, and at the same time connect to the local Lutheran community.

Their task will be to seek conviviality in practice by reflecting on their personal, congregational and civil society experience and by creating a safe space for mutual learning. They will work on a convivial theology and on a convivial pedagogy for pastoral and diaconal work with different groups.

The aim of the workshop is to enhance advocacy and sharing, to promote conviviality as a key concept and to create interregional links within the LWF and with other partners and processes.

European Diaconal Process

First meeting of the Asia Diaconal Leaders’ Network (ADLN)

Given the severity and regular occurrences of natural disasters, poverty and social inequality in the Asia region, the primary objectives of this meeting are to encourage diaconal leaders from member churches and different sub-regions in Asia to come together for sharing of experiences and resources.

Diaconal leaders from different member churches in Asia will engage in discussions through thematic presentations, case studies from different countries and group work. Outcomes of the meeting will be documented, collated and sent to all participants for sharing with their churches.

Expected outcomes from the ADLN will be strengthened relationships, increased cooperation and effective communication among the diaconal leaders of Asian LWF member churches, as well as a strengthened knowledge of diaconal engagement and enhanced capacities in the area of diaconal work.

Women Humanitarians

Together with other humanitarian organizations, LWF observes World Humanitarian Day on 19 August 2019.

LWF World Service is engaged in long-term development programs and emergency operations across 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Central America and the Middle East. This work is carried out by a strong and committed team of more than 7, 305 colleagues whom we honor on this day.

This year, together with the international humanitarian community, LWF shines a spotlight on women in humanitarian service. Women make up 40 percent of the LWF humanitarian staff, and 50 percent of our country representatives. Many of them work under very challenging conditions, and specific difficulties. At the same time, they bring specific skills and talents to this work which is much needed is caring for vulnerable women, men and children. It is time to honor the women who have acted as first responders to the darkest hours of crisis, and who every day contribute in making the world a better place.

LWF will share stories and interviews with female humanitarian staff. We invite you to read and share those stories of these women who work in often difficult environments to support those in need.

Please follow, comment and share the #LWFWorldService #WomenHumanitarians #WHD2019 on social media and join us on our profiles:       

LWF World Service has been operating in the East and Horn of Africa region since the 1960s and continues to be involved primarily with programs supporting refugees, IDPs, returnees, and host and at-risk local communities in Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda. The upcoming meeting in Ethiopia focuses primarily on opportunities for regional strategies and how to effectively pursue and implement regional initiatives.

The LWF World Service Representatives in English-speaking Africa will be joined by the Global Management Team and other colleagues from the Communion Office as well as representatives from Related Agencies. Mr. Jason Bell from the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS) will also be joining to help delegates explore the importance and benefits of regional collaboration in improving and advancing solutions-oriented programming, which addresses displacement of affected communities in protracted contexts.

Regional Management Team Meetings are conducted as a follow-up to the Global Leadership Team Meeting, to contextualize global discussions to the regional realities. Among others, the meeting provides a venue for regional strategic discussions and raising regional concerns to the Global Management Team. 

This workshop is a unique opportunity for experience sharing among peers from three different continents.

Participants will be able to share their best practices, identify factors of success and reflect on challenges and way forward. At the local level, they will share how refugees and communities are empowered and have been claiming their rights to local duty-bearers, resulting in concrete changes to enhance their well-being.

At the national level, they will share about the successes and challenges of building strong national civil society coalitions and make sure LWF’s priority issues on land rights, refugees’ rights, women rights and marginalized communities’ rights are well embedded in the national agenda. Innovative approaches like using technology for evidence-based advocacy, or fundraising for human rights will provide avenues to develop the approach further.

How faith-based organizations create impactful pledges in support of refugees towards the Global Refugee Forum

Opening remarks: Aloysius John, Secretary General, and Caritas Internationalis

1. Permanent Mission of Uganda (tbc)
2. Dominique Froideveaux, director, Caritas, Geneva
3. Youth delegates from Caritas Greece and Caritas Sofia
4. Rev Dr Sivin Kit and Mr Atallah Fitzgibbon, Faith Partnership Advisors Lutheran World Federation and Islamic Relief
5. Mantalin Kyrou, Policy Officer, ICMC
6. Christian Wolff, Program Manager Migration and Displacement, ACT Alliance
7. Experience sharing with refugees living in Geneva, Rev. Michel Schach
8. Unveiling of "Share the Journey" collage

Closing remarks: Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo, Secretary General, ICMC

Moderation: Alfonso Apicella, Global Campaigns Manager, Caritas Internationalis

Photos and messages will be posted to Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #ShareJourney and #CompartiendoElViaje

The event is co-hosted by ACT Alliance, Anglican Communion, Caritas Internationalis, International Catholic Migration Commission, Islamic Relief , Jesuit Refugee Service (tbc), World Evangelical Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Caritas Genève, Order of Malta, Associazione Papa Giovanni XXIII, Permanent Mission of the Holy See.

The RMTM brings together  

• the management teams from French- and Portuguese-speaking country programs in Africa;  
• the WS Geneva management team;  
• the regional program coordinators;  
• key World Service staff working on quality assurance, finance and resource mobilization at the global level; and  
• representatives of LWF Related Agencies active in the region.   

Strategic discussions will take place around the theme of “forgotten crises”. Their purpose is twofold, namely to advocate for increased global attention to forgotten crises and to ensure the sustainability of LWF country programs as the current strategic cycle unfolds.

This meeting will build on preparatory technical workshops held in Yaoundé starting on 24 January 2020.