Preparations for the Asian Ecumenical Women’s Assembly (AEWA), the first-ever major women’s summit initiated by the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) to be held from 21 to 27 November 2019, are being finalized by the CCA Secretariat and the Host Committee in Taiwan.

Hosted by the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, a member church of CCA, the AEWA will be held at the Presbyterian Bible College, Hsinchu, a city located in the north-western part of Taiwan.

The AEWA will bring together more than 250 participants from across Asia to reflect on the theme ‘Arise, and Be Awake to Reconcile, Renew, and Restore the Creation’.

The historic ecumenical women’s summit in Asia is expected to provide a platform for a representative group of women from various Christian denominations and ecumenical women’s organizations.

The CCA General Secretary Dr Mathews George Chunakara said, “The Asian ecumenical women’s representatives will meet at a critical moment when women and girls in many parts of Asia continue to face unprecedented challenges when it comes to achieving the goal of overcoming systemic barriers that hold women back from gender equality.”

“Equal participation of women in all areas of life is hindered as multiple obstacles remain unchanged in law and culture in several Asian contexts. Asian churches need to be sensitized to encourage women in church and society to demonstrate their commitments in partnership with men to initiate reconciliation, renewal and restoration in situations at all levels,” the CCA General Secretary added.

The coordinators of the AEWA Rev Jung Eng Moon and Ms Rosiana Purnomo said, “the attempts of CCA through the facilitation of an Asian ecumenical women’s summit for the first time ever in Asia, will be a unique opportunity to discuss the role of Asian Christian women to be partners in God’s mission of healing the wounded and the broken, and be catalysts of reconciliation, renewal and restoration.”

Segments of the AEWA will deliberate on three different dimensions of the theme : ‘Be Awake to Reconcile’, ‘Be Awake to Renew’, and ‘Be Awake to Restore’.

Panel presentations will focus on ‘Caring and Sustaining the Creation’, ‘Nurturing Spirituality and Wholeness of Life’, ‘Participation and Solidarity in Struggle for Peace with Justice’, ‘Ensuring an Inclusive Leadership in Church and Society’ and ‘Towards Revitalizing Ecumenical Movement and Role of Asian Ecumenical Women’s Organization’.

Bible studies to be dealt at AEWA address pertinent Asian realities related to women through the lens of scriptural exegesis and contextual theological insights shared by participants.

A wide range of issues will be covered during workshop sessions, led by participants themselves who are experts in the respective areas. Participants from each country and region are expected to come up with action plans and practical ways in advancing active participation of women in the Asian ecumenical journey.

A pre-assembly event on ‘Asian Ecumenical Women Responding and Strengthening HIV & AIDS Advocacy’ will be held from 18 to 21 November and attended by around 45 specially selected participants.

Source ⇒ CCA