|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrea Whitmore, (913)
236-9825 or Matt Quinn, (816) 729-9102
Citizens For Justice In The Middle East, 6100 W. 52nd
Street, Mission, Kansas 66202
300 People Attending Unprecedented Middle East Peace
Conference in Kansas City
October 19, 2006 --
Conference
organizers report that 300 people have registered
to attend a regional peace conference on October 20-21,
2006 at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road,
Prairie Village, Kansas. The Kansas City Sabeel
Conference is a two-day educational and advocacy
conference on the conflict in Palestine-Israel. The
conference titled "Ending the Silence: Voices from the
Holy Land" will draw on a remarkable list of 19
speakers, all experts in Palestine-Israel matters, who
will address a range of topics on current Mideast
politics.
To learn more about the conference speakers and
topics, visit the Kansas City Sabeel Conference web site
at
www.kcsabeelconference.org.
The response to the conference has been
overwhelmingly positive and confirms the deep concern
about peace and justice in the Middle East shared by
those attending. This conference is bringing an
unprecedented number of experts on Middle East affairs
to the Kansas City area for two days. It's unlikely
there's been anything of this magnitude for decades in
Kansas City that focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict and a frank discussion of ways to resolve it.
Rev. Dr. Fahed Abu Akel, one of the conference
speakers and moderator of the 214th General Assembly,
Presbyterian Church USA, stated the purpose of the
conference is to seek "a just peace based on a two-state
solution as defined by international law and United
Nations resolutions. Sabeel promotes theological, moral,
ethical and legal principles for peace." The
conference will include major presentations from invited
speakers, as well as workshop sessions on history,
theology, politics and advocacy.
Other speakers will address the religious aspects of
the conflict, including the impact of the occupation on
the lives of Palestinian Christians. Ginger Kenney, a KC
Sabeel conference organizer, who attended a Sabeel peace
conference in Iowa in 2005, said this year's conference
speakers will present "the facts not demonize any of the
parties involved, more importantly, give concrete steps
all people can do to address the situation." Speakers
will discuss ways for churches to work for a peaceful
resolution to the conflict.
For interviews with conference speakers, call Andrea
at 913 236-9825 for arrangements.
The conference schedule is Friday, October 20, 12
noon to 9:00 pm and Saturday, October 21, 8:00 am to
5:00 p.m. The cost for the two-day conference is $75,
which includes three meals, snacks and attendance at all
talks and workshops. Reduced-cost conference
registration is also available.
The conference hosts are Justice, Peace and the
Environment Committee of Village Presbyterian Church;
Citizens for Justice in the Middle East (Kansas City);
and Friends of Sabeel--North America. Thirty-two
churches, peace groups, businesses and individuals are
sponsoring the conference.
-30-
|
