Press Releaseà..Press Releaseà..Press
Releaseà..

Council of African Christian Communities in
Europe
Conseil Des Communautes Chretiennes
DÆExpression Africaine En Europe (CACCE)
La Maison dÆAltitude La Recontre, Arzier, Geneva



17 June 2001



We, a party of African and African Caribbean Christian Leaders in
Europe have met under the auspices of the Council of Christian
Communities of An African Approach in Europe/ Conseil Des
Communautes Chretiennes DÆExpression Africaine En Europe.

We met previously in Leeds 1997, Cambridge Sept 1999, Belgium
December 1999, and Berlin September 2000. Now present in
Arzier, Switzerland, we have deliberated as an assembly from the
14-17 June 2001. We represent African Christian organisations in
our representative countries of Belgium, France, Germany,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

We have decided:

1.To reconstitute ourselves to create an international organisation
that covers the whole of Europe. We were previously known as
the Council of African Christian Communities in Europe/
Conseil des Communautes Chretiennes Africaines en Europe.
Now we are known as the Council of Christian Communities of
An African Approach in Europe/ Conseil Des Communautes
Chrestiennes dÆExpression Africaine en Europe.

Our intentions are declared in a mission statement, which is as
follows:
To promote fellowship and the Christian gospel, and to serve
African Christian Communities in the pursuit of human and socio-
economic development, justice and peace. Providing a platform for
networking and the creation of strategic partnerships.

2.A decision was made to locate the headquarters of this Council
in Berlin, Germany as a symbol of remembrance of the Berlin
Congo Conference, held in 1884, which facilitated the division
of Africa.

3.Elections were held for seven members to the European
Committee and for the offices of Chair, Rev. Kounkou
Dominique (France), Vice Chair Archbishop Fidelia Onyuku-
Opukiri (United Kingdom), General Secretary Rev. Ronald A.
Nathan (United Kingdom), Vice Secretary Alimamy Sesay
(Germany) and Treasurer Rev. Dr. Joseph Kabongo
(Switzerland).

We understand ourselves as called to stand up and speak up for
change socially, politically, economically, academically and
spiritually. The European Community needs us! This goes beyond
us being just a source of cheap and disposable labour. Europe
needs us in our totality to speak up and stand up for the biblical
cause of righteousness and freedom. Shoulder to shoulder we
must engage the call to Christian Mission that results in holistic
liberation for all. Our freedom and liberation is intertwined with
those of all the peoples of Europe.

For further information contact:

Rev. Kounkou Dominique (France) (33) 1 60 08 72 57, Vice Chair
Archbishop Fidelia Onyuku-Opukiri (United Kingdom) (44) 20 8 340 99
62, Vice Secretary Alimamy L. Sesay (Germany) (49) 30 6128 8635,
Treasurer Rev. Dr. Joseph M. Kabongo (Switzerland) (41) 79 319 0685
, Rev. Didubi Way-Way (Belgium) (32) 2 687 7213, Pastor Alex Afram
(Germany) (49) 40 271 9275, and Rev. Dr. Roswith Gerloff (United
Kingdom/Germany) (44) 113 2669541.




The first meeting of the European Committee will be held in
Berlin 7-9 September 2001.  We will be welcomed by the Berlin Committee and the æb Internationaler Konvent Christlicher Gemeinden in Berlin-BrandenburgÆ. Saturday
will be dedicated to work from 9:00 - 18:00. The evening will be
made available to see Berlin and meet people. On Sunday we will
go to local churches, a German congregation and the African
churches. We will be free to meet with other interested parties.