Take Note: Up-Coming Conferences in the Washington DC Area

·        February 24-27, 2008:  2008 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering: Faithful Citizenship: Promoting Life and Dignity, Justice and Peace at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.  This gathering will bring social ministry leaders from across the U.S. together to explore the applications of Catholic Social Teaching on Domestic and International issues. Also a chance to visit with members of Congress. The 2008 Roundtable Symposium and organization meetings precede the conference. Contact: call (202) 541-3185 or email: ytaylor-burwell@usccb.org / Web site: www.usccb.org.

·        March 7-10, 2008: 2008 Ecumenical Advocacy Days: Claiming a Vision of True Security in the family, Neighborhood and World will be held at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center near Washington, D.C. Contact: Ecumenical Advocacy Days, c/o Office of Public Life and Social Policy, United Church of Christ; (202) 470-0127 / E-mail: info@advocacydays.org / visit www.advocacydays.org/2008.

·        April 18-21, 2008: Africa Faith & Justice Network’s 25^th Anniversary  and Annual Meeting: Celebrating Africa: Analysis to Action at the Holiday Inn in Rosslyn, Virginia near Washington, D.C. The meeting will feature keynote speaker Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, world-renowned development economist, author of The End of Poverty, and head of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. He has led the way in calling for complete debt relief for Africa and massive increases in foreign aid. Another noteworthy presenter will be Ishmael Beah who tells his story as a child soldier in Sierra Leone in A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. Workshops include Resource Exploitation, Militarization of U.S. Policy towards Africa, Child Soldiers, Organizing for Parishes and Dioceses and Organizing for Students.  A free concert will feature a Congolese Band at Gateway Park in Rosslyn on the 20^th. A Lobby Day on Capitol Hill has been organized for April 21.  Student scholarships are available. Keep in touch by e-mailing conference@afjn.org, or visit www.afjn.org.