World YWCA to attend summit on religious leadership in the response to HIV

Among the participants are World YWCA General Secretary Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Art of Living Foundation; His Holiness Tep Vong, the Great Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia; His Holiness Abune Paulos, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; Archbishop John Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria; The Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town; Rabbi David Rosen, American Jewish Committee; Sheik Mohammed Gemea, Al Azhar University; Rev. Dr. Olav Fyske Tveit, General Secretary, World Council of Churches; and Mr. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director, UNAIDS.

The Summit aims to promote understanding among high level religious leaders on the need for visible and affirmative engagement on HIV and AIDS and to mobilise their support for advocacy and action.

"The YWCA is part of the Ecumenical family and as such has developed close working relationships with churches and other faith-based organisations. As a movement that has made sexual and reproductive health and rights and HIV and AIDS one of our priorities, it is important to participate in this event and to lift up women as champions and leaders around SRHR, HIV and comprehensive prevention," reflects Kristin Roaldseth Moyer, World YWCA Programme Director for Europe who will also participate in the Summit.

The Summit is being planned by an Interfaith Steering Committee convened by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance who is helping to coordinate the project along with Cordaid in The Netherlands. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is an important contributor and supporter of the Summit. UNAIDS, INERELA+ and the World AIDS Campaign are collaborating partners represented on the steering committee.