2014: InterConf Article 9 - Ankündigung Sept.

The Fourth Global Inter-Religious Conference on Article 9


Rundbrief vom 18. September 2014

9 条 世 界 宗 教 者 会 議 事 務 局
〒160-0022 東京都新宿区新宿 1-16-9
シャ ンピラカテリーナ 5F 庭里子半和財凶気付
Secretariat of Article 9 Global Inter-Religous Conference
c/0 NIWANO PEACEFOUNDATION Shamvilla Cathrina 5F、
1-16-9 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160 0022, JAPAN
Tel:03-3226-4371 Fax:03-3226-1835 E-mail:article9@ncc-j.org


September 18, 2014

The Fourth Global Inter-Religious Conference on Article 9
(Letter #4)

Dear friends in peace;
I write today to provide the latest information about preparations for the 4th Global Inter-Religious Conference on Article 9, December 1-5, 2014.

Latest Program
Please find attached the program for the 4th Global Inter-religious Conference on Article 9, as it now stands. Details which are not yet confirmed will be communicated to you as they become finalized.


WCC President for Asia Rev. Dr. Sang Chang’s meeting with the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan
As you may already know, two of the four statements that were adopted by the WCC Central Committee on July 7, 2014, Statement toward a nuclear-free world and Statement on the re-interpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, were delivered by the hand of WCC President for Asia Rev. Dr. Chang Sang to Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga. A report of this meeting can be found at the WCC website:
http://www.oikoumene.ora/en/oress-centre/news/w℃C”ores1dent-for-asia-meets-wi th-chief-cabinet­ secretョrv-of-iaoan

As noted in the WCC article, this was a historic meeting. I gratefully acknowledge that the meeting was ultimately made possible through the kind efforts of Niwano Peace Foundation, which is affiliated with the Rissho Koseikai Buddhist sect.

When the WCC sought assistance to deliver the above statements to a representative of the government of Japan, the National Christian Council in Japan enquired into possibilities through NCCJ member churches and organizations. But when no path opened up, NCCJ consulted the Niwano Peace Foundation, which since 2007 has been a close collaborator in the 1st,2nd and 3rd lnter-religious Conferences on Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.
It was through the efforts of Niwano Peace Foundation that this historic meeting, between a WCC President and a senior member of the Japanese government, was realized.

It is appropriate to note here, this remarkable cooperation between a Buddhist institution and a Christian body was made possible by a relationship that was nurtured through the planning of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Article 9 Inter-Religious Conferences.

The two WCC Statements referred to above can be found at;
http://www.oikoumene.org/

Secretariat Office of the Article 9 Global Inter-Religious Conference
Recipients of previous communications about the December conference may have noted that the Secretariat Office of the Article 9 Global Inter-Religious Conference is currently located within the offices of Niwano Peace Foundation. As some may be wondering why, we take this opportunity to explain.

ln 2012 it was determined that the Japan Christian Center building, which had housed the NCCJ office for many years, was structurally vulnerable to an earthquake and this forced NCCJ to relocate in the Spring of 2014.

Due to budgetary constraints NCCJ could not find a facility to accommodate all of the various groups under NCCJ, one of which is the Secretariat of the Article 9 Global Inter-Religious Conference.

In kind consideration of these circumstances, Niwano Peace Foundation offered to the conference Secretariat use of space within its own office on a temporary basis, until December 2014. We are very grateful to the Foundation for this generous gesture. Therefore preparations for the 4th Conference will continue to be coordinated from this location.

KOBASHI Kouichi Chairperson
Japanese Conference Committee (JCC)
Global Inter-Religious Conference on Article 9 of the Japanese Peace Constitution

Article 9 and Global Peace - Transcending Nationalism
4th Global Inter-religious Conference on Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution
December 1-5, 2014
YMCA Asia Youth Center (KoreanYMCA in Japan) TOKYO