Launch of Christian challenge to arms trade

On Monday 15th April the Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) Christian Network and Pax Christi will launch a joint project aimed at engaging church leaders and faith communities in a campaign to press the UK government on arms trade issues. In the 'Call to Conversion' statement - which will be sent to every church leader following the launch, the supporting organisations say: "We believe that pleas from our brothers and sisters around the world amount to a call to conversion. We believe that it is time to have a fundamental review of our role in the world with regard to our arms dealing. Christian communities around the world remind us that fundamentally we are all sisters and brothers, children of the one God. They urge us to do what we can to stop the flooding of their countries with weapons" To date, the project is endorsed by Rev Dr Rowan Williams, Anglican Archbishop of Wales, Bishop Malcolm McMahon OP, Catholic President of Pax Christi, Bishop Thomas McMahon, and Anglican Bishop John Perry, Africa Europe Faith & Justice Network UK, Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, Baptist Peace Fellowship, CIIR, Christian CND, Columban Faith and Justice, Conference of Religious, Jesuit Refugee Service, Missionary Institute London, National Board of Catholic Women, National J&P Network, Northern Friends Peace Board, Quaker Peace and Social Witness, and the Unitarian Peace Fellowship. Speakers at the launch will include Bishop Thomas McMahon, Bishop of Brentwood, Sr Pat Robb, representative of the Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network who has worked in Latin America and Africa, Joseph Turey, from Sierra Leone and Chris Cole of the CAAT. They will speak from their experiences of the impact of the arms trade on countries of the South and of the political changes needed hear to challenge the arms trade. The launch takes place at 7.00 pm at Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street, London. For more information contact: CAAT 020 7281 0297 or Pax Christi on 020 8203 4884