United Nations Affairs- Syrian Orthodox Church in America H.E. Rev. Ambassador Anthony J. DeLuca, Ph.D., United Nations Representative and Holy Wisdom Advisor Karen Lynn McGuckin, Assistant United Nations Representative and Holy Wisdom Editor Anne Riccitelli, Assistant United Nations Representative and Holy Wisdom Reporter	United Nations Affairs- Syrian Orthodox Church H.E. Rev. Ambassador Anthony J. Deluca, Ph.D. 2295 Victory Boulevard,  Staten Island, New York, 10314 Questions call:(718)- 698- 0700 email: DeLuca@UN.int
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Volumn XVII No 01	Jan 2006
UN CHRONICLE E-ALERT The Inequality Predicament During the 2005 World Summit, world leaders devoted a special session to financing for development, emphasizing the urgent need to go beyond words to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that "an enormous backlog of deprivation" remained, requiring more and better aid, trade policies that give a fair chance to developing countries, more investment in the world's poorest countries, and opening up institutions to allow the developing world to have a greater voice. The Inequality Predicament By Jomo K. Sundaram Macroeconomic policies, financial globalization, and changes in labour market institutions have exacerbated inequality in recent decades: not only in income and wealth, but also in access to education, healthcare, social protection as well as political participation and influence. An array of factors has conspired to worsen the transmission of inequality from one generation to the next, even within communities experiencing rapid economic growth. This context shapes the transmission of knowledge, social responsibility, and life chances, all of which can put communities at risk. The tremendous demographic changes in the world have exacerbated these problems profoundly. As surveyed in The Inequality Predicament, the United Nations' Report on the World Social Situation 2005, few countries, rich or poor, have proved immune to the global trend of rising inequality, or to its consequences, e.g. in terms of education, health and welfare inequalities. There is no simple causal relationship linking poverty and inequality to violence. Nevertheless, disparities and the sense of deprivation do contribute to resentment and social instability, threatening security. Faced with bleak life prospects and feeling excluded, young people, in particular, often experience anomie and may turn to anti-social behaviour, including violence. Nor is there a simple explanation of what causes poverty. Clearly, however, poverty arises from various complex conditions, requiring multidimensional approaches. It is hard to imagine, for example, how to "make poverty history" without also generating enough decent work, educational opportunities and healthcare for all. H.E. Ms. Tarja Halonen was elected the eleventh President of Finland in February 2000 - the country’s first woman head of State - and in September that year co-chaired the Millennium Summit at the United Nations. A member of Finland’s Social Democratic Party since 1971, she began her political career in 1974 as parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister, and was elected to Parliament in 1979, retaining her seat in five consecutive elections until her election as President. She has a Master of Laws degree. World Summit devotes special session to financing for development Mexican President Vicente Fox 14 September 2005 – In a special session devoted to financing for development, World Summit leaders today emphasized the urgent need to go beyond words to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that address deprivation and a range of other ills. President Vicente Fox Quesada of Mexico, speaking as leader of the host country of the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development, called for reinvigorating economic growth and development, including reducing the debt burden of developing nations. "Only within the United Nations framework it is possible to build the consensus and partnerships indispensable for achieving world peace and sustainable development," he said. Secretary-General Kofi Annan warned that there remained "an enormous backlog of deprivation," requiring more and better aid, trade policies that give a fair chance to developing countries, more investment in the world's poorest countries, and opening up institutions to allow the developing world to have a greater voice. "We have an opportunity to save tens of millions of lives over the next decade, and to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty," he declared. "We must not disappoint them." President Musharraf Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who is President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2005, noted that there was already broad agreement on development policies and goals, and a key element was adequate financing. He said domestic resources made up an important part of that, but alone were not enough to spur rapid development. Loans, grants, foreign direct investment and export earnings were therefore necessary, along with open and equitable trade and good global governance. Paul Wolfowitz World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz called for developing countries to improve performance and developed countries to fulfil their promise to increase aid. "The direction we take now can help make a difference for the millions of people trapped in extreme poverty," he said. For many, it can be a difference between life and death." The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Rodrigo de Rato, shared the results of recent assessments of economic policy for assistance to low-income countries. "We must work for better policies, more trade, more aid and smarter use of aid," he said. Prime Minister Patterson Among the other 35 world leaders who addressed the topic, the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Percival James Patterson, spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 Developing Countries and China, expressing disappointment about the current gaps in financing for development between what was available and what was needed to meet development targets. "We cannot cross this development financing chasm by any series of small steps," he said. "We need to make a giant step." Hilary Benn Speaking for the European Union, Secretary of State for International Development of the United Kingdom Hilary Benn said: "The EU remains strongly committed to supporting country-led sustainable development through actions on aid volume, aid effectiveness, debt relief, innovative financing mechanisms, trade and the international architecture." President Obasanjo Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, on behalf of the African Union, said that African leaders realized their primary responsibility for addressing development challenges, particularly through the mobilization of domestic resources, the provision of an enabling environment for foreign investment, good governance and private sector involvement. "I stand on this podium today, therefore, to remind us of the commitments we have all made including Monterrey and to call on all parties to fulfil their commitments in a spirit of partnership and mutual interdependence," he concluded. President Kerekou "Innovative ways to help the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are greatly appreciated but the international community must not be distracted from commitments already made," said Mathieu Kerekou, President of Benin, speaking in his capacity as Chairman of the Coordinating Bureau of LDCs. Bold new actions would have to be taken to relieve all multilateral and bilateral debt, he added. Prime Minister Goolam Representing the Alliance of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Navinchandra Ram Goolam, Prime Minister of Mauritius, appealed for special attention to the unique problems faced by SIDS, such as small and narrow resource bases, limited market access, fragile natural environments, vulnerability to natural disasters, a high cost of energy, poor infrastructure, and a lack of adequate transportation and communication. Rafael Bielsa Rafael Bielsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina said, on behalf of the South American Rio Group said that democracy had improved conditions in the region. "Nevertheless, our democracies have not been able yet to address social demands that are today evident in our territories under the form of hunger and lack of jobs and protection," due to slow growth rates and policies imposed by multilateral lending bodies. Prime Minister Douglas On behalf of the Caribbean region of CARICOM, Prime Minister Denzil Douglas of St. Kitts and Nevis appealed for the narrowing of gaps in technology, trade and human development between countries. Along with Foreign Minister Somsavat Lengsavad of Laos, who spoke for the Group of Landlocked Developing Countries (LDCs), he appealed for assistance in gaining more access to trade and broadening their countries' narrow economic bases. Somsavat Lengsavad "Primary responsibility to achieve MDGs rests with developing countries, but international support is critical, especially for the poorest countries and for countries handicapped by geographical isolation," Mr. Lengsavad said, echoing most other speakers at the meeting. BRAZILIAN AND CHINESE PROFESSORS JOIN ANNAN’S GROUP ON ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS New York, Dec 14 2005 3:00PM Professor Candido Mendes of Brazil and Professor Pan Guang of China became the final members of Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s high-level group on the Alliance of Civilizations, an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between Islamic and Western societies and overcoming misconceptions which potentially threaten world peace. Set up in July, the movement also aims to advance mutual respect for religious beliefs and traditions, serving as a coalition against extremists. The high-level group is chaired by Federico Mayor of Spain and Professor Mehmet Aydin of Turkey – the two countries which called for the Alliance – and is expected to present a report with recommendations and a practical plan of action in late 2006. Other members are Iran’s former President, Seyed Mohamed Khatami; Her Highness Sheikha Mozah of Qatar; Mohamed Charfi, former Education Minister of Tunisia; Ismail Serageldin, President of Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandria; Andre Azoulay, an Adviser to King Mohammed VI of Morocco; Senegal’s former Prime Minister, Moustapha Niasse; Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa; France’s former Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine; British religion historian Karen Armstrong; and Vitaly Naumkin, President of the International Center for Strategic and Political Studies in Russia. Professor John Esposito of the United States, the Founding Director-Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding-Georgetown University and Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Islamic World; Rabbi Arthur Schneier of the US, President of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation; Enrique Iglesias of Uruguay, former President of Inter American Development Bank; Dr. Nafis Sadik of Pakistan, former head of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA); Shobana Bhartia, Managing Director of the Hindustan Times, New Delhi; and Indonesia’s former Foreign Minister, Ali Alatas are also members of the group. Damascus, 7 Dec. (AKI/DAWN) - A report by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, has revealed that almost half of the Iraqi refugees in Syria who have asked for temporary asylum through the UN refugee agency are Christians. The document stated that 500,000 Iraqi refugees have been registered by the UNHCR in Syria, 22,000 of which are in Damascus. Syria is the only country that has left its borders open to Iraqi refugees. The UNHCR report stressed that "half of the registered refugees profess the Christian faith, eventhough Christians represent only 5 percent of the population." Among the reasons cited in the report for his high percentage of Christians among refugees, is the fear stemming from attacks against churches in various Iraqi cities. Other reasons that have prompted many Iraqis to flee to Syria include to escape arrest and violence, accusations that they have collaborated with the Americans and possible kidnappings. Most of the Christians in Iraq belong to the Assyrian and Chaldean Catholic denominations. Others groups include Syrian Orthodox or protestants. During Saddam's secular regime they were free to worship - one of the regimes most prominent Christian members was deputy prime minister Tareq Aziz. Since the US-led invasion, growing religious intolerance and sectarian violence have prompted many Iraqi Christians to flee abroad Orthodox News: A CALL for global action to combat poverty went out yesterday from an Indian Christian leader visiting Bahrain. Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere, said one of the senior-most bishops of the Indian Orthodox Church, the Most Reverend Dr Geevarghese Mar Osthathios. People cannot develop their families or nation without developing their neighbours, said Dr Mar Osthathios, who is a social reformer and founder of several orphanages and other charity projects in India... 2005-Dec-28 Kazinform - Astana,Kazakhstan MOSCOW-ASTANA, December 28. KAZINFORM. - A Russian-Iranian theological commission on the dialogue between Islam and Eastern Orthodox Christianity will hold a conference in Teheran from February 27 through March 4, 2006, Mertopolitan Cyril of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, who heads the department for external relations at Moscow Patriarchate, said Tuesday at a session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Church... 2005-Dec-27 Press Trust of India - New Delhi,India The faithful congregated in large numbers at midnight masses held in cathedrals and churches of various Christian denominations across the state. Senior prelates and priests led the mass, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Churches were illuminated and tastefully crafted cribs and Christmas trees decorated the church yards... 2005-Dec-21 NewKerala.com - Ernakulam,Kerala,India Mallappally, Kerala: An eighty feet high and 40 feet wide, Christmas star has been put up by a church here and the church authorities claim it to be the largest ever made Christmas star in the world. The gorgeous star stands before the four-storey building of the St Joseph Industrial Training Centre with a collage of pictures in each of its wings, sending forth messages of peace and prosperity... Malayala Manorama - India Parumala: The President, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, on Sunday stressed the need for research in paediatric cardiac services to avoid occurrence of cardiac problems in children, especially in rural areas. Inaugurating an international paediatric cardiac services and rural telemedicine connectivity facility at St.Gregorios cardio vascular centre in Parumala, he lauded the efforts of noted heart surgeon Dr K M Cherian, who started the Dr K M Cherian heart foundation... Among those present on the occasion were finance and excise minister Vakkom Purushothaman, fisheries minister Dominic Presentation and the Catholicos of the East Baselios, Marthoma Dydimos I... Mmegi - Gaberones,Botswana In an overwhelmingly Hindu population of one billion, India’s 50 million-plus Christians are considered a minority. Hence, it is not strange that many do not really link Indians with Christianity. However, the Christian presence in India is very strong and Father Kuriakose Kozhikkadan of the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Gaborone is a livingtestimony in Botswana. He grew up in a Christian family in India's Kerala state. ... 01 November 2005 US remembers rights pioneer Parks who was readied by her church New York (ENI). The United States has been paying tribute to Rosa Parks, the retired seamstress whose refusal in 1955 to give up her seat for a white passenger on a segregated public bus in Montgomery, Alabama, helped spark the US civil rights movement. Parks died on 24 October aged 92 and was to be buried on 2 November in Detroit. Her arrest and fine for not giving up her seat led to a boycott of the Montgomery bus system led by a young Baptist pastor, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr, and precipitated a movement that helped the United States end legalised racial segregation. ICON Digest Ecumenical News International Highlights Dec 19, 2005 WTO breathes relief at pact, but Christian, civil activists unimpressed Hong Kong (ENI). The 149 members of the World Trade Organization, after days of protests during their Hong Kong talks, breathed a sigh of relief on hammering out a scaled-down agreement on global commerce. But many Christian and civil society groups fighting for trade justice rued that the deal will do little to help the world's poor. Dec 14,2005 Pakistan churches to have day of prayer against blasphemy law New Delhi (ENI). Churches in Pakistan are to observe 20 December as a "day of fast and prayer" to demand the repeal of a law about blasphemy that often leads to violence against the tiny Christian community in the Muslim majority nation. "As long as the blasphemy law remains in force, we will continue to suffer," said Victor Azariah, general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Pakistan, which groups four major Protestant denominations. Relatives want those who ordered murder of US nun in Brazil court New York (ENI). Relatives and fellow members of the order of a US nun active in a movement to help landless Amazon peasants who was murdered rue that full justice has not yet been achieved despite the conviction of two men for her death. The conviction of Rayfran das Neves Sales and Clodoaldo Carlos Batista immediately drew praise from the family and allies of the late Dorothy Stang, 73, a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and a long-time resident of Brazil, but they said they would like to see those who ordered the murder brought to book. Czech churches deplore 'communist' law on religion Dec 13,2005 Warsaw (ENI). Churches in the Czech Republic are considering an appeal to the country's constitutional court about a law on religious bodies which they say restricts their activities and resembles legislation from the pre-1989 communist era. "The Ministry of Culture drew up the latest text without any dialogue with the churches," said Jitka Krausova, general secretary of the Czech Ecumenical Council, about the measure signed into law by President Vaclav Klaus on 6 December. Churches challenge British government on climate change London (ENI). A church-backed campaign on climate change has challenged the United Kingdom government to state its policy for future negotiations on global warming while also welcoming the agreement reached at the United Nations' conference in Montreal. The 29 November to 9 December talks in Montreal aimed to start discussions on a long-term strategy to safeguard climatic stability after the expiry in 2012 of current commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce carbon dioxide and other atmospheric gases that many scientists believe cause global warming. From China to Nepal, human rights at risk says Asia inter-faith group Manila (ENI). The rule of law does not exist in most parts of Asia, thus denying the basic human rights of many citizens in a vast continent, home to more than half of the world's people, says a regional inter-faith human rights watch body. "[In many Asian countries], the effort to create the conditions for the realisation of human rights compares very poorly to the hard work that has been undertaken to create an awareness of human rights," said the inter-faith Religious Group for Human Rights, which is linked to the Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission. December 9, 2005 Asian Christian leaders say WTO has not reduced poverty Hong Kong (ENI). Christian leaders from many parts of this planet have grave doubts the World Trade Organization (WTO) will deliver on its goals to reduce poverty and diminish inequality during upcoming talks to reset regulations for global commerce. Church groups from a plethora of denominations associated with civil society groups have converged on Hong Kong for the 6th Ministerial Conference of the WTO to lobby, badger and protest for more justice in the way humanity goes about a large part of its daily life. Newindpress - Chennai,India ... In a letter to the Church Synod on Sunday, Mar Thoma Mathews II had expressed his desire to abdicate owing to advanced years and ill-health.
UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL’S STUDY ON VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN SUMMARY PRESENTED TO NGO/DPI SECTION United Nations, November 17, 2005 – The Secretary-General’s study on Violence Against Children focuses on raising awareness about violence against children in five settings: home and family, schools and educational settings, other institutional settings, the community and on the streets and in work situations. The final report will be presented to the General Assembly next year by the Independent Expert, Professor Paolo Sergio Pinheiro, who was appointed Secretary General in 2003. The study is organized to include more than 250 public submission and research based on over 2000 existing reports. An impressive global response showed the interest and willingness of governments to address the issue, Over 250 children participated in national consultations, which led to larger regional consultations. Consultations had three goals: to provide input, to mobilize political commitment, and to set an agenda for action. Child participation was visible, integrated and valuable. Nine final conclusions resulted from the Regional Consultations which were held in Slovenia. They are: create an action plan to prevent violence; ratify relevant treaties; give high political important to prevention; evaluate reporting mechanisms; collect systematic data; create appropriate interventions; create education programs about violence; strengthen partnerships; and create opportunities for children to be more involved. During the Regional Consultations, the domestic and foreign media played an important role in supporting the cause and raising public awareness. To conclude the Secretary-General’s study, three publications will be presented in 2006. The first would be a 30-page final report to the Secretary-General and General Assembly. The second would be a more elaborate publication with in-depth information and recommendations. The third publication would be a child friendly version of the report. UNLEARNING INTOLERANCE SERIES HOLDS FOURTH SEMINAR CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES IN COMBATING GENOCIDE United Nations, November 21, 2005 – The United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) held the fourth DPI “Unlearning Intolerance” seminar today on “Critical Perspectives in Combating Genocide: What We Can Do to Prevent. What We Can Do During. What We Must Do After.” The seminar focused on prevention and punishment of criminals, raising public awareness, and reflections of personal loss from the 1994 genocide. The seminar coincides with the sixtieth anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials, which judged the accused war criminals of Nazi Germany. Unanimous affirmation of the Nuremberg principles by the United Nations in 1947 implied a promise that “never again” would aggression; war crimes and crimes against humanity go unpunished. The United Nations General Assembly in 1948 adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Dr. Benjamin B. Ferencz, a former Chief Prosecutor at the Nuremberg Trials of 1947, described the defense of Dr. Otto Ohlendorf, husband and father of five children, responsible for the murder of 90,000 people. The German commander did not deny the murders, but told the court they were a pre-emptive action taken in self defense to protect German people and the long term security of Germany. Said Dr. Ferencz: “ Pre-emptive self-defense is not a defense. The rule of law cannot be replaced by the law of force.” Human rights activist Louise Mushikwabo, author of “Rwanda Means the Universe,” a multigenerational family memoir set against the backdrop of the 1994 genocide spoke of witnessing a little boy who, upon viewing the slaughter, became distraught that he was being punished for wetting his bed. She described genocide as a state crime committed by the state when it teaches intolerance. She described the hate media and the hate speech which brought on the genocide in Rwanda. She also spoke of returning home to her country and the problem of facing one’s neighbors and schoolmates who are also murderers. Dina Temple-Raston, a journalist and author of “Justice on the Grass: Three Journalists, Their Trial for War Crimes, and A Nation’s Quest for Redemption,” explored the role of media in covering the genocide in Rwanda. Her book details the role of Rwandan media in creating the climate for genocide. She also described the difficulty in covering the ongoing genocide in Darfur. The “Unlearning Intolerance” seminar series was launched by the Outreach Division of the DPI on June 21, 2004 in order to examine different manifestations of intolerance and explore ways to promote respect and understanding among peoples. HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN ZIMBABWE United Nations, October 27, 2005 – The DPI/NGO section held its regular weekly NGO briefing focusing on the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. The discussion centered on the “triple threat” in that state: HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, and the diminishing capacities of the state to deliver basic services to people of Zimbabwe. The issue of Operation Restore Order (Operation Murambatsvina) and its humanitarian consequences were also discussed. The current humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe is characteristic not only of Zimbabwe, but also of many of its neighbors in sub-Saharan Africa. The United Nations, its agencies and NGOs are actively addressing the situation in Zimbabwe. The government has been working in good collaboration with the United Nations in fighting HIV/AIDS. Prevalence of the disease among pregnant women dropped from 24.6% to 21.3% between 2002 and 2004. While the fight against HIV/AIDS remains a national priority in Zimbabwe, it was noted that the country receives funding of 4 USD per person, while the average for other countries in the region was 72 USD per person. Meshack Kitchen, Counselor, Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the United Nations, said that HIV/AIDS funding should not be politicized. Twenty years ago, the nation was hailed as an African success story and dubbed “the breadbasket of southern Africa.” Today after controversial land reform policies, food insecurity is so great that the Government of Zimbabwe must import grain to ease the food crisis in the country, which has improved somewhat since 2003 when more the half the population were in need of food. Operation Restore Order is the government’s widely condemned demolition of illegal shantytowns which left a growing number of internally displaced people. Nearly 300,000 people have been left homeless and without income according to aid agencies. The United Nations is pursuing an active dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe to allow for a temporary shelter program targeted at the most vulnerable people. HRH Prince Charles of England during his visit to the United Nations on November 1 briefly mentioned that he was present when the nation declared independence twenty years ago and he expressed his concern over the many crises facing Zimbabwe today. THE CHALLENGE OF YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND ENTERPRISE: WHAT CAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR DO? A round-table discussion in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and HRH The Prince of Wales United Nations, Nov. 1, 2005 – The United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations and the United Nations Development Program in association with The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum and Youth Business International held a round-table discussion to discuss the global challenge of youth employment. The Secretary-General and HRH The Prince of Wales first met in 1997 to discuss the need of business to become more involved in the work of the UN. Together they organized an initiative with The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum to encourage UN and business officials to engage with one another. This, in turn contributed to the foundation of the UN Global Compact as a set of universal business standards. HRH The Prince of Wales told those gathered, “Indeed, I am glad that the whole approach toward partnerships is now far higher up the UN agenda, and seen as vital to making progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.” Creating full and productive employment for young people is key to promoting sustained economic growth, alleviating poverty and delivering the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is also critical in addressing young people’s growing alienation from society. Encouraging and supporting youth enterprise is a central element in promoting youth employment. Working together, business. governments and civil society can unleash the capacities of young people for business start-ups and growth, which stimulate broader economic development. – especially in the world’s poorest countries. HRH The Prince of Wales also encouraged mentoring young people: “I also believe many young need constructive help with personal development and self-confidence and in particular, skills development is vital and is needed before business start-ups. Businesses and agencies could make an immense impact through mentoring.” Enterprise development is also a key priority of the United Nations Development Program. UNDP encourages developing countries to recognize the role of business in creating domestic employment and wealth, freeing entrepreneurial energies, and helping achieve the MDGs. THE ROLE OF MICROFINANCE IN REACHING THE POOREST OF THE POOR How Can $100 Change an Economy? United Nations, New York, October 13, 2005 – In observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17, the United Nations Department of Public Information held a briefing for Non-Governmental Organizations on “The Role of Microfinance in Reaching the Poorest of the Poor.” From Cambodia to Uganda to Bolivia, one small loan can change a family; several can strengthen a community; thousands can transform an entire economy. A loan could be used to buy a new tool, a machine or a shop in the marketplace – millions of the world’s poor and low-income people have taken advantage of small loans to improve their lives. Over the past three decades, people have used these loans, known as microcredit, to launch new enterprises, create jobs and help economies to flourish. Seeking to boost microcredit and microfinance programs around the world as a new way of improving the lives of the poor, the United Nations General Assembly has designated 2005 as the International Year of Microcredit. Though microfinance operates one household at a time, the hope and opportunities it brings resonate throughout entire societies. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has underscored the importance of microfinance as: “…an integral part of our collective effort to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Sustainable access to microfinance helps to alleviate poverty by generating income, creating jobs, allowing children to go to school, enabling families to obtain health care, and empowering people to make the choices that best serve their needs. Together we can and must build inclusive financial sectors that help people improve their lives.” In a world where most poor people are women, studies have shown that access to financial services has improved the status of women within the family and the community. Women have become more assertive and confident. Furthermore, as a result of microfinance, women own assets, including land and housing, play a stronger role in decision making, and can take on leadership roles in their communities. H.E. Rev. Ambassador Anthony J. DeLuca, Ph.D., United Nations Representative and Holy Wisdom Advisor and Holy Wisdom Reporter THE MASS AS TRANSFORMATIVE These personal reflections were activated by the Mass attendance problems discussed in the Staten Island Advance recently. I celebrate Mass every Sunday at nine. Rarely has any one from the community attended in the last fifteen years. After some ten years of celebrating live on CTV, Sunday Mass Live, about which I was told by clergy and lay people that they found it inspiring, hardly a soul has ever come to the chapel. I did celebrate in the presence of the family a memorial funeral for a 24 year old woman who was vaporized on 9/11/ It is the Ignatius University chapel; the University is primarily distance learning so that would explain its lack of attendance. So I am grateful in some ways that I do not have a parish assignment because I would then be under serious obligation to bring people to attend. I would like people to celebrate with me but they haven’t. So in a way, I am out of the loop of the current parish priest. However, I can identify with the frustration of the pastor who is at wits end to get more people to attend. I was full time in parishes for twelve years and currently do attend frequently a parish mass in one of our churches after the chapel mass. When I was more active in the parish, I did some of the things Father Pastor did including all the things the other priests suggested in the articles and much more. But all of these may not have been such good ideas; I forgive myself now on grounds of immaturity and a dictatorial father; and I hope that God and the parishioners will be so forgiving. People who do not attend Mass, do not attend because they don’t want to be there. Pure and simple and bottom line. And it is not necessarily the fault of the pastor, the bishop or even the pope. From Adam and Eve on, some people liked to celebrate the Sabbath. Others did not. That is why Moses gave us a commandment, “Remember keep holy the Sabbath.” If there were no infractions, there would be no laws. The situation is all the more complicated in that humankind has not lived in a sacramental universe since the Middle Ages. The world has become increasing non-sacral in the last five hundred years. I have wrestled endlessly with how to connect with the sacred in a non-sacramental universe. Now we had ways of getting the not so religious to attend Mass. We told them they committed a mortal sin by being absent and they, unrepentant, would merit eternal damnation in the fires of hell. Do we really think that someone who does not attend Mass really believes that. I wonder about the faithful in general for that matter. And please, this has nothing to do with Vatican II. While it was a monumental Council, it did not have the power to change the psyche of the world. The world goes its own way in spite of kings, queens, presidents all the councils which have met and will meet. Faith is a free encounter with the Wholly Other and cannot be dictated nor induced through fears and gimmicks. In fact, some of those suggested in the articles may, in the long run, do a real disservice to religion. Some churches are doing really well with Sunday services which resemble rock concerts and theatre and old time religion which is not my personal style. Other churches blessed with great attendance, do well with sermons consisting of 500 or more scriptural citations which when I watch, I get a splitting headache. But people go there and for whatever reason, they want to be there. And for all we know, there may be an encounter between the human and the divine. The people attending experience something meaningful to them and they keep attending. They may not be what we consider mystics but who knows the language of God and where the Spirit moves. And many, as a result of faithful attendance stay out of jail and off alcohol and drugs and remain good husbands and wives and parents. Blessed be these churches. No cleric can be expected to turn back the clock a thousand years and change the contemporary psyche. The contemporary psyche is also the manifestation of Spirit moving through time. “ All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty-Dumpty together again.” That’s right. And every pastor has to know this or become embittered and burned-out. We want to bring people to an encounter with the Wholly Other. We can create an environment in our church in which that might take place. But we cannot make it happen; happenings are of the world of grace. And some people are just not turned on to religion. Some say it’s biochemical. Maybe. Pastors have a lot of work to do. But don’t try to force or impose from the top. We are not seeing the problem realistically. We have to begin from the bottom. Create the environment in which the heart and the mind are open to feel and hear. The Liturgy may have to be modified according to the various ages of the congregation. We are in competition with entertainment whether it be ball games, movies, Desperate House Wives, Harry Potter, Sex and the City, Sopranos and on and on. (I don’t watch all of these). We are setting up for an experience which far transcends our media. But we have to connect with the idiom from which each person is coming. “Beginning from sensible things (sensing), we will ascend to the super-sensible (above sensing).” St. Bonaventure tells us this. Carl Jung, who passed away on the day of my first mass, wrote an article which I came upon in a New Hope book store on an anniversary of my first mass , The Mass as Transformation. (So much for synchronicity). Jung said that in the course of the action of the Mass, we are changed from the person we were at the beginning of the Liturgy to the person we have become at the end of the Liturgy. How many lay people or clergy have taken the psychodynamics of this process, to say nothing of the theology, seriously. Again, we have to set up the environment in which grace has the opportunity to act. If the salvation of souls, is the supreme law, then this is the positive first step taken before all else - even the fixing of a leaking roof. These reflections may offer another option besides those suggested in the Advance articles. And ultimately, this is a mystery. And we can only do so much from the human perspective. And happily, pastors will not be celebrating Mass alone, unless of course, you are not assigned to parish work. (Rev) Anthony J. DeLuca, Ph.D. Sts. Peter & Ignatius Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church ( Father DeLuca is Rector of Ignatius University, Ambassador at the United Nations and Dean of International School for Mental Health Practitioners ) UN EXPERT URGES STATES TO PROTECT FREEDOM OF RELIGION FOR ALL PRISONERS New York, Oct 24 2005 2:00PM All countries must respect and protect the rights of prisoners to freedom of religion, an independent expert on the issue says in a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/60/399">report to the United Nations General Assembly. The Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Asma Jahangir, has received a “growing number” of reports of alleged abuses of these rights against persons deprived of their liberty, according to the report, released today. The Special Rapporteur emphasizes that a person’s detention or incarceration may not include deprivation of his or her right to freedom of religion or belief. “These standards must be applied to every prisoner regardless of his or her religion or belief and to all detention facilities,” she writes. Ms. Jahangir also recommends that the principles pertaining to the right to freedom of religion or belief be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities and that that issue be heavily stressed during the training of the officers involved. “The religious beliefs of a detainee should under no circumstances be used by the authorities against the detainee in order, for instance, to extract information from him or her,” she declares. Citing the deaths of several people following allegations earlier this year that the Koran had been desecrated in detention facilities, she emphasizes that “the respect of religious freedom has an impact that is not limited to the prison walls.” According to the report, the Special Rapporteur has contacted 35 countries in 75 separate communications concerning violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief. Half went to countries in the Asia-Pacific region, nearly a third to Europe and North America, 12 per cent to the Arab region, 9 per cent to Africa and none to Latin America. Ms. Jahangir lists 15 States that she’d like to visit and thanks four – Bangladesh, China, Israel and Mauritius – for responding with invitations. She voices hope that the remaining countries – Azerbaijan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, Eritrea, Indonesia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Turkmenistan, the United States and Uzbekistan – will invite her. The Special Rapporteur earlier this year joined forces with other UN experts, including those dealing with torture, the independence of judges and arbitrary detention, to ask the United States for permission to visit the Guantanamo Bay military base. According to the report, she will continue working with these other experts “on the future developments concerning this request.” Special Rapporteurs are unpaid experts serving in an independent personal capacity who receive their mandate from the UN Commission on Human Rights and report to back to it. AMBASSADOR'S PRINCIPAL SCHEDULE: October 6, Meeting at United Nations with Dr. Veccio, School of Practical Philosophy October 11, Vespers for United Nations(SCOOCH/SCOBA), Greek Orthodox Cathedral October 14, Honoring Sister Charlotte, St. Joseph Hill Academy, Excelsior Grand, Staten Is. October 18, Meeting Barry Steingard, School of Practical Philosophy October 15, Wedding Reception October 22, Wedding Reception November 10, Informal Informals, Second Committee of the General Assembly November 15, EvenSong and Reception, Anglican Observer to the United Nations, NYC. December 1, Informal Informals, Second Commitee of the General Assembly, United Nations December 8, Protection and Promotion of Human Rights of People with Mental Disorders,  United Nations.    December 22, United Nations,General Assembly passes resolution for debt relief for Poor Mountain Countries (DeLuca worked with Second Committee '04 & '05 on this issue) December 24, Christmas Midnight Mass, Ignatius University Chapel, Staten Island, NY December 31, Wedding Reception January 5, Meeting, Counselor, Malaysia Mission to United Nations January 13, Staten Island Community in Crisis Forum. January 18, 8th Annual Staten Island Church Unity Service, Zion Lutheran Church. JANUARY 18  Special Meeting, Rev.Sayarayne, Liberia, Pastor,Christ Assembly Lutheran Church on parish education satellite. Special Meeting, Canon Andrews, Rector Emeritus, St. Thomas Episcopal church, NYC January 19 Meeting, Mr. Manuel Eduardo, Counselor Angola Mission to UN                  Meeting, Mr. Cyril Thomas, St. Vincent & Grenadines Mission to UN                  Meeting, Dr. Vera Mehta, UN Secretariat                  Fra Angelico Exhibit, Metropolitan Museum of Art                 Colloquium, Dr. Peter Gay, New Perspectives in Psychoanalysis