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WCRP European Assembly
Dobogk, Hungary, 10th-13th October 1996
"Religions for a Just Economic Order"

The documents of the European WCRP Assembly in Budapest (October 10-13, 1996) are now available in English in a 98-page booklet. Compiled and edited by Dr. Günther Gebhardt at the European Secretariat in Geneva, the booklet contains the fourteen lectures and presentations on "Religions for a Just Economic Order", given at the Assembly by economists and representatives of different religions. It includes also the reports of the six working groups and their suggestions for further work on this issue. The booklet has already been circulated to the WCRP constituency worldwide and to partner organizations. However, copies are still available upon request from the WCRP office in Geneva.


Report of European Assembly
made by Jim Aiken for the ICCJ Young Leadership Section

  1. The conference, its theme and results
    120 delegates, representing 12 different religions (including a large number of the Christian denominations), approximately 12 religious organisations and 15 countries, discussed the theme Religions for a just economic order. The only WCRP Youth present were two Italian delegates (one Bahai, one Catholic). The topic was presented in short papers by religious economists and was then discussed in small working groups. Whilst the speakers tended to focus on economic theory, including the hotly-debated question whether monetarist capitalism was working in Eastern Europe, the working groups concentrated on the lack of ethics in the European economy and ways of bringing it about. The difference of focus between the speeches and the working groups is understandable when it is considered that the latter comprised mainly non-specialists in economics. Much of the discussion was similar to some of the ethical questions raised in the ICCJ consultation, Mainz 1996. The main decisions taken were:

    • to support the Jubilee 2000 campaign, encouraging governments to cancel debts owed by developing countries at the turn of the millenium. WCRP/Sweden would circulate information to national chapters.

    • to produce a newsletter to provide information to each of the chapters.

    • to write a letter asking the German government not to send refugees back to Sarajevo before the winter is over.

    • to write a letter to the World Food Summit, meeting in Rome in November, asking them to consider the need for a sustainable food resource.

    • to hold an international or European Youth Assembly at the next European Assembly (see section C below).

    • to propose to the WCRP Peace Education commission to reflect on a fellowship programme that would encourage research and studies into interreligious dialogue.

    • to advocate the Tobin tax, a 0.5% tax on financial transactions. Further information to be supplied by WCRP/Sweden.

    • to take the topic Religions for a just economic order as the WCRP/Europe theme until the next Assembly.

    • for those interested, to promote the Focolare project, The Economy of Communion."

  2. Contacts made and future prospects
    Many contacts were made with individuals and organisations in both my own country and abroad (too many to mention). In particular, I spoke with Mr. Alastair Hulbert of the European Ecumenical Commission for Church and Society, the liaison body between the Churches and the EU. He advises and oversees applications to the EU for grants for religious projects. He stressed that projects in EU countries that had an emphasis on youth were particularly welcomed by the Commission.

  3. Youth Assembly
    It was proposed that WCRP/Netherlands and WCRP/Britain cooperate on reviving the WCRP Youth by holding an (international) Youth Assembly. I added to this proposal by suggesting that WCRP should liaiase with ICCJ YLS, since we have common interests and such a project would strengthen both organisations. This was warmly received and it was decided that more youth organisations should be invited to Assemblies in the future.

It was an advantage that I had some (limited) knowledge of WCRP and knew some of the figures in WCRP/International, but the Assembly was a good opportunity to liaise with organisations working on similar topics and to exchange information and contacts. This Assembly as an interreligious meeting was dominated by Christians, which is useful especially for ICCJ, but is not the norm. Nonetheless, members of other religions had plenty of advice and knowledge from their work that would be useful for ICCJ when working in the context of Jewish-Christian relations. It would be wise for WCRP and ICCJ to continue and develop an exchange of information on their work and projects.


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