Ecumenical Advocacy Days to host summit in Washington, D.C., May 17–19

Attendees are eager to gather in person to connect in this election year, says one representative

by Beth Waltemath | Presbyterian News Service

This summit will provide advocacy training and opportunities to connect in new ways as Presbyterians and their ecumenical partners continue to advocate for innovative and courageous policies needed that help to make the kind of world God intends.

Ecumenical Advocacy Days is returning to an in-person gathering after three virtual conferences.

The 2024 spring summit, “Faith in Action: Advancing Human Rights and Peace for All,” will take place May 17–19 in Washington, D.C., and will include training for new participant categories such as seminarians and young adults.

“This summit will provide advocacy training and opportunities to connect in new ways as we continue to advocate for innovative and courageous policies needed that help to make the kind of world God intends,” said Ivy Lopedito, mission associate for the Office of Public Witness. Attendees will have a chance to work on domestic and international priorities shared across the partnering organizations. Registration is now open.

“Our attendees are eager to gather in person to connect with their peers, especially in this election year,” wrote Catherine Gordon, representative for international issues at the Office of Public Witness.

The schedule, which begins Friday evening on May 17 with networking and ends Sunday morning on May 19 with worship at a local congregation, is full of trainings, plenaries, a tour of the U.S. Capitol and opportunities to connect with others who see advocacy as part of their faithful witness. According to the EAD’s statement, “Ultimately, we want the universal voice of God, one of compassion, justice and peace, to be lifted during these challenging times.”

In addition to the May gathering, the leadership of Ecumenical Advocacy Days is also undertaking a strategic planning process to envision EAD’s future as it navigates changes like limits to both time and resources that its partner organizations encountered due to the pandemic.

According to Gordon, “We want to use what we’ve learned from feedback at the last three virtual conferences and our experience hosting in-person events to shape a new vision for the future of EAD, considering the changes in the world we live in now.”

For more information about the conference, including how to register, go to the Ecumenical Advocacy Days website or go directly to the registration form.

The Office of Public Witness and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations are part of the Compassion, Peace and Justice ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency.