(The Bratislava Declaration)

In October 1994, the Conference of European Churches - in co-operation with the former Unit IV of the World Council of Churches, The European Federation for Diaconia and Eurodiaconia - organised a consultation on diaconia in Bratislava/Slovakia. It was a landmark event bringing many churches, ecumenical movements and other diaconal bodies together across the region. The conference report "Towards a vision of diaconia in Europe" was a benchmark document, having become widely known as the "Bratislava Declaration". It was translated into many languages and found a considerable echo in churches and diaconal organisations as it could give constructive impulses to develop diaconal work on the European level.

The Bratislava Declaration had put before the churches the challenge to develop a "strategy for diaconia in Europe" to meet the rapidly growing and changing needs of our time:

The governing bodies of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) have taken up this impulse. In its meeting in Barcelona, 20-24 March 1999, the Presidium of CEC accepted the proposal of the CEC Interim Commission "Churches in Solidarity" to develop the work in the area of diaconia "along the lines of a European Platform on Diaconia". In its meeting in September 1999 in Nyborg, the Central Committee of CEC confirmed these plans.

Since the first all European Diaconal Consultation held in Bratislava in 1994, there have been many rapid changes in the region and diaconia faces new challenges which have emerged in the past six years. There is a need for a wide dialogue about the nature of the challenges and the ways in which diaconia can meet them. The Conference of European Churches (CEC) has therefore launched the concept of a Diaconal Forum, which would enable a dialogue about new challenges, new tasks and new strategies for diaconia in Europe.

The Forum is not envisaged as a new structure but as a space for dialogue and for the development of analysis and reflection that would lead to new agreed priorities. It will not meet regularly but from time to time as needs emerge. It is essentially a collaborative venture, co-organised by CEC, Eurodiakonia and The European Contact Group on Urban Industrial Mission. The planning group also includes representatives of the Churches Commission on Migrants in Europe. The first meetingof the forum is planned to take place from Sept. 26 - 29 in Järvenpää/Finland.

The Forum will be an essentially forward looking event, leading to follow up processes which will offer an opportunity for those involved in the wide field of Diaconia to:

• Exchange experience of diaconia at work in the midst of the changes taking place in different local contexts; learning from each other's realities and responses.

• Analyse the new issues confronting diaconia in Europe, in the context of global economic and political developments, paying special attention to socio-economic analysis, analysis of the privatisation of risk and the growing dominance of market-led criteria.

• Deepen theological reflection on the nature of diaconia and its contribution to the life and witness of the church and to meeting present challenges; Debate the socio-ethical challenges facing diaconia in the context of structural changes in society and advances in technology.

• Build new visions and strategies for diaconia in Europe for the coming period and identify resources and training to enable those visions to be implemented.

These aims will essentially guide the process of the Forum and the outcome will be the identification of possible concrete actions and approaches to diaconia at different levels in the coming period. The process of the consultation will hopefully lead to the forming of new alliances, networks and coalitions to further the outcomes.

The Forum will have wide regional participation, paying attention to the need to have different 'voices' in the process. Participation will be not only from national bodies but also from those involved in local diaconia, training organisations and those partners who fund diaconia. There will be representatives of churches, ecumenical bodies and networks and special diaconal initiatives such as Round Tables, which have been built up in recent years. The mandated planning group considers it important to the success of the Forum to involve the diversity that is Europe, paying attention to the issues of race, gender and the participation of differently-abled people. There will also be representatives of relevant non-governmental organisations. This is to reinforce the joint working with civil society in the consultation and the follow up. The expected total number of participants at the first meeting will be around 100 persons. The results of the meeting will be circulated widely among ecumenical and diaconal networks in Europe.

There is a need to address the ongoing situation of structural unemployment that affects many people and groups in Europe. Many people are left aside as the economy grows and they seem no longer to be needed. Often women, men and children & young people have no regular income and there is a danger of a spiral of criminality and violence. On top of this, working conditions have in many cases deteriorated, with greater stress and a higher incidence of low wages - or in some cases no wage at al. there is a sharply growing inequality in Europe, which diaconia must address. The present economy poses many environmental threats, which are a challenge to diaconia in its concern for the quality of life There is a process of economic integration at a high level (globalisation) which seems to produce disintegration and fragmentation at local levels. Europe cannot be treated as apart from these processes and diaconia faces the challenge to resist Eurocentrism in dealing with these issues.

The second set of questions, which relate to this theme, are around the relationship between paid and unpaid work. Most diaconia is unpaid and the question is how is this work to be valued and how can people be enabled to become active in society on a bigger scale. What strategies has diaconia developed to deal with the problems of unemployment and the economic integration of excluded people? What new ways of creating local activity that is valued have been created?

Thirdly, how has diaconia addressed the question of the working poor and the new stresses of work life? How do the demands of the work impact on family life? What new challenges face diaconia in the area of work and employment as a result of the major changes in economies and political responsibilities?

Some people are free to move - they are mobile, others are trapped in localities where there is war or in some cases near famine. In many ways those who are unable to move are the new poor of a global economy. How does diaconia face the challenge of migration, of the presence of refugees and asylum seekers from inside and outside Europe? What has been the experience of diaconia in meeting these challenges? How far are such people represented in the staffs of diaconia? It has been argued that many European countries need migration, yet there is a tremendous rise of racism (including violence) and xenophobia (which sometimes leads to civil conflict). In what ways can diaconia address these issues? Finally, there is a larage and growing issue in the trafficking of people, of all ages and this is a major diaconal challenge as more and more people get drawn into the sex industry. What light does our current experience shed on this? Which strategies can be developed voluntarily involved?

The growth of social exclusion and poverty and a worsening of living conditions have affected many neighbourhoods and cities in Europe. Often rural communities are also suffering from poverty and lack of future prospects. This process has also led to a great deal of fragmentation and conflict as different groups try to find a way to live side by side. The growth of non-legal economic activity is a survival strategy for more and more women and men. The individualism of the wider society reduces the capacity for dealing with the situation. What ways has diaconia found to be involved in building local comunities and self-organisations? Which ways have been found to work with the diverse groups in city areas? Are there positive models of new economic activity, which address the needs of peole and the environment? How are congregations formed round these diaconal tasks - or how can they become more engaged with the future of the urban and rural communities in which they are set?

One of the biggest changes in the provision of health care and social work as well as social insurance has been the introduction of more and more private providers. In some cases governments have privatised former state services. This has raised many challenges for 'not for profit' organisations, not least because of the introduction of market criteria. New quality management systems present a challenge for diaconal organisations. In which ways can people who use diaconal services be empowered and enabled to participate? How do the shifting boundaries of the state and new criteria for state responsibilities for heath and social welfare impact on diaconia? How does diaconia react on situations where care can be denied on financial grounds? There are also new questions about the ethics of life and death and genetic manipulation, which pose a challenge.

The above four thematic issues have to be confronted with a number of 'horizontal issues', which have to be addressed by all diaconal actors. They go to the heart of the diaconal task and build on some of the key points made in the Bratislava declaration. They are:

This theme will explore the theological and ecclesiological challenges facing diaconia in Europe. How can an ecumenical and participative form of diaconia develop? What is the role of diaconia in a time of changing values? The question of the position of the church in a diversifying, multi-faith context will be explored. How does the church act when it is in a minority, or in situations where it has practically withdrawn? What does the presence of black and minority communities mean for ecumenicical diaconia? How can diaconia be an agent of change? What new images of diaconia 'outside the institutin' are emerging? How does diaconia relate to worship and spirituality in the new context - especially recognising the challenge of working in multi-faith contexts? (Plenary 5)

The breakdown of social solidarity and informal local caring seems to be a feature of European societies. How can diaconia contribute to building new forms of community and solidarity? How can it counteract the negative sides of individualism and privatisation? How can diaconia develop strategies for empowerment and transformation? How can diaconia work effectively across the different religious and non-religious groups and communities? What new patterns are emerging in areas where there have been black and migrant communities for a longer time? How can diaconia work to overcome the growing culture of violence, particularly affecting large cites? How does Kiaconia work with civil society? There will be a special focus on alliance and coalition building, including such action on issues with which diaconia is not directly engaged but which impinge on the quality of life.

This issue also relates to local, national and international activities of diaconia. As globalisation intensifies it becomes ever clearer that local and international action cannot be separated and new networks of actors in civil society become significant. How can diaconia work with civil society and create new possibilities to overcome injustice and the threats to human dignity? How can diaconia work to build partnerships at all levels in a common strategy to overcome poverty, unemployment and exclusion? (Plenary 7)

This concerns the role of diaconia in the face of the changing role of the state. The role of European institutions, especially the European Union and other international structures of governance should be included here. In the different regions of Europe the role of the state is changing and this affects diaconal traditions in some cases radically. There are some situations where diaconia is a major provider of welfare and others where it is much more a movement of civil society. How can diaconia work more effectively to address political and economic institutions that shape peoples lives? How can diaconia develop appropriate strategies in the shifting context of state welfare programmes and policies? What are the special challenges of the process of building and widening the European Union? What is the content of the 'European social model' for the future? How does diaconia become more effectively present in policy debates? What strategies of working with people affected and advocacy can be adopted? (Plenary 7)

7.1. The Forum will be organised in four thematic groups (according to the above-identified 4 priority needs) that will work throughout the meeting to carry out the aims detailed above. The participants in each thematic group will include those engaged with the issue at different levels and a number of experts to enable the deepening of analysis and theological reflection. Each working unit will be introduced by a presentation grounded in local diaconal action. It will have to deal with the needs and strategies for training and education, networking and co-ordination (national, regional, inter-regional).

7.2. The four thematic groups will be confronted with the 'horizontal' issues, which have to be addressed by all diaconal actors. These will be introduced in plenary presentations, which will include panels drawn from the thematic groups.

7.3. The main work will be done in the theme groups and each theme group should therefore be resourced with a leader, rapporteur and one or more resource persons. Participants will be expected to prepare to contribute from their experience or context to the substance of the discussion. There will be an overall rapporteur for the Forum who will prepare a final report in collaboration with the planning group and the theme group rapporteurs.

7.4. Worship and study of the Bible will be an integral part of the programme

7.5. Every group will be asked to deal with a number of other issues in relation to the theme, such as the images of people and communities used in diaconal publicity, advocacy and media work in diaconia.

7.6 Preparatory papers will be prepared for the themes and issues in advance of the Forum.

7.7 The Forum will have a steering group drawn from the planning group and the Forum participants. The planning group will be responsible for planning and accompanying follow up and next steps.

8. The Timetable

Setting the scene
Day 1
Arrivals, Welcomes,
Plenary 1 - Introductions to the programme; Setting the Scene
Short worship

Day2
Short Worship
Plenary 2 - Introduction to the process
Group Session 1 - Introducing the Participants and their context

Analysing the European challenges
Plenary 3 - Presentations for 4 theme groups, based on local 'stories' - vivid presentations with visuals
Plenary 4 - Presentations(continued)
Group Session 2 - Challenges for the themes
Cultural Evening

Theological reflection and new visions for diaconal strategy
Day 3
Short Worship
Plenary 5 - Presentations on diakonia, church, theology
Group Session 3 - Theological Challenges
Plenary 6 - Presentations on participation, empowerment, civil society, alliances, coalitions
Group Session 4 - Working with people; with civil society
Optional Groups/Reception

Diaconia and the political challenges
Day 4
Short Worship
Plenary 7 - Presentations on Diakonia and the state
Group Session 5 - Political strategies for each theme
Group Session 6 - Conclusions
Plenary 8 - Presentation of main visions and strategic lines from four theme groups; follow up & first evaluation
Worship
Celebration

The working languages of the Forum will be English, German and Russian.

The Forum is envisaged for 90-100 participants, of which staff would be 15

(CEC: 3/4, Eurodiaconia 1-2, European Contact Group 1-2, World Council of Churches 1), interpreters: 6/8, plus local staff of the hosting church.

A preparatory working group convened by the Conference of European Churches is planning the Forum. Its members are:
Dr. Martin Affolderbach, EKD Hannover (representing CCME)
Rev'd. Jürgen Gohde, President Eurodiakonia,
Rev'd. Jarmo Kökkö, Lutheran Church of Finland, Järvenpää
Ms. Tatiana Kotova, Christian Interchurch Diaconal Council of St. Petersburg
Rev'd. Mpho Ntoane, Rotterdam Training Institute, Rotterdam
Ms. Sylvia Raulo, Member CEC Central Committee; Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
Rev'd. Anthony Addy, European Contact Group, Prague
Rev'd. Michael Chalupka, Diakonia Austria, Vienna

Staff:

Mr. Keith Jenkins, Conference of European Churches, Brussels
Rev'd. Dr. Eva-Sibylle Vogel-Mfato, Conference of European Churches, Geneva

The preparatory group has met in September and December 2000. Its next meeting is planned for March 9-10, 2001. The interchurch aid office of the Conference of European Churches will carry out the administration of the Forum.

The next planning step shall focus on identifying resource persons and on preparatory materials for the Forum.

The results of the Forum shall be communicated by a conference report that is intended to be an important resource for ongoing discussions and coalition building in ecumenical diaconia in the next period.

The planning group, together with the staff of the involved organisations will carry out the evaluation of the conference. It will be discussed with their governing bodies, which are:

The Central Committee and the Presidium of the Conference of European Churches,
The Annual General Meeting and the Presidium of Eurodiakonia,
The General Meeting and the Executive of the European Contact Group.

The reporting to donor agencies shall be accomplished within 6 months after the Forum.

23.01.01 AJA/ESVM DRAFT 3b