History:
Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice began in 2003 as a gathering of 400 religious advocates concerned about U.S. foreign policy in Africa and the Middle East. In the second year, 2004, over 600 religious advocates from 41 states and 15 countries came together to build bridges across issues faced by the poor and disenfranchised in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The 2005 Advocacy Days (March 11-14, 2005) added a fifth region, the United States, and also broadened to cover Economic Justice, Environmental Justice, and Global Security issues. The 2006 conference, "Challenging Disparity: The Promise of God - The Power of Solidarity" was one of the largest national gatherings of U.S. grassroots religious activists, and brought together over950 grassroots advocates, policy experts, politicians, theologians, organizers, and students to shape a new positive, progressive religious vision for U.S. policy.
In 2007, March 9-12, we will gather for the fifth annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days conference. Our theme, “and How are the Children?” will guide and inspire this gathering of over 1,000 religious advocates from a wide array of Christian communions. Experts will train participants how to do advocacy and inform them of U.S. domestic and international policies that impact all of God’s children and are shaping the future of our world. The gathering will conclude with a visit to Capitol Hill where participants will ask their Congressional representatives to make the needs of children the center of the 2007 legislative agenda.