World Plenary 2024 - part four
The Friend reports on the second Business Meeting of the FWCC World Plenary in South Africa (5-12 August)
Thursday’s Business Meeting Two would have to play catch up after the ‘little occurrence yesterday’, said Simon C Lamb. A report from the Quaker United Nations Offices would have already been heard were it not for the fire. Saskia Kuhlmann and Rachel Singleton-Polser referenced the George Fox celebration by saying that they, too, tried to influence governments. They ran through QUNO’s main areas of work (peace and disarmament; climate change; human rights and refugees), which they said was ‘a bit more behind the scenes’ than the agencies represented on yesterday’s keynote panel. But its quiet diplomacy – and quiet advocacy – were successful in amplifying marginalised voices.
The pair thanked Friends for their prayers and support: ‘This work is for you, and this work is by you.’
Friends wanted to know how QUNO went about representing voices distanced from the UN headquarters in New York and Geneva. Sarah Clarke, director of QUNO New York, said that although the work was carried out near the headquarters, it was essential to QUNO staff that it bring voices from the global south into the corridors of the UN, ‘so that they really inform and shape policy’.
Peter Ullathorne, FWCC’s treasurer, then offered a financial report. It was ‘almost Micawberish’ how FWCC’s income matched its expenditure, he said – the translators must have had fun with that one. So the finances were ‘in a good position’, even though a plenary year was an expensive one.
Friends wanted reassurance that FWCC’s investments were ethical – yes – and when one attendee wanted detail, Peter offered to meet him to go through the twenty-six pages of audited figures. Another Friend thanked him for making ‘a boring subject so pleasant and clear’.
Before plenary began, young Friends from around the world met for their own gathering. Esther Nyabuto, of Kenya Highland YM, offered a report.
The Friends had been inspired by Galatians 3:28: ‘There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.’
They had considered what defines Quakerism across its different traditions, and how a Friend’s culture influences their Quakerism. There would be more exciting news to come from young Friends later in the week.
Elder Duduzile Mtshazo thanked God for the young Friends: ‘May God bless you, and enable you, and empower you, and shield you from all the harms of the world.’
The agenda then moved on to the reports from the different FWCC sections, and the first one was a doozy. Adrian Glamorgan, of Asia West Pacific (AWP) Section, gave a poetic reflection on how the climate crisis was affecting the region. ‘Much has improved economically… but not all fruits have been sweet… Our children cough to the smog of factories… we have lost the blue of the sky.’
Friends in the region also took notice of an ‘epidemic of loneliness. So much money to make… but so little meaning’. Elsewhere was ‘the puzzle of plenty’ and the ‘passivity of privilege’.
There was a challenge specifically for Quakers, said Adrian: ‘Our small Meetings and churches are separated by enormous distances’. Friends needed to meet, but that meant carbon-intense travel.
It was also important to be inclusive of different languages when those meetings did happen. ‘Our beloved Asia West Pacific needs us,’ he finished. ‘And we need each other.’
Friends wanted to hear more about the plans for language inclusion. Adrian said AWP Friends were inspired by Friends Peace Teams, who do a lot of translation work. This can be slow, but: ‘It is okay for us to wait. It is a benefit to us. It is not a burden.’
A Friend thanked him for ‘the most moving thing I’ve heard this week’.
Next up was Wycliffe Kibisu, representing FWCC Africa Section. Its vision was ‘To connect friends and change lives’. Increasing Friends’ visibility was an aim, as was increasing engagement in peace programmes.
‘Africa remains one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change’, he said, already experiencing ‘several climate-related disasters’. New climate change champions would be petitioning governments.
‘We have lost the blue of the sky.’
He finished by quoting Nelson Mandela: ‘I like friends who have independent minds, because they tend to see problems from all angles.’
The FWCC Europe & Middle East Section (EMES) report was given by its executive secretary, Michael Eccles.
With an aim of becoming ‘woven together in transformative faith and love’, EMES activities include monthly online gatherings and an annual hybrid meeting of its Peace and Service Network, plus a monthly online youth group.
Language inclusivity was important here too, which Michael recognised was becoming a ‘recurring theme from the section reports’.
There are currently two wars in the section, in Ukraine and Gaza, and Michael said EMES does its best to stay in touch with small Quaker communities in the affected countries, including those in Russia and Israel, alongside those in Ukraine, and Palestine.
The carbon footprint of EMES-related travel was now being recorded, and financial compensation made. This got Friends excited – could a similar scheme be arranged for plenary? ‘I’m sure we could come up with a number.’
One Friend noted the war in Gaza happening in the section, and what Joyce Ajlouny had talked about in the previous session. The South African government has named what is happening in Gaza as genocide, and ‘I just want that word to be part of our conversation, and to speak truth clearly.’
EMES doesn’t make statements of its own, said Michael, but it had supported the recent statement produced by the international Quaker agencies.
With that, recording clerk Cliff Loesch sped through the minutes, and the session closed.
