The new Permanent Forum of People of African Descent will have its first session on 5-8 December. The forum is a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders as well as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent. The webinar will be hosted as a side event relating to the themes of the forum, which will integrate learnings from various side events into its work and final report.

The webinar will feature voices from USA, Cameroon, and elsewhere in a panel discussion centering on discussing and preparing for the historic forum. Some of the issues raised will include lessons learned since the Durban Conference, policy efforts to combat systemic racism and racial discrimination, reparatory justice, and more.

Moderator: REV. JENNIFER S. LEATH, WCC Central Committee member, African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)

Panellists:

• REV. DR IVA CARRUTHERS, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference
• DR SUSHIL RAJ, member of UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent
• MS MARILIA A. SCHÜLLER, Methodist Church of Brazil
• REV. DR ANGELIQUE WALKER-SMITH, WCC President from North America
• REV. EMMANUEL WAYI, Cameroon Network for Alternative Solutions (CAMNAS)
• REV. LAMONT WELLS, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The WCC is a worldwide fellowship of churches seeking unity in common witness and Christian service. For more information go to https://www.oikoumene.org​