Compass to Compassion Program Announced
The Compass To Compassion program, which we previously announced, begins in New York City and the final program has just been announced. If you are in or near New York City, please join us for this movement-changing two-day event. Our executive director, Rev. Dr. Cindi Love, is participating.
The event is held at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Registration is free, but required.
Full program available after the jump!
SESSION I
DAY 1 Tuesday October 11th 2011
8.15 a.m. -9 a.m. Continental Breakfast and Registration.
9 a.m. Welcome: Dr. Serene Jones, President, Union Theological Seminary
9.15 a.m. Introduction to the themes of the consultation Rev. Canon Albert Ogle, St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation
Bruce Knotts, Universalist Unitarian Legislative Ministry at the UN–introduction of Keynote speaker
Case Study –A focus on Uganda
9.30-10 a.m. Keynote Speaker: Jeff Sharlet, Journalist and Author
“Missionary Positions: The Sex Tourists of American Fundamentalism”
10-11a.m Panel moderated by Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Founder and President, the Healing of Nations Foundation and Board member for Union Theological Seminary
Rt. Rev. Christopher Senyonjo, Executive Director and Founder, St. Paul’s Reconciliation and Equality Centre, Kampala -“Compassion meets oppression –how we provide services within the religious, legal and political climate in Uganda and partnerships with USA and UK”
Rev. Mark Kiyimba –Founding Minister of the Kampala Central Unitarian Church –“What it means to have an inclusive faith community and the difficult work of “changing hearts and minds”
Rev. Canon Petero Sabune Global Partnerships Officer for Africa, Episcopal Presiding Bishop’s Office “Challenges and opportunities for progressive secular and faith based projects in Uganda and beyond”
Val Kalende – Ugandan activist and postgraduate student at Harvard Divinity School. “The challenges facing the LGBT movement in Uganda while recognizing the success story. Some action points for supporting this movement”
Dr. Scott Long, Visiting Fellow, Human Rights Program, Harvard Law School.
“The international response to the Ugandan story and what can be done to further bring about decriminalization”
11-11.15 a.m. Questions from the floor for the speaker and panelists.
11.15 a.m. BREAK
11.30-12 noon Table discussion and proposed strategies around Uganda in particular
- Share your personal or organizational response to Uganda in the past 2 years
- How can the LGBT and progressive community speak clearly on abuse of all human rights and not exclusively on LGBT- related abuses?
- How can USA-based organizations resource and support LGBT and progressive organizations in Uganda given what we have been hearing about this morning?
12-1 p.m. LUNCH is provided by and with deep gratitude to the Human Rights Campaign.
Rev. Harry Knox (HRC Religious Council and Integrity USA) will offer a blessing.
SESSION II
1-4 p.m. Theological and Human Rights Perspectives on the Impact of Religious Extremism on LGBT People Abroad
Introduction of the speaker: Dr. Kelby Harrison, Union Theological Seminary
1-1.30 p.m. Second Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Kapya Kaoma, Project Director, Political Research Associates
“An overview of the “Culture Wars” -beyond East Africa and the implications of Dominionism for local and international issues.
1.30-2.30 p.m. PANEL introduced and moderated by Kapya Kaoma
Rev. Fr. MacDonald Sembereka Regional Coordinator- Southern Africa -INERELA+Malawi – “The challenges of Religious leaders addressing issues of Key Populations in Africa- the Malawi experience”
Rev. Dr. Joseph Palacios, Director, Catholics for Equality Foundation and Adjunct Professor in Liberal Studies and Latin American Studies Programs, Georgetown University. “The Roman Catholic Church and the theological and political challenges in being part of ecumenical efforts related to issues of global equality”.
Jessica Stern, Director of Programs, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. “The methodologies of the LGBT human rights field, and suggestions for where faith communities and human rights experts could collaborate more successfully”
Julie Dorf, Senior Advisor, Council for Global Equality. “How does advancing an American foreign policy inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity work in conjunction with a faith-based strategy?”
2.30 -2.45 p.m. Questions of the panel and speakers
2.45-3 p.m. Coffee break and return to table discussions and strategies
- Do any of the suggestions for ways of intervening with dominionists make sense for you in your work? Do you have additional strategies to suggest?
- What else could the progressive faith and secular human rights community do together in the next three years to work towards global equality for LGBT people? What can each of you—from your respective workplaces—do to reach across from secular to faith or faith to secular? Would that make your work more impactful?
- Thinking about your position in the United States (or elsewhere if you are a guest), where can you have the most impact when working on global issues?
3-4 p.m. Table discussions
4.-5 p.m. Plenary review of today’s work with particular emphases on strategic outcomes –Rev. Cindi Love, Executive Director of Soulforce.
5 pm CLOSE with reflection from Dr. Sylvia Tamale’s book on African Sexuality read by Pastor Joseph Tolton, Pastor Rehoboth Church and Global Justice Institute.
Evening free for informal caucuses and dinner locally
SESSION III
DAY 2 WEDNESDAY 12th October
9a.m. – 12 noon – Political and Legal Responses to Decriminalization
9 a.m. Rev. Cindi Love –a short review of yesterdays work
Introduction of the third Keynote speaker by Dr. Tim McCarthy, Carr Center , Harvard.
9.15-9.45 a.m. Third Keynote speaker: Dan Baer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
“Taking leadership to address LGBT human rights around the world”
9.45- 10.45 a.m. Panel 3 Moderated by Krista Lauer, MSM Global Forum
Brief introduction – “Men who have Sex with Men and the Global HIV Epidemic” Krista Lauer
Kent Klindera Ben Clapham, amfAR - “Implementing HIV programs for MSM in challenging contexts: The amfAR MSM Initiative”
Jonathan Cohen, Open Society Institute “Case Study: The 2011 UN High Level Meeting on HIV-June 2011”
Mandeep Dhaliwal, UNDP “ The Global Commission on HIV and the Law”
Philip Moeller, Lutherans Concerned, St, Paul’s Foundation and Sr. Institutional and Safeguard Specialist at the World Bank “Perspectives on universal access, governance and accountability
10.45 -11 a.m. BREAK
11-11.20 p.m. Questions for Speaker and panelists
11.20-12 Table Discussions with specific questions and recommended strategies to move forward
- What is the role of the faith community in educating law-makers and public health implementers about reaching MSM and other key groups in the HIV response?
- What does HIV epidemiology tell us about exclusion and marginalization? Are concentrated epidemics among MSM the entry point for fulfilling human rights of the LGBT community?
- What is the role of the faith-based community in ensuring the right to health and LGBT human rights generally?
- How can HIV implementers, human rights advocates, government officials and the faith based community better collaborate to achieve universal access to HIV services and LGBT human rights?
12-1 pm LUNCH (please caucus over lunch)
A thanksgiving for the food will be given by Rev. Pat Bumgardner, Metropolitan Community Church, New York and Global Justice Institute.
SESSION IV
1 -4 p.m. Media and Communications
1-1.30 p.m. Introduction of the Fourth Keynote Speaker by Andrea Shorter, Equality California
Dr. Tim McCarthy, Director, Sexuality, Gender, and Human Rights Program Carr Center for Human Rights Policy Harvard Kennedy School
“LGBT Rights as Human Rights: Stigma, Solidarity, and Social Transformation”
1.30 p.m-2.30 p.m. Panel moderated by Tim McCarthy
Media Panel:
Andre Banks, Co-Founder of All Out “Mobilizing people for action surrounding global human rights”
Susan Reed, Director of Strategy an Innovation Auburn Media “Using the American Prayer Hour as an awareness raising tool, both for grassroots and media”
Ken Williams, Editor in Chief, San Diego Gay & Lesbian News “Sharing the story as a journalist”
Ross Murray, Director of Religion, Faith & Values at GLAAD “Lifting up Uganda to your media”
Questions for panelists:
- What have you or your organization done to raise awareness of global LGBT rights as human rights?
- What can we do together to raise awareness?
- Challenge you have for this group?
Questions for Tables:
- How do we respond to ideas or challenges from panelists?
- What tools do we have to raise awareness within our own organizations?
- How do we raise awareness outward/toward the media?
3.45-4 p.m. BREAK
4 p.m. Rev. Cindi Love -Summary of our proceedings and moving into strategic objectives for a future coalition of faith, political, media, HIV and health and human rights responses to decriminalization.
Please complete the evaluation form in your packet and leave with us.
Target dates and events i.e. The World AIDS Conference, July 22-27th 2012 and faith events and conference two days before. Others?
5 p.m. Closing prayer: Bishop Christopher Senyonjo
5.30-7.30 p.m. Cocktail Reception and presentation of some awards by the bishop downstairs, sponsored by All Out to benefit Bishop Christopher’s work.
