WACC Decides On New Directions And Relocation

The former Central Committee, WACC’s governing body, will be replaced by a Board of Directors comprising its President, Treasurer, General Secretary and 16 elected representatives from its eight regions.

Internally, the Regional Development Sector will merge with the Global Studies Programme to form a single unit. This will pave the way for integrated global and regional programmes of studies, training, activities and resources on many communications issues.

The new Board of Directors approved the theme of ‘Communication for peace and social justice’ for WACC’s next international Congress. To be held in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2008, Congress is an opportunity for WACC members and partners in social movements around the world to debate current concerns and priorities.

In a historic decision the Board of Directors also opted to relocate the global office of WACC from London (United Kingdom) to Toronto (Canada). WACC has been in the UK since its foundation in 1968. The move will lead to significant reductions in administrative overheads freeing up more funds for WACC’s communication priorities.

In elections the Central Committee named Dr Musimbi Kanyoro (Kenya) as President and Piet Halma (Netherlands) as Vice-President, both re-elected for a second three-year term. The Rev. Cheon Young-Cheol (Korea) was elected as Treasurer and Amany Latif (Egypt) as Secretary.

WACC’s programme priorities in the next two years, among others, will include ‘Christian fundamentalism and the media’, ‘Media and gender justice’, ‘Communication for peace and social justice’, and ‘HIV/Aids and stigma in communication’.