Category: International Opportunities

The Institute on Human Rights (IHR) is a new initiative of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) to train prospective human rights and social activists from among young Christians in Asia.

Spanning over a period of two weeks from 17 to 28 May 2021, the intensive training course is designed to enable young people to understand the principles of human rights and human dignity from Christian theological perspectives as well as to help them to understand the international human rights instruments and protection mechanisms.

The theme of IHR–2021 is “Being Defenders of Human Rights and Human Dignity”.

The IHR will be conducted virtually.

The resource persons will include a wide range of internationally acclaimed human rights defenders practitioners, academics, and legal luminaries specialising in international human rights law and human rights protection mechanisms, including experts in human rights advocacy at the UN.

The syllabus for the course will cover the principles and foundations of human rights, human rights from biblical theological perspectives, human rights from interfaith perspectives, international human rights instruments and human rights protection mechanisms, human rights advocacy at the UN, and specific human rights issues in the Asian context.

The IHR will help prospective human rights defenders to develop their skills on the practical application of theoretical and legal human rights instruments while being engaged in defending human rights in their respective contexts.

Admissions to IHR–2021 will be limited to 25 participants between the ages of 25 and 35. Participants will be selected from among applicants who have an interest and commitment to human rights advocacy and ability to communicate in English.

The deadline for receiving completed applications for IHR–2021 is 10 April 2021.

If you are interested in applying in this opportunity please contact Gordon Fitch by the 31 March 2021. (gordon@presbyterian.org.nz)

Applications invited for ecumenical formation and leadership development through virtual training: Asian Ecumenical Institute–2020

The Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI), an annual ecumenical training programme of CCA, will be conducted this year through a virtual (online) platform.

AEI has been providing opportunities for students throughout Asia since 2016 to learn about emerging trends in ecumenism and the ecumenical movement under the guidance of internationally acclaimed teaching faculty from diverse disciplines. More than 100 prospective ecclesial and ecumenical leaders have been trained during the last four annual sessions.

The theme of AEI–2020 is ‘We are Called to be Stewards of Renewal and Restoration for God’s Creation’.

Beginning on 2 November 2020 (Monday), this year’s AEI sessions will be conducted through the online mode every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday till 30 November 2020 (Monday). Two sessions of 60 minutes each will be held on each working day (Mon., Wed., Fri.) of AEI–2020.

The AEI is an ideal programme for those who want to study ecumenism through an intensive course and to participate in an international network of students and scholars of ecumenism to hone their leadership skills and ecumenical vision.

The programme also aims to extend the frontiers of the participants’ knowledge of Asia’s socioeconomic and geopolitical realities through in-depth explorations of the emerging issues and concerns in Asia.

Participants will be equipped with the necessary tools of biblical-theological analyses to formulate developmental and ecumenical responses to contemporary Asian issues.

Admissions to AEI–2020 will be limited to 25 students between the ages of 25 and 35. Applications will be screened based on competence, prior ecumenical and ecclesial experience, gender and confessional balances, national and sub-regional representation, and the ability to effectively communicate in English.

Internationally acclaimed ecumenists, theologians,  biblical scholars, and social scientists will be resource persons of AEI–2020.

Ten of AEI–2020’s best-performing students will be selected to attend the 15^th General Assembly of the CCA, which will be held in 2021. CCA will cover the international travel, board and lodging, and Assembly registration fee of each of the ten outstanding students from AEI–2020.

The deadline for receiving applications for AEI–2020 is 10 September 2020.

For more details and the Application Form of AEI–2020, please click here:

1. AEI–2020 — Application Form
2. AEI–2020 — Background Information
3. AEI–2020 — Letter to CCA Member Churches and Councils