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January

We encourage you to copy this information and distribute it freely in any media. Perhaps print these in your church bulletin, or distribute them by email to your congregation, study group, or ministerial. Questions about these events should be directed to the sponsoring organisations.

• Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (International dates: January 18-25 annually)
  Canadian dates: Eight days beginning and ending with the two Sundays between which January 25 falls.
  
  International resource material is developed by a joint committee of the World Council of Churches and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The material is distributed to national working groups who modify the material to reflect the regional, cultural, and linguistic context.
  
  In Canada, observances are organised by the Canadian Council of Churches, regional ecumenical bodies, and local ministerials. Canadian resources are developed jointly by the Canadian Council of Churches and the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism. The material is distributed by Novalis.
  
  In the U.S., the Week of Prayer material is developed and distributed by the Graymoor Ecumenical and Inter-religious Institute in New York.

March

• World Day of Prayer (1st Friday of March, annually)
  In Canada, organised by the Women's Inter-church Council of Canada and local women's groups.
  
  Although this occasion was originally known as the World Women's Day of Prayer, it is no longer focussed directly on women, thus the change in name. Both men and women are encouraged to actively participate in this day of prayer. Although 2 p.m. is a traditional time for World Day of Prayer observances, many years the observances are also held at other times.

April

• Earth Day (April 22)
  Earth Day is observed around the world by numerous groups concerned with the environment. Many religious groups have taken an active involvement in local community organisations planning Earth Day observances. Contact your local churches or environmental agencies for further information.
• Yom Ha Shoah (Holocaust Memorial)
  This annual event is an important occasion in the calendar of the Jewish community. In many places, Christian and other local religious groups, join their Jewish neighbours in remembering the horrors of the Nazi extermination camps and other times of violence motivated by racial hatred. Check with your local synagogue, B'nai Brith, or Christian/Jewish dialogue for details on local observances.

May

• Canadian Summer Ecumenical Institute (SEI)
  This 3-5 day annual program of ecumenical education and networking is an opportunity for training and continuing education in the area of current ecumenical events, documents, dialogues, and projects both international and local. Each year there will be a component of formation for those newly arrived in ecumenism, a component of networking and sharing news and views from across Canada, and a component of continuing education. It will be hosted by various centres across the Prairies, in liaison with the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism.
• National Workshop on Christian Unity (USA)
  This conference brings together the national networks of ecumenical officers from the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic churches along with networks of ecumenical leaders from the other major US churches. The conference is held in various parts of the US. Participation in this conference is open to all.

June - August (dates flexible)

• Association of Inter-Church Families / Foyers Mixtes / Konfessionsverbindende Familien
  Swanwick, England: August Bank Holiday
  Italian / French / Swiss meeting: July
  Western Canada: July or August
  For further info: www.interchurchfamilies.org
• Bossey Ecumenical Institute Seminars
  World Council of Churches, Céligny (Geneva), Switzerland
  www.wcc-coe.org/Bossey
  Contact:
• Centro Pro Unione
  Annual Summer Course, Rome, Italy, late June to mid-July
  www.prounione.urbe.it/att-act/e_sum-course_rome.html
  Contact: Fr. James Puglisi at
• Ecumenical Institute of New England
  Massachusetts Council of Churches, ph: 617-523-2771, fax: 617-523-1483, email:
• Institute for Interreligious Leadership
  Co-sponsored by USCCB's Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs (BCEIA) and the National Association of Diocesan Ecumenical Officers (NADEO)
  Contact: John Borelli at . Registration limited to diocesan staff and other Catholics who participate in interreligious relations and dialogue.
• International Ecumenical Seminar
  Co-sponsored by the Institute for Ecumenical Research and the Lutheran World Federation, Strasbourg, France
  Contact: Elke Leypold or Ola Tjrhom at
• Summer Ecumenical Institute of Assumption College
  Worcester, Massachusetts

September

• North American Academy of Ecumenists annual conference.
  Held in a variety of locations across North America, this conference is open to members of the Academy as well as others who may be interested. The conference is academic in focus, and generally deals with issues related to "Faith and Order" and the bilateral dialogues. The conference is held on the fourth weekend of September each year. It is held in Canada approximately every fifth year. NAAE membership is not required to attend the conference, but is encouraged. Academy members also receive a subscription to the Journal of Ecumenical Studies as part of their membership.
• International Day of Prayer for Peace (September 21)
  In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution designating September 21st of each year as an International Day of Peace. The intention of the resolution is to have the entire world observe a day of peace and non-violence. All peoples and organisations are invited to commemorate the day in an appropriate manner.
  
  In 2004 for the first time, the WCC Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) joined the United Nations International Day of Peace by inviting congregations world-wide to pray for peace on or around that day. This initiative, which was welcomed by the UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, is one way to combine the strength and witness of churches and faith communities with the international community as a whole as they strive together to promote peace and justice in the world. More information on the WCC-DOV International Day of Prayer for Peace is available at: www.overcomingviolence.org.

October

• National Workshop on Christian-Jewish Relations
  An annual conference held in the USA, the NWCJR is open to anyone interested in the theme. Contact your local inter-faith organisations for further details about the coming conference. Dr. Eugene J. Fisher chairs the national Planning Committee for the Workshop. Contact him at the Secretariat for Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 3211 - 4 St. N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194. Tel.: 202-541-3020. Email: .

November

• International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP)
  Daily in upwards of 60 countries Christians face potential arrest, torture and even death simply because of their faith in Jesus Christ. The World Evangelical Fellowship, global sponsor of the IDOP, estimates that 200 million Christians face persecution for their faith right now. Christians across Canada and in more than 130 countries will pray for those who are persecuted for their faith. For further information, see the Canadian website at www.idop.ca or contact the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada Religious Liberty Commission, Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham, director, (613) 233-9868, fax (613) 233-0301, .
• Restorative Justice Week (3rd week of November)
  Restorative Justice Week, normally the third week of November, began in England in 1975 as "Prisoners' Sunday," a day set aside each year to promote awareness of the needs of and concern for men and women who are incarcerated. Eventually the day evolved into Prisoners' Week; then in 1996 it was renamed Restorative Justice Week to reflect the week's more inclusive elements. Resource development for Restorative Justice Week is the collaborative effort of Correctional Service of Canada Chaplaincy and Restorative Justice staff, the Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy in the Correctional Service of Canada as well as that of individuals and community & faith groups involved in Restorative Justice initiatives.
  
  The Chaplaincy Services & Restorative Justice Branch of Corrections Canada welcomes input from local churches and faith groups. Resources prepared by various faith traditions are available online. See www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/chap/faith/index_e.shtml. Contact your local federal penitentiary chaplaincy team or www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/chap/leadership_community_e.shtml for further details or see the Corrections Canada Restorative Justice website. People or organisations who would like to be added to an electronic list for future updates may write to .
• Semaine de la justice réparatrice (la troisième semaine de novembre)
  La Semaine de la justice réparatrice, ordinairement la troisième semaine de novembre a débuté en Angleterre en 1975 sous le nom du Dimanche des prisonniers, une journée qui avait pour but de faire connaître les besoins des personnes incarcérées et de faire grandir un souci à leur égard. Éventuellement la journée était devenue la Semaine des prisonniers; en 1996 la semaine fut renommée Semaine de la justice réparatrice afin de mieux refléter les éléments plus inclusifs de la semaine.
  
  La préparation des ressources pour la Semaine de la justice réparatrice découle d'une collaboration entre les membres du personnel de la direction de l'aumônerie et la justice réparatrice du Service correctionnel du Canada, le Comité interconfessionnel de l'Aumônerie dans les services correctionnels, ainsi que celle des individus et groupes communautaires et confessionnels qui participent aux initiatives de la justice réparatrice. La direction des services de l'aumônerie et de la justice réparatrice est heureuse de recevoir des textes des églises et groupes religieux. Ces ressources préparées par diverses confessions sont accessibles en ligne. Voir www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/chap/faith/index_f.shtml. Pour de plus amples renseignements contacter les aumôniers des établissements correctionnels près de vous ou voir www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/chap/leadership_community_f.shtml ainsi que le site de la Justice réparatrice du Service correctionnel du Canada. Les personnes ou organismes qui aimeraient faire partie d'une liste informatique pour une mise à jour sont priés de contacter .

December

• December 6 Memorial
  A memorial of the massacre at Ecôle Polytechnique in Montréal, where 14 women were murdered. This memorial has come to symbolise the efforts to eradicate domestic violence and all other violence motivated by gender. It is an annual opportunity to take stock of our efforts and successes in this essential task.
  Planned by local church, university and women's groups across Canada.