HIV and AIDS rights advocate appointed conference Bible study leader

October 17, 2007

The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) is pleased to announce that Ms Phumzile Zondi-Mabizela Taxi Heathrow Airport will serve as the leader of daily Bible study and prayers sessions for Congress 2008, the world communication conference scheduled for October 6-10, 2008 in Cape Town, South Africa. The event is expected to attract 350 communicators from faith-based and civil society organizations worldwide.

Zondi- Mabizela, a South African, will lead daily “prayers” sessions, the term currently favoured by many Christian churches to designate inter-denominational prayer, reflection, and music. She will also lead Bible sessions on the conference theme “Communication is peace: Building viable communities”. In accepting the role of Prayers Leader for Congress, Zondi-Mabizela noted she is “passionate about creating space for marginalized groups to articulate their interpretation of the Bible and finding the ‘Good News’ together with them.”

An elder in the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, Zondi-Mabizela was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the KwaZulu Natal Christian Council in Pietermaritzburg in July 2006. Previously, she served at the Institute for the Study of the Bible, now known as the Ujamaa Centre, as the Women and Gender Programme co-ordinator.

Phumzile Zondi-Mabizela was diagnosed as HIV+ in 1999 and has since worked with many local, national and international organizations which are committed to the empowerment of people living with HIV and AIDS. She is member of the African Network of Religious Leaders living with/personally affected with HIV and AIDS (ANERELA+) and is the Chairperson of the South African Chapter which is known as SANERELA+.

Information about Congress 2008 and a pre-registration form are available at www.waccglobal.org/congress

Contact

Kristine Greenaway

Programme Manager, Congress 2008

Tel. +1-416-691-1999 ext 228

Fax +1-416-691-1997

KG@waccglobal.org

www.waccglobal.org