For a Change
The background
There is a great deal of momentum in thinking about the situation of  people with a disability. But as with everything else, change here too moves slowly. Particularly within the churches there could be a great improvement in the position of people with a disability. Both physical and mental thresholds often make it impossible for them to take their natural place within the established structures of a church congregation/parish. All too often they find themselves dependent upon the goodwill of other church members. By bringing about change both in the accessibility of buildings and in outdated attitudes of (governing) church members, people with a disability may become more involved in church life in all its aspects and possibilities.  People with a disability have limitations, but just like other people they also have talents and potential which may be of great value to church congregations/parishes in together forming a close community for/in God. Social organisations and also private individuals are working hard to change the image of the handicapped from that of passive and needy people to one of active and participa- ting members of society. One important aspect of this within the church is the theolo-gical explanation of certain biblical texts. It happens all too easily that in giving such explanations a viewpoint is adopted whereby people with a disability are automatically seen as passive and receiving. There are, however, plenty of possibilities for showing evidence to the contrary.
The plan
By means of a European gathering, we of the Interkerkelijke Commissie Integratie Gehandicapten (Interchurch Commission for Integration of the Handicapped) would like to provide a forum for the sharing of experience between people from differing countries and traditions. The aim will be to learn as much as possible from one another and to take this knowledge back to our own organisations and church congregations/parishes.  Experience and new knowledge gained during such a meeting must, of course, also be optimally received and assimilated back in the homeland and organisation. It is difficult to change long-established ways of doing things. People need to be activated and to remain motivated. We would like therefore, in addition to facilitating the exchange of ideas, to provide guidance in the practical application of what has been learned via workshops and lectures. In the wake of the proposed gathering, a European network under the flag of EDAN (Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network), the World Council of Churches programme on persons with disabilities, will carry forward exchange and motivation initiatives.  Before, during and after the meeting, we would like to publish a newsletter. In the first place, we want to use this to inform the various national church councils within Europe of the coming conference. Church institutions which we know to be involved in working with people with a disability, as well as theologians having a similar interest, will be invited to take part in the discussions. Canvassing for conference participants will also take place via the first newsletter.  The mailing list may, however, be expanded to include other organisations both inside and outside the church who would like to become involved. In this way we hope to attract the necessary broad attention for our subject.
The goal
The goal of the conference is to provide a concrete contribution to the discussion surrounding people with a disability and their place within the church community. “For a change…” could be the (working) title of the conference. After all, the question is how to stabilise and secure  changes, both those which have already been achieved and those still so sorely necessary for those who have a disability.  We are aware that we are not the first to initiate discussions about people with a disability.But, at the same time, we know too that such discussions may be simply interrup-ted or even aborted by outside factors, whether economic or political. Everyone can readily identify themselves with generali-sations over how people with a disability should be emancipated but opinions begin to diverge greatly when it comes to concrete realisation of such emancipation.
Facts and figures
The international conference will, according to our expectations, take place from 10th to 13th October 2003, inclusive, at congress hotel ‘De Werelt’ in Lunteren. We expect fifty participants from as many different European countries as possible. We are thinking here also especially about former ‘East Block’ countries.  Those invited will be people involved in church social welfare work organisations, organisations which make a case for people with a disability within the church and private individuals. The meeting will be organised jointly by ICIG and EDAN.
About ourselves
ICIG and EDAN are occupied with the part played by people with a disability both in organising and participating in observances/services.  ICIG stands for the Interkerkelijke Commissie Integratie Gehandicapten, which came into being after the congress entitled “Looked at but not seen’, organised in 1985 by the Algemeen Diaconaal Bureau (General Office for Church Welfare Work) of the Reformed Churches in The Netherlands in association with the World Council of Churches. The ICIG carried forward initiatives then begun and has since become the ecumenical advisory body offering advice and counsel over the position of people with a disability within the church. Examples of ICIG activities include the publication of pamphlets about churches and about people with a disability, information for office-holders, courses for council mem-bers and lectures for church meetings and study gatherings EDAN stands for the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, which was set up during the 7th Assembly of the World Council of Churches in 1998. EDAN is a network composed of private persons and organisations over the whole world concerned with the position of people with a disability.    One important area of attention for EDAN is mutual reinforcement through the maintaining of contact between “companions in adversity” all over the world. The sharing of experience and support for one another’s work in this area are important goals for EDAN. In addition, the organisation acts in an advisory capacity to the World Council of Churches Department of Justice, Peace and Creation in the area of People with a Disability.
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