THE IDEA People with a disability have limitations, talents and possibilities. And these are of great worth for church congregations and parishes. It is therefore a matter of concern that their participation in the church be established as an unarguable fact. In this year of people with a disability, the ICIG (Interchurch Commission for Integration of the Disabled in the  Netherlands) together with EDAN (Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network of the World Council of Churches) is convening a European consultative congress.  THE AIM At this congress, to be held in 'De Werelt' in Lunteren (the Netherlands) from 10th to 13th October 2003, people from differing lands and traditions will share their experiences so as together to learn from them. EDAN, the World Council of Churches people with a disability programme, hopes with this conference to strengthen the European network.
WHO IS INVITED? -  People with a disability who belong to the churches of Europe; -  People involved within the churches in work and policy development in this    field. Invitations have been extended to these via the Council of Churches in Europe, church social work organisations and through other ecclesiastical channels in the various lands. SPEAKERS The emphasis will lie upon what participants can offer one another. They are the experienced experts. Mr Jan Troost will open the conference. He is chair of the Council for the Chronically Sick and Disabled in the Netherlands and member of the organising committee of '2003, the year of people with a disability'.
Several speakers will offer us food for thought and discussion, their departure point being participation and the image surrounding people with a disability.  Prof dr Anne van der Meiden is an expert in the field of communications. Describing his contribution he says: “I will emphasise the problems in participation of the disabled at all levels as caused by non and miscommunication. Communications are disturbed not only by that which we term and propagate as 'normal' but also by all kinds of social inhibitions. I should like to think aloud with the assembled company concerning this background noise; 'rustlefactors' which influence word, image and behaviour.”  Dr Herman Meininger is an associate of the Willem van den Bergh-chair at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. He was for a long time spiritual carer for blind people with multiple disability. He will go into the theological controversy between Ulrich Bach and Herbert Haslinger over stories of healing in the gospels.
Sam Kabue is chair of EDAN. He will discribe the work of EDAN to advocate for a just and inclusive community by creating a network of people with disabilities as a distinctive ecumenical contribution to new models of being a church.  Drs Jacqueline Kool, theologian and author of Goed Bedoeld (Well-meant), will draw attention to the place of people with a disability in the liturgy. A workshop will be given in association with her presentation.  The Inter-church Workgroup Theology and Disability will give a workshop centred around exegesis of one of the stories of healing from the gospels. The Foundation 'Kom Beter Binnen' will present its views over accessibility to churches and other buildings. Prof dr Luco van den Brom of Haren will lead the international church service in the conference hall of congress hotel 'De Werelt' on Sunday 12th October.