ELCA Members Celebrate Land Mine Treaty

POSTERS AGAINST LAND MINES

Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America have been invited to
celebrate the signing of the antipersonnel land
mine treaty and 1997 Nobel
Peace Prize by taking part in a poster contest
sponsored by the
International Campaign to Ban Land Mines.  The
ELCA's Lutheran Office for
Governmental Affairs (LOGA) in Washington, D.C.,
announced that all
participants, who must be at least five years old,
will receive a
certificate of merit and a "Ban Land Mines Now!"
button.  LOGA described
the contest as "a worldwide educational effort."
Posters must include the
name International Campaign to Ban Land Mines and
may use the theme:
"Creating a World Free of Land Mines."  The ELCA's
Church Council voted
last April "to support the call for an
international ban on the use,
production, stockpile and sale, transfer or export
of anti-personnel land
mines."  The Rev. Ishmael Noko, general secretary
of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF), Geneva, said recently, "We
recognize the fact that the
work of the campaign is only just beginning in its
effort to promote a
truly global treaty bringing into practical effect
the cherished aim of
complete eradication of the anti-personnel land
mines."  The LWF has been a
member of the campaign since its inception.  The
Lutheran World Federation
is a worldwide communion of 124 member churches,
including the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.

For information contact:
Ann Hafften, Director (773) 380-2958 or
NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://www.elca.org/co/news/current.html