ICDM: United to Serve for Significant Change
Press Release ICDM-Annual Conference 2022
The 7th Annual Conference of the International Community of Diaconic Management (ICDM) has successfully come to an end! Taking place from 22nd to 30th, 2022 this conference carried the theme: “Poverty Reduction, Human Rights & Ecological Justice Issue: The Role of the Churches.” In this conference 34 out of 52 members of ICDM from three continents Asia, Africa, and Europe gathered at the Club Balai Isabel, Talisay, Batangas, Philippines.
Since its establishment in 2015, ICDM as an ecumenical and interdisciplinary organization is committed to continues its mission: to strive for excellence in the local and global diaconia, through networking and partnership. One of its programs is the Annual Conference. Thanks to the German Academic Exchange Service for its continuous support since the first Alumni Conference 2015 in Colombo! Besides, Bread for the World, United Evangelical Mission, Evangelische Erwachsenenbildungswerk Westfalen und Lippe e.V., Institut für Diakoniewissenschaft und DiakonieManagement (IDWM), and the hosting church the United Church of Christ in the Philippine (UCCP) have also provided strong support that the ICDM-conference 2022 could successfully take place.
On this one-week annual meeting, speakers from academic fields as well as practitioners of diaconia presented a variety of topics including Impact Evaluation of Public Private Partnership (PPP), Human Rights and Poverty, Climate Change, Gender and Women Empowerment towards Sustainable Development, and Migration. Among the speakers is ICDM-member Rev. Dr. Jenny Purba (Indonesia) - the first international PhD graduate of IDWM.She presented her doctoral research: Relevance of Eco-Diakonia in the Context of the Indonesian Palm Oil Industry, PPP that sustain Life and Prosperity.
Prof. Dr. Martin Buscher- Director of IDWM, provided an update on the current developments at IDWM. Since January 2022 IDWM is part of to the University of Bielefeld, namely the Faculty of History, Philosophy and Theology. Rev. Matthias Börner, Head of International Diaconia of the UEM explained the developments in the International Diaconia of the UEM, where he pointed ICDM as one of the important stakeholders for UEM in doing diaconic programs in the UEM member churches.
The lectures were completed by exposure programs to the fisherfolks, peasants and children at the daycare center in Buso-Buso, Barangay. These exposures gave closer observations of the social problems in the region. People struggle to cope with issues of land grabbing, poverty, human rights violations, manmade and natural calamities they experience.
During the conference, the graduation ceremony of the 4th Batch of International Master of Arts in Diaconic Management (IMADM) was presently celebrated. This memorable event was followed by the induction of the now master’s degree holders in Diaconic Management to ICDM.
The ICDM will continue its commitments led by the (re)elected Board members for working term 2023 – 2024: Chairperson Rev. Godwin Ampony (Ghana), General Secretary Pricilla Geizi Pascua Quezon (the Philippine), Deputy Chairperson Asia Region Rev. Dr. Jenny Purba (Indonesia), Deputy Chairperson Africa Region Rev. Parfait Ekoume (Cameroon), Deputy Chairperson Europe Region Annika Huneke (Germany), and Public Relation Deaconess Tioria Sihombing (Indonesia).
At the end of the 7th Annual Conference of ICDM a participant conveyed her impression: "When I remember ICDM, I see hope for the churches to engage more in advocacy work toward poverty reduction and climate justice”.
By Tioria Sihombing