Much Yet To Be Done For World’s Refugees

Press, Volume C, Issue 29657, 30 October 1961, Page 15

Much Yet To Be Done For World’s Refugees

World Refugee Year had made a considerable impact on the refugee problem, particularly in Europe, but there was still a great deal of work to be done, said the director of inter-church aid of the World Council of Churches (the Rev. Dr. Leslie Cooke) yesterday. Dr. Cooke, who is also an associate general secretary of the World Council of Churches, is in Christchurch for a short time while on his way to New Delhi for the third assembly of the council. Dr. Cooke visited New Zealand in 1956, when the executive committee of the World Council of Churches met in Sydney. On Tuesday he will go to Dunedin, to Wellington on Thursday and to Auckland on Friday. On November 6 he will leave tor New Delhi, attending the East Asian Christian conference at Bangalore en route. Dr. Cooke was appointed director of inter-church aid in 1955, and during that year moved with his wife from England to the headquarters of the World Council of Churches in Geneva. Dr. Cooke’s work includes overseeing the council’s aid service to refugees and other relief services. It involves some travelling, but most ot this is done by his 16 assistants, each of whom has as his territory a certain section of the globe. Problem in Africa Dr. Cooke said there was at present a considerable refugee problem in Africa, particularly in the Congo. Refugees from Angola were estimated to be about 230,000 Attending the assembly of the World Council of Churches in New Delhi would be the officiallyappointed representatives of V

the 178 churches comprising the council. Also present would be five Roman Catholic observers, attending for the first time. One of the main tasks confronting the assembly would be legislating for the work of the council. Applications for membership from the Orthodox Churches of Russia. Bulgaria and Rumania, and other churches would also be dealt with. Apartheid in South Africa, the recent nuclear tests and other political matters might also be discussed. Very much to the forefront of discussion would be the further development of the use of mass media, particularly television, by the council, said Dr. Cooke. The interest of the council in such things was increasing. Dr. Cooke will make an “Epilogue” programme in the studios of Channel 3 today. Yesterday he preached in Christchurch Cathedral, St Paul’s Presbyterian Church, and addressed a public rally at the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church. Today he will give a lunch-hour address.