On the eve of Pope Francis’ arrival in the United States, more than 100 top leaders from all major faith families in the U.S. are meeting to call for a shift in the country’s national priorities. The event, “Interfaith Religious Leaders Summit – End Hunger by 2030,” is part of a larger movement in the faith community to end hunger and poverty by 2030.
The faith leaders welcome Pope Francis and his call to pray and work for the end of hunger. They believe that ending hunger by 2030 “seems unlikely unless we can achieve a shift in U.S. national priorities by 2017, so that our next president and Congress help put our nation and the world on track toward ending hunger.”
The following morning, Sept. 22, the faith leaders will hold a press conference to release a joint statement and report on their summit.
WHO: Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, Roman Catholic Church
Bishop Lawrence Reddick III, Presiding Bishop of the Eighth Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rev. Gabriel Salguero, President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition
Commissioner David Jeffrey, National Commander, The Salvation Army in the United States
Ruth Messinger, President, American Jewish World Service
Anwar Khan, Chief Executive Officer, Islamic Relief USA
Rev. David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World (Moderator)
WHAT: Press conference announcing a call by faith leaders
WHEN: Tuesday, September 22, 9:00 a.m. ET
WHERE: National Press Club, Zenger Room,
529 14th Street, NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20045
Dial in for journalists: 1-800-768-8804
(Speakers are available in English and Spanish)
For more information on the event, contact Chris Ford at 202.688.1077 or [email protected].
MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected] or 703-370-7202