Liverpool — African and European bishops will hold a seminar on the theme: Migration as a new opportunity for evangelisation and solidarity in Liverpool, from November 19 to 23, 2008.

The seminar is part of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) - Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) quadrennial project (2007-2010) which began following the First CCEE-SECAM Symposium (Rome, Italy, 10-13 November 2004).

The project focuses on collaboration between European and African bishops and aims to deepen their common responsibility for evangelisation and the human promotion of their respective continents and the world.

The Seminar, promoted by the CCEE and the SECAM and with the collaboration of various aid agencies, is being hosted by the His Grace Mgr Patrick Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool.

About 40 participants, representatives of European and African episcopates, Vatican dicasteries and aid agencies, will reflect in particular on the following themes: the welcome of strangers in the Bible: biblical-theological perspective, Africa-Europe migration in the global context, the world situation; European and African policy and migration;

Others will be slavery in history and new slaveries; pastoral care of refugees, workers and student migrants, comparison of experiences; pastoral approaches in a multi-cultural situation, experiences from dioceses living through the multi-cultural dimension and collaboration between the Churches of Africa and Europe.

The meeting will also see numerous visits to and opportunities for prayer with local communities.

Following the November 2004 Symposium CCEE - SECAM collaboration is proceeding with a quadrennial project (2007-2010) on the theme "Communion and solidarity between Europe and Africa in the age of human mobility." To this end a preparatory commission has already met on a number of occasions to outline the programme for this project which includes seminars in Europe and Africa on the following themes:

Slavery and new forms of slavery - towards a culture of life and the family (on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the end of slavery), migration (from Africa to Europe and from Asia to Africa and Europe) as a new opportunity for evangelisation and solidarity;

Pastoral collaboration between Africa and Europe, the new situation of the mission ad gentes, exchange of personnel and formation, vocations and the proclamation of the Gospel, cultures and religions.