Mending the World Roundtable: A Mechanism for Radical Accompaniment
The Mending the World Roundtable serves as a key mechanism for intentional partner engagement with the United Church of Canada's (UCCanada) Strategic Plan activities, specifically focusing on "Radical Accompaniment." In 2024, this involved deepening mutually accountable, decolonizing engagement with partners through a global consultation via Zoom, engaging in innovative mission practices to transform the world toward justice, peace, and healing of creation with CFGB Nature Plus project with the National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), and providing a platform for diverse perspectives. The Roundtable also facilitated partner participation in COP29 and supported reciprocity, respect, and transparency through the leadership of the Partner Council. In addition, the ACT Alliance General Assembly requested UCCanada accompaniment to deepen the decolonizing partnership.
Key activities in 2025 will continue the focus on Mutual Radical Accompaniment, power-shifting, and decolonizing partnerships through regional roundtables. Partners in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East are planning "deep, bold, and daring conversations" at the regional level. Annie Namala convened online conversations with Asian partners in December 2024 and January 2025, with an in-person meeting planned for May 2025. Samer Laham convened an in-person conversation with Middle East partners in Amman, Jordan in January 2025, while partners in the LAC region are planning an in-person conversation in Cuba for May 2025. Partners in Africa are yet to convene
The Partner Council, composed of Annie Namala, Samer Laham, Kangwa Mabuluki, Horacio Mesones, Marcelo Leites, and Silvia Vasquez Olguin, provides essential leadership for these global and regional roundtables. These activities aim to build relationships, strengthen partnerships, and create shared ownership and commitment to the outcomes of these critical discussions, fostering a future of more equitable and just global partnerships.
