Imperial Beach Resort Hotel in Entebbe, the conference venue

The Archbishop of Canterbury will preach at the opening service of the All African Bishops Conference on Aug 24 in Uganda.

Approximately 370 African bishops and 60 other guests will join Dr. Williams at the Imperial Hotel in Entebbe from Aug 23-29 for the second pan-African bishops’ conference.  Gathered under the theme “Securing our potential: unlocking our future” the meeting is not expected to directly address the divisions within the Anglican Communion.

The All Africa conference will be Dr. Williams’ first visit to Uganda, and his first opportunity to address the bishops of the African church.  In 2008 of the continent’s 324 diocesan bishops boycotted the Lambeth Conference in protest to the presence of the bishops of the Episcopal Church.

However, presentations and panel discussions interspersed with Bible studies and prayer groups will occupy most the Entebbe conference, which will focus on internal issues of African development.  Session 1, entitled ‘Nurturing Family Life and Building Healthy Populations,’ will address health care issues, HIV/AIDs, family relations and the Millennium Development Goals.

Session 2, ‘Nurturing Harmonious and Dignified Communities’ will discuss “managing diversity” and “conflict management” and the protection of the vulnerable.  Session 3, ‘Securing our Economic Future’ will address questions about a “sustainable environment” and the “prudent management” of church resources.

Session 4, ‘Disempowering the Powerful and Empowering the Vulnerable’ will focus on theological education and the challenges of urbanization.  The fifth session, entitled ‘Making Leadership work to secure our Future and Unlocking our Potential’ will look at the varieties of leadership and the church’s interaction with economics and politics.  The final session will feature presentations from staffers of the Anglican Consultative Council on its work and various programmes such as the continuing Indaba process.