News Archive

CLICK HERE for the printer-friendly version of this page.

Adventists Tackle Issues of Violence

Dr. Peter Landless at the U.N.

New York, New York, USA... A high-profile United Nations meeting, entitled "Preventing Violence, Promoting Health: Shared Strategies" brought together over one thousand groups to tackle this highly significant issue, reports Jonathan Gallagher, the Seventh-day Adventist Church's UN Liaison director. In the year 2000 there were an estimated 1.6 million violence-related deaths worldwide, nearly half of which were suicides, according to a recent report by World Health Organization. In suicide alone, this accounts for nearly one death every 40 seconds.

"How can we not be involved in such important issues?" asks Gallagher. "Violence strikes at the heart of the gospel message. It is shocking that annually nearly 200,000 youths around the world are victims of homicide. We are here to do our part to tackle these great areas of concern."

Also attending the January 30 meeting and voicing concern was Dr. Peter Landless, associate health ministries director for the Adventist Church. He noted the close connection between violence and health, as well as the contributory factors of alcohol and drug abuse.

"The significant mental health problem of suicide was emphasized," Landless said. "It is shattering to know that in a time of such marked global war and aggression that the number of suicides exceed the number of homicides. Alcohol and drug use play an important role in this situation, as well." Landless, who is also executive director for the International Commission for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (ICPA), stressed that the Adventist Church may be more susceptible to drug abuse and violence than many believe.

"At the meeting they related violence frequently with alcohol and other drug consumption," Landless said. "And despite denominational denial, the problem of alcohol and drug use is on the increase in our schools, colleges and in our churches. The Church is being challenged to respond...it may be almost too late."

The meeting opened the Gandhi-King Season for Nonviolence, which marks the January 30 assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and runs to April 4, the anniversary of the shooting of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Audrey Kitagawa, advisor, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, noted that Gandhi and King were "both giants who were deeply spiritual people, they sought out guidance from a power greater than ourselves." She spoke of the Global Peace School initiative, and concluded by asking, "With all this violence in the world, what are we going to do about it?"

For Landless part of the answer is simple.

"The time has come for us to reemphasize the problems related to alcohol and other drug use." [Katie Galbraith/Viola Hughes]

TOP