To listen to voices of youth

By MAUREEN MCGUINNESS- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, executive director of The Interfaith Alliance, is looking forward to his visit to Albany, the first time he has the opportunity to listen to the concerns of children.

Rev. Gaddy will serve as the keynote speaker at a conference on "The Challenges Children Face," during which he will listen to young people and then share their concerns with a larger audience.

The Alliance is a non-partisan, faith-based organization with supporters from more than 50 faith traditions, including Muslims, Catholics, Protestants and Jews. It is dedicated to promoting the positive role of religion as a healing and constructive force in politics and in public life.

The Interfaith Alliance of New York State, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, the College of Saint Rose, and several other religious groups are sponsoring Rev. Gaddy's visit.

While adults may not realize it, children are affected by government legislation. "We're concerned about the ways in which legislative actions impact children," he said. "There are very few issues that don't deal with children."

Some of these legislative issues, he said, include gun control and the funding of quality public education. Government debt and the gaps left by welfare reform also affect children by leaving them to inherit these problems, he said.

("The Challenges Children Face" will be held May 24. The public is invited to an evening vigil at Temple Israel in Albany at 7 p.m. For more information, call 786-3156.)

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