The 6th Annual Conference on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) concludes at Bonga from July 14_15, 2023. Twenty two participants representing deans and experts of colleges and seminaries, faith leaders, media, NGOs and stakeholders attended the event.
Under the theme on Partnership for Environmental Literacy and Sustainable Communities, the conference comprised of policy statements by key officials, field work, professional training, and annual progress reporting and planning sessions. Organized in collaboration with the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology, Southern Ethiopia Colleges of Teachers’ Education (CTE) Network and Southern Ethiopian Evangelical Theological Seminaries Network and hosted by Bonga CE. Leaders of the respective networks and colleges welcomed the participants and reaffirmed their commitment to the success of the conference and the network objectives.
The key note addressed by the governmental officials and their pledge to ESD, the voices of the religious leaders for partnership and the full engagement of CSO/NGO like Nature and Biodiversity Union (NABU) and the local media has strongly boosted ESD engagement both on annual events and day to day activities. The encouraging words of Prof. Charles, UNESCO Chiar for ESD via video message also meant that the networks are part of the global community and hope the African Priority agenda will engage all in a productive way in the coming years.
In his key note address to the confenernce Bureau Head of the Southwest Ethiopia Peoples’ Region Forest, Environmental Protection and Climate Change Bureau, Dr. Engineer Asrat Gebremariam pleadged his institutional commitment and support to the networks in generla and the Bonga CTE in particualr. Dr. Desta Geneme, Deputy Head the region’s Education Bureau in his part apprecaited the contributions of the networks and the confenence to enhance education for sustaianble development.
We seek to subject our thoughts and actions to God’s Word and affirm the power of Scripture to effect change in individual lives, churches and society.
We come together as a community of learners not for our sake only but also for the sake of others. We seek to grow in our understanding of God and his ways, so that we may help others to acknowledge his governance over the world with its rich possibilities for both individual transformation and for social and cultural renewal.
We believe that theological education speaks to and out of its local context as a dynamic interaction between the local context, the global context and Scripture.
We strongly believe that unity among the churches of Ethiopia is important and can be fostered through cooperative, inter-denominational graduate-level theological education. We also seek to partner with individuals, institutions, churches and organizations within and outside Ethiopia.
We value learning alongside people from different traditions and churches. Exposure to varying traditions challenges thinking about God and the diversity of his work in the world. While EGST promotes unity, it also appreciates and respects diversity.
We value the importance of worshipping God with our minds and strive for excellence both in our rigorous study of Scripture and in our critical analysis of context.
We seek to be people who model Christ’s values such as love, humility, compassion, justice, integrity, self-control, and holiness.
We seek to promote ecumenical relationships among churches in Ethiopia in order to enhance mutual understanding.
