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Theme & Sub-Themes

The theme of the Council for World Mission Assembly 2024 is:

Rise to Life: Together in Transformation

The main theme will be flanked by three sub-themes namely:

  • Transforming Power
  • Revisioning Mission
  • Building Life-Flourishing Communities

 “God of life, we acknowledge the significance of this Assembly in highlighting the invaluable contributions of African mission thinking and action. Guide us as we explore the themes of the Assembly and seek to rise together towards life-flourishing communities.”

Keynote Speaker

Prof. Puleng Lenka-Bula

Prof. Puleng Lenka-Bula, a South African of Lesotho and South African descent, is a trained feminist ethicist with a Ph.D. in Social Ethics. She has published widely in the intersections of Ethics, Economy, and Ecology, especially on thematic areas of feminist social theory, ecology, economics, justice, and Ubuntu while also supervising graduate students to completion in these areas.

In January 2021, she became the first woman Principal and Vice-Chancellor in the 148 years of the University of South Africa’s (Unisa) existence and the third black Vice-Chancellor since the advent of democracy in 1994.

Prof. Puleng has also served in various leadership capacities in the South African Higher Education sector including, but not limited to, being the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Institutional Change, Student Affairs and Engaged Scholarship at the University of Free State, the Dean of Student Affairs both at the University of the Witwatersrand and Unisa. She also leads the South African National Task Team on Gender-based Violence.

One of the voices advocating for socio-economic, ecological, and gender justice within the global South and North, Prof. Puleng has worked as an expert and adviser in multiple international academic and ecumenical organizations including but not limited to:

  • CODESRIA, where she served as an Executive Committee member for seven years.
  • The Vice-President of the South African Council of Churches in the consolidation of South Africa’s democratisation.
  • An Executive Consultant for Africa Region: Geneva, Switzerland the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) now referred to as the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
  • Expert Consultant/Advisor on Poverty, Wealth, and Global Economy for the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Prof Lenka-Bula continues to partner with scholars in other universities, such as visiting scholarships in Botswana, Ghana, Vasteras, Sweden, Columbia University Centre for African studies and Emmanuel College of the University of Toronto.

Sub-Theme Speakers

Transforming Power

Prof. Verene A. Shepherd

Prof. Verene A. Shepherd is the Professor Emerita of History and Gender Studies at the UWI. She is also the current Chair of the United Nations’ Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that implements the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

As a former University Director of The Institute for Gender and Development Studies, she spearheaded the production of The UWI’s Gender Policy.

Prof. Shepherd has received several awards, including The UWI Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence for Public Service, and the Commander Class from the Government of Jamaica for her work in History and Gender Studies amongst many others.

She is also a published author/co-author, editor/co-editor of several books and has refereed countless journal articles.

Revisioning Mission

Rev. Dr Luma Upolu Vaai

Rev. Dr Luma Upolu Vaai is an ordained minister of the Methodist Church in Samoa, and is currently working to establish the Pasifika Communities University.

He was also credited with the establishment of the Regional Institute for Leadership and Development, Institute for Climate Indigenous Knowledge, the Centre for Gender and Social Justice, Mission and Interfaith Centre, and the Centre of Research for (K)new Pasifika Consciousness of the Pacific churches.

As the Principal and Professor of Theology and Ethics at the Pacific Theological College, Rev. Dr Luma identifies as a decolonial Trinitarian theologian and a practiced indigenous philosopher, making him a leading voice in reclaiming Pacific indigenous philosophies of relationality and reframing regional development policies and models under the control of neoliberal capitalist philosophies.

Building Life-Flourishing Communities

Corey Tyler Hampton

Corey Tyler Hampton is the mission enabler with the Presbyterian Church of Wales and a member of the Programme Reference Group of the Council for World Mission (CWM).

He is a Ph.D. student in Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen, supported by CWM’s Academic Accompaniment Programme.

Corey is married to Catrin, and is a father to two little boys.

Habiba Juma

Habiba Juma proudly hails from Kibera Slum in Nairobi, Kenya, a vibrant community that has profoundly shaped her commitment to fostering positive change within its confines.

Growing up amidst the unique challenges faced by teenage moms, females, and young individuals in Kibera, she developed the passion to advocate for their empowerment them through education, the promotion of gender equality, and the advancement of economic opportunities.

With her proficiency in web design, Habiba leverages technology to create meaningful impact.

Deeply invested in transforming the lives of adolescent moms in Kibera, she focuses her efforts on advocacy, skill-building, and ensuring their rights where her ultimate goal is to prevent early marriages and facilitate access to quality education, drawing inspiration from the resilient spirit of the community.

“Kibera Slum has instilled in me a profound sense of responsibility and determination to contribute to its betterment. Enthusiastic about the potential to make a lasting difference, I am driven by the belief that change occurs one step at a time. My journey is fueled by the resilient spirit and untapped potential of the remarkable individuals in Kibera,” declared Habiba.

Muna Nassar

Muna Nassar is a Palestinian Christian from Bethlehem. She was previously a Project Coordinator for Kairos Palestine and a long-term advocate for the justice of the Palestinian people through her education, work, and writings.

In 2021, Muna obtained a Masters in Philosophy in Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies from Trinity College Dublin. In December 2022, she joined the World Communion of Reformed Churches as the Executive Secretary for Mission and Advocacy.

Muna hopes that through her written works, a narrative can be formed that fairly represents the diversity of Palestine and Palestinians while highlighting the Palestinian voice and agency.

Priyanka Samy

Priyanka Samy currently serves as a Guest Practitioner in the School of Advanced Study at the University of London.

She is the Youth Convenor of the National Federation of Dalit Women (NFDW), a grassroots network of Dalit women-led community-based organisations across India.

Priyanka is also a Board of Director at FRIDA| The Young Feminist Fund, and a Board Member of the International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), which works at a global level to address caste-based discrimination.

From 2020 to 2023, Priyanka, a Dalit feminist activist based in India, was one among the three National Gender Youth Advocate’s (NGYA) from India driving the UN Women’s Generation Equality Campaign.

Through her work with the feminist and other social justice movements in India over the past decade, Priyanka has been able to advance historically marginalised women’s agency, voice, and leadership at the grassroots.