Terttu Pohjolainen, new president of the Kaiserswerther Generalkonferenz

Published on 22.03.2017

The world-wide Kaiserswerther Generalkonferenz, an association of more than 100 diaconal institutions, has re-assigned its Executive Committee and continued the planning for the 43rd General Conference in 2018 in Bethel and for the diaconal study tour to New York City in fall 2017.

Finnish Deaconess Terttu Pohjolainen is the new president of the Kaiserswerther Generalkonferenz (KGK). Pohjolainen brings varied diaconal experience to this office from her activities as Vice-Dean of the Lahti Diaconal Institute and as Managing Director of Kaarisilta, an institution for children and young people with disabilities. She was previously the Vice President of the KGK. Norwegian Mother Superior Rollaug Waaler was elected new Vice President in her stead. German Sen. Sr. Deaconess Anke Frickmann will continue in her office as second Vice President.

During a meeting with Evangelisches Werk für Diakonie und Entwicklung (EWDE, Protestant Agency for Diakonie and Development), the Executive Committee met with the President of Diakonie Deutschland Pastor Ulrich Lilie. Information was provided about the consolidation of Diakonie Deutschland, Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World) and Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Protestant Development Service) under one roof as well as about the EWDE strategic and target planning for the coming years and about the new European Strategy of Diakonie Deutschland.

The meeting of the Executive Committee on March 20 and 21 in Berlin continued the planning for the upcoming diaconal study tour to New York City in fall 2017. The focus of the tour is gaining insights into the American healthcare system by visiting various hospitals, public care facilities, educational institutions and historic health care places. Parts of the agenda are, among others, visits at the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, the NYU Lutheran Medical Center, founded in 1883 by a Norwegian Deaconess, and the Blythedal Children’s Hospital.

The Executive Committee furthermore discussed the 43rd General Conference, which will take place in Bielefeld-Bethel in 2018 at the invitation of the von Bodelschwinghschen Stiftungen.

The Kaiserswerther Generalkonferenz is an association of more than 100 Deaconess Houses, diaconal communities and diaconal organizations from Europe, Nord and South America, Asia and Africa. Members of the Executive Committee of the KGK are: Deaconess Terttu Pohjolainen (FI), Mother Superior Rollaug Waaler (NO), Director Marek Londzin (PL), Sister Melinda L. Lando (North America), Chapter Provost Jürgen Stobbe (G-North), Sen. Sr. Deaconess Anke Frickmann (G-West), Sen. Sr. Roswitha Buff (G-South), Chief HR Officer / Mother Superior Dr. Gundula Grießmann (G-East), Proxy Karsten Stüber (G-East), Theol. Chairman Pastor Klaus Riesenbeck (G-West), Rector Pastor Annette Goll (F), Mother Superior Sr. Merete Pelle Poulsen (DK), Dept. Sen. Sr. Vilma Linda Reinar (BR), Pastor Christa Schrauf (AT), KR Dr. Christine-Ruth Müller (Secretary General).

Berlin on March 22, 2017

Media contact:
Thomas Flügge, Press Spokesman
Tel.: +41 79 6401902
E-mail: presse@kaiserswerther-verband.de

Contact:
KR Dr. Christine-Ruth Müller
Managing Director of the Kaiserswerther Verband and Secretary General of the Kaiserswerther Generalkonferenz
Landhausstrasse 10, 10717 Berlin
Tel. +49 30 8642 4170
E-mail: verband@kaiserswerther-verband.de