Over three dozen high-ranking, retired military professionals and Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders will issue a joint call to eliminate nuclear weapons.

Declaring such arms "as constituting a threat to the security of our nation, a peril to world peace, and a danger to the whole human family," the group will launch the Nuclear Reduction/Disarmament Initiative to generate public action against nuclear arms. The leaders will explain the initiative at a joint news conference before participating in an interfaith prayer service at Washington National Cathedral. The military leaders will join clergy in the service.

WHAT:   News conference to announce the Nuclear
Reduction/Disarmament Initiative

WHEN:   Wednesday, June 21, 2000, at 10:30 a.m.
Interfaith Service follows at 12:00 Noon (approx. one hour)

WHERE:   Washington National Cathedral, St. John's Chapel. Use handicap ramp entrance on northwest side of Cathedral or the main entrance doors on the west side. Drive from Wisconsin (just north of Mass Ave.) and enter via North Rd.

WHO:
General Charles A. Horner, USAF (Ret.), Former head of U.S. Aerospace Command
Admiral Stansfield Turner, USN (Ret.), Former Director of Central Intelligence
Bishop William B. Oden, President,
Council of Bishops, The United Methodist Church
Rabbi David Saperstein, Director and Counsel, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, President, The Islamic Society of North America

CONTACT:   John M. Lazarou 202-585-2040

The Nuclear Reduction/Disarmament Initiative is an interfaith project led by Washington National Cathedral, with assistance from the Fourth Freedom Forum, former Senator Alan Cranston and his Global Security Institute, and a variety of religious groups. Funding has been provided by Ploughshares Fund, The John Merck Fund, and W. Alton Jones Foundation. The educational outreach program will work with churches, mosques, and synagogues nationwide. For more information or to join the Nuclear Reduction/Disarmament Initiative online, visit http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/nuclear.