Advocates International’s Global Network:

A Miracle in Slow Motion

Vision

A worldwide fellowship of advocates bearing witness of

Jesus Christ through the legal profession.

Mission

Encouraging and enabling advocates to meet locally, organize
nationally, cooperate regionally and link globally to promote justice,
rule of law, religious freedom, reconciliation and integrity.

Overview

Launched in 1991 in response to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, Advocates International is a work in progress. It puts in practice the strategy of Jesus whose chosen method was the formation of small bands of committed friends. He inspires them with a sense of his spirit and vision to build their lives into an intensive fellowship of affection, worship and work.

Advocates International encourages followers of Christ within the legal profession to be proactive locally, nationally, regionally and globally in a broad range of justice issues impacting freedom, faith and family.  In 1991 there were just two nations with national Christian lawyer groups proactive in the public square.  By 2007 the two had become 100 active or emerging Christian lawyer groups (shown in bold below) among the 158 nations linked through eight regional networks. Four Global Convocations and 32 Regional Conferences since 1998 have been instrumental in broadening and strengthening a unique global movement committed to “doing justice with compassion.”  

Phase I: 1991 – 1997

1991United States, Soviet Union, Bulgaria; 1992Albania, Guernsey; Russia, United Kingdom; 1993Georgia, Nepal, Pakistan, Turkey; 1994Romania; 1995Armenia, Slovakia; 1996Austria, Greece; 1997 China,Holland, Hungary, Mongolia, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden.

Phase II: 1998 – 2000

The global network linked the following 43 new nations primarily through

convening three Global Convocations for a total of 69 nations.

1998  [1^st Global Convocation]Canada, Cote d′Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Egypt, Eritrea, Israel, Kenya, Latvia, Nigeria, Poland, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sudan, Taiwan, Tonga,Uganda, Zambia; 1999  [2^nd Global Convocation] Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Spain, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago; 2000   [3^rd Global Convocation]Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Myanmar (Burma), Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, Estonia, Ghana, India, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Malaysia,Mexico, Moldova, Palestine, Scotland, Zimbabwe.     

Phase III: 2001 – 2004

The global network linked the following 45 new nations primarily through regional conferences, regional networking and the 4^th Global Convocation in 2004for a total of 114 nations.

2001  [Regional conferences]Argentina, Bolivia, Cambodia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Thailand, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam; 2002  [Regional Conferences]Benin, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jamaica, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine; 2003  [Regional Conferences]Antigua, Barbados, Burundi, Cuba, Gambia, Mali, New Zealand; 2004[Regional Conferences & 4^th Global Convocation] Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malawi, Panama, Serbia & Montenegro, Tanzania, Turkmenistan. 

Phase IV: 2004 – 2007

The global network linked the following 44 new nations primarily through regional conferences and regional networking for a total of 158 nations.

Advocates Africa: Angola, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Lesotho, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Zanzibar; Advocates Asia: Fiji, Hong Kong (China), Laos, Lebanon, Myanmar, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Syria, Uzbekistan; Advocates Caribbean:  Bahamas, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Guyana, Haiti, St Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St Maarten, St Vincent; Virgin Islands Advocates Europe: Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Iceland, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Montenegro; Advocates Latin America: Puerto Rico.

Nations linked within Advocates’ networks by 2007: 158 

A GOAL FOR THE 5^TH GLOBAL CONVOCATION IN OCTOBER 2008

IS TO BRING TOGETHER 1,500 LAWYERS FROM 150 NATIONS

 WHO SEEK TO BEAR WITNESS OF JESUS CHRIST

THROUGH THEIR PROFESSION BY PROACTIVELY

PRESERVING JUSTICE, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM & FAMILY VALUES.