International Executive

	After the Second World War the rapid growth of the movement made it necessary to have an International Committee to oversee the work of the movement worldwide. Based in New York, it is administered by our International Director, Eileen King, assisted by Diane Harwood.
Eileen King		Diane Harwood

Each country has its own National Committee and is part of a regional grouping. Every four years representatives of these National Committees gather in a different area of the world: Sweden 1968, Thailand 1970, Mexico 1974, Zambia 1978, Germany 1982, USA 1986, Jamaica 1990, Australia 1995, South Africa 1999 and England 2003.

Each meeting brings special contributions to the growth of the movement when women gather:

• to share experiences of the World Day of Prayer
• to select themes and writers for the worship services
• to elect an Executive Committee that is ecumenical, with representatives from Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions and comprised of a Chairperson, Treasurer and representatives from Africa, Asia, Caribbean/North America, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and the Pacific
• to prepare a budget based on contributions from the National Committees and special gifts
• to consider ways by which the movement may grow

	The latest meeting was in June 2007 in Canada when Annette Poitier from the Bahamas was chosen as the next chairperson of the International Committee and our own Jean Hackett was elected to the International Committee as one of the two European representatives. The other elected delegate is Corinna Harbig.
Annette Poitier		Jean Hackett & Corina Harbig (Slovenia)

At these meetings themes and writers for future services are chosen: the Themes Group sifts through all the suggestions sent from around the world. Common ideas are drawn out and themes selected, together with suggestions for scripture passages to support the themes. These themes are then allocated to countries who have expressed a desire to prepare an order of service. The countries are chosen to give as wide a regional representation as possible. Following the 2007 meeting we now have themes and countries allocated up to 2015.

Once a new set of themes and countries has been selected, Eileen King assists in setting up workshops in each country to enable as many women as possible to have input into their service, giving a wide range of views and ideas. The Writing Group in that country then prepares a draft order of service that is sent to the International Committee. This is then sent, in translation where necessary, to each of the National Committees worldwide. This whole process would be completed eighteen months prior to the date of each service. National Committees then have the responsibility for editing the material, adapting it to suit their own local needs and customs and arranging for any further translation as may be necessary. Altogether the service is translated into over 60 languages and 1000 dialects.