The Diakonia Centre also offers one of South Africa's most comprehensive and well-equipped conference centres.

The Diakonia Centre is a Durban landmark. From 1914 the site of Convent High School and from 1962 -1972 of St Joseph's Primary School. In 1983 the building was taken over by the Ecumenical Centre Trust for the establishment of an ecumenical centre. The Diakonia Council of Churches took over the running of the Centre in 1998. It was later renamed the Diakonia Centre.

Mission statement of the Diakonia Centre

The Diakonia Centre operates on the basis of the Christian ethos. It is a place where people of every race, culture, class, age, nationality, language and religion should feel welcome and at home, confident that their human dignity is valued and honoured.
The particular purpose of the Centre is to provide an enabling environment for people and organisations committed to social transformation. It is hoped that their efforts will be strengthened by the networking, co-ordination and sharing of resources promoted in this environment.

The Centre

The Centre provides facilities for meetings, conferences, and education programmes as well as office accommodation for organisations whose aims are in accord with the Centre's Mission Statement; actively promotes political tolerance and reconciliation and encourages the use of its facilities for dialogue and peacemaking; continues and strengthens it support for the poorest and most marginalised people, and for those who serve them.

Organisations based at the Diakonia Centre

Currently the Centre is home to:

• Agenda
• Black Sash
• Coeman Training and Projects
• Diakonia Council of Churches
• Ithembalabantu CRCs
• Lawyers for Human Rights
• Legal Resources Centre
• Livingstones Agency
• Liza Lou Fence Project
• Lutheran Publishing House
• Project Empower
• Refugee Social Services

For more information on the Centre, please contact:

Hester Joseph

Tel: +27 (31) 310 3501/3521

or fax: +27 (31) 310 3506.