The Ecumenical Campaign for a Strong and Effective Arms Trade Treaty is a coalition of national Christian denominations, councils of churches, ecumenical organisations and Christian humanitarian groups. The coalition is coordinated by the World Council of Churches, but the Ecumenical ATT Campaign is an opt-in coalition.

Currently individuals and organizations from 33 countries are actively supporting a Strong and Effective ATT through a method we call “stereo-advocacy.” In short, stereo-advocacy means that national groups hold lobby activities based on a shared position supporting the potential ATT. This could be in the form of letter writing campaigns to country decision makers, meetings with government officials, or popular mobilisation initiatives. From these national level actions, a small ecumenical delegation of laymen and clergy attend relevant UN meetings, including the July 2012 UN Conference on the ATT, and reinforce or echo the messages that were first shared on the national level.

Beyond the advocacy efforts, the Ecumenical ATT Campaign’s second principle aim is to educate and energise people of faith to understand what the ATT is, and often more importantly what the ATT is not. Education and a global understanding unites the churches to walk with each other in pursuit of a more peaceful and loving world. The ATT process is one expression of this aim.