The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, has accepted an invitation to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in New York, from January 31 to February 4, 2002.

More than forty senior religious leaders are expected to attend the Forum, at which the role and place of religion in the twenty-first century will be a prominent topic.

The Forum, which usually holds its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, switched venue to New York following the terrorist attacks of September 11.

It is the first time an Archbishop of Canterbury has attended the WEF. He is expected to participate in a variety of meetings, including a plenary session on Sunday 3 February, entitled "Bridging Religious Divides: The Search For Common Values."

The Archbishop, who is also President of the worldwide Anglican Communion, sees the Forum as an important opportunity both to continue to develop inter-faith dialogue and to explore the spiritual and secular challenges of building a more just and equitable society in a global age.

While in New York, the Archbishop will take part in a ceremony at Ground Zero, visit a nearby Anglican chapel and preach at Trinity Church, Wall Street.