The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Revd Canon John L. Peterson, announced today that Bishop Herbert A Donovan Jr has been appointed to serve as the Anglican Observer at the United Nations on an interim basis.

The appointment has been made in consultation with the Archbishop of Canterbury and members of the UN Observer's Advisory Council in New York. Bishop Donovan will take up the post early in 2000. The bishop is encouraging people throughout the Anglican Communion who have concerns that need to be shared with the United Nations to be in touch with him at his office.

The Episcopal Church generously provides the office space at their New York centre, just minutes from the UN. The contact details are

815 2nd Avenue
New York
NY 10017
USA

Tel. 212 867-8400
Fax. 212 687-7767

Bishop Donovan is no stranger to the life and work of the Anglican Communion. In an interview with ACNS he said that one of his "greatest experiences in the Church" was when all the bishops of the African continent made a pastoral visit to Trinity Church, Wall Street, New York, during his time at that parish. The bishop also is the son of missionary parents and spoke of his 1988 experience of the Lambeth Conference as a high point during his episcopate.

Mary Donovan, his wife, is an author, teacher and much respected lay leader in the Episcopal Church.

After his 1993 retirement as Bishop of Arkansas, Bishop Donovan was vicar of Trinity Church in Manhattan and then interim Bishop of Chicago. He recently provided episcopal assistance to the Diocese of New Jersey. He is currently serving as co-ordinator of the College of Bishops, which meets annually at the General Theological Seminary in New York. He was Secretary of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church USA for 12 years.