Representatives of the WCC and the Roman Catholic Church met in Malta from 31 October to 5 November in the final consultation of their Joint Working Group before the 10th Assembly of the WCC convenes at Busan, Republic of Korea in October 2013.

With environmental disasters impacting community lives in acute ways around the globe, churches from India and other countries gathered in Chennai, last week to reaffirm their commitment to climate justice.

Reflections on the recent “Arab spring” and young people’s involvement in the challenges of a changing ecumenical landscape were the focus of discussions in a recent meeting of the WCC's Echos - Commission on youth in the ecumenical movement.

From Durban in South Africa to Busan in South Korea, water must be high on the agenda of international summits, conferences and church assemblies, according to participants in the Ecumenical Water Network Forum.

Whether facilitating training, translating information, or distributing printed materials, Deolinda Dorcas Teca is determined to help craft the tools people in the Portuguese language region of Africa will use to face the challenges of HIV and AIDS.

Dr Sarojini Nadar is a theologian from South Africa working on the issues of gender, religion and health. As part of the WCC initiative to make November a month of health and healing, Nadar was interviewed by WCC Communications, addressing the theme “Gender inequity and its impact on health: Created in the image of God”.

A series of Biblical meditations on gender, reproductive and sexual health is being launched by the WCC, inviting congregations and individual Christians to make November a month of reflection on health and healing.

Participants in the second Africa Human Rights Defenders Training in West Africa organized by the WCC have called on faith-based institutions to uphold human rights and dignity. They have expressed concern on failures in the justice system and denial of human dignity to the majority of people in the Mano River Union countries.

Given the significant role played by the young people in pursuit of peace in communities, the WCC features reflections from eight young people from around the world in its new book Echos for Peace, addressing the issues of global peace, justice and nonviolence.

Wilhelm Pierola Iturralde is the president of the Bolivian Association "Joining Hands for Life". In an interview at the Global Forum of the Ecumenical Water Network last week, he spoke about water issues in Bolivia.