Just published, a booklet on the WCC's 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil reviews, in words and images, an event that gathered over 4000 people from churches throughout the world and, in the words of the WCC general secretary, "heralded a new era in ecumenical history, to be marked by increasing attention to the spiritual strength of ecumenism along with the institutional concerns of the ecumenical movement".

"One of the 20th century's great Christian pastors and activists for peace and justice" is how World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia described US clergyman Rev. Dr William Sloane Coffin, Jr., who died on 12 April 2006.

"Keep the promise" is the title of a new teaching resource on advocacy and HIV/AIDS produced by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance with support from UNAIDS, the World AIDS Campaign and the World Health ORganization.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia wrote 23 March to Christian Peacemaker Teams co-director Douglas Pritchard, expressing "great joy" at the news that three CPT team members held in Iraq had been freed.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) today thanked the United Nations General Assembly for its work in bringing a reshaped Human Rights Council into being.

"The actions of the government are in clear violation of the democratic rights of the Filippino people." This clear denunciation was made in a 7 March 2006 letter from World Council of Churches (WCC) deputy general secretary Georges Lemopoulos to Philippines president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

"Deeply saddened" by news of the death of Dr Han Wenzao, former president of the China Christian Council (CCC) and general secretary of the Amity Foundation, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, in a 7 February letter of condolence addressed to Rev. Cao Shenjie, president of the China Christian Council, described Dr Han as "one of the great personalities who provided leadership to the church in China in the post-revolutionary era".

Responding to news of the death of H.B. Nikolay, WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia today sent a letter of condolence to the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Lands and in Slovakia.

"We very much welcome what churches in Europe are saying about this avoidable crisis: diversity of religion enriches Europe," said Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia today.

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has written to H.E. Evo Morales, congratulating him on his election as president of Bolivia.