News in brief 
14. April 08
Bringing hope to a broken world
"The ecumenical movement is only faithful to the Gospel, if it is a movement of hope confronting itself with the reality of the severe threats to life that people are facing in today's world", said the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in Lunteren, the Netherlands, on Friday 11 April.
11. April 08
WCC welcomes summit on Zimbabwe crisis
The World Council of Churches (WCC) has welcomed the initiative of Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa to convene a summit of Southern African heads of state to address the current crisis in Zimbabwe.
10. April 08
Danish churches to dialogue with Muslims
Several member churches of the Danish National Council of Churches (DNCC) recently sent a response to a 13 Oct. 2007 open letter from 138 prominent Muslim scholars and leaders to church leaders around the world. The Danish church response was published 10 Apr. in the Danish newspaper, the Christian Daily. The 16 member churches who were signatories to the response said the Muslim letter "represents an important step in the essential dialogue...
10. April 08
Former WCC staff Geneviève Jacques honored in France
Ms Geneviève Jacques, former WCC Programmes Director, has been awarded the Légion d’Honneur by the French Republic for her active solidarity with the peoples of the South.
10. April 08
The WCC mourns the death of Father Vitaly Borovoy
A pioneer of inter-Christian dialogue who played a leading role in the movement for Christian reconciliation and unity, Protopresbyter Vitaly Borovoy, from the Russian Orthodox Church, died on 7 April aged 93.
28. March 08
WCC criticizes Islamophobic film, calls for mutual respect
The movie Fitna, recently released online by Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders was criticized as "a clear case of Islamophobia" by Rev. Dr Shanta Premawardhana, director of the World Council of Churches' (WCC) Programme on Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation. "Through graphic images the filmmaker depicts violent extremism without any attempt to distinguish it from mainstream Islam. Extremism is a problem for most religions...
20. March 08
Young theologians of all stripes submit ideas for the future of ecumenism
More than 50 young theologians from 36 churches in 24 countries have answered the WCC's invitation to submit essays addressing the theme: "Making a Difference Together - Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century". The essay contest is part of the programme to commemorate the Council's 60th anniversary in 2008.
17. March 08
World Water Day in Holy Week: pray and act for water for all
This year the World Water Day (22 March) falls on the Saturday before Easter (according to the calendar followed by Western churches). It also culminates the "Seven Weeks for Water" campaign by the Ecumenical Water Network.
17. March 08
WCC calls for UN fact finding mission to Papua
"Papuans still are subject to torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests and unfair trials by the Indonesian authorities," said the World Council of Churches (WCC) programme executive for human rights, Christina Papazoglou in a 14 March oral intervention before the United Nations Human Rights Council, which is currently holding its seventh session in Geneva. On behalf of the WCC, Papazoglou asked for a fact-finding mission to be sent to the...
14. March 08
Tribute to Chiara Lubich
Recalling the charisma of Chiara Lubich as a "flame of love that began to shine in the midst of the ashes and destruction of war" in a tribute to the founder of the Focolare movement, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia shared the "deep sorrow" of her many friends on the WCC upon the news of her death. Chiara Lubich, who dedicated herself to the promotion of peace, church unity and...