On 18 September this year, the WCC and UNICEF signed a global partnership pledging to work together to support children's rights, with focus on two major issues: Violence against children and climate change.

Two month later the WCC and UNICEF will hold a capacity building seminar at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on churches' role in protecting children's rights. It will be a milestone in the development of “principles and tools for child-friendly churches” and showcase current stages of engagement by WCC member churches.

Up to 60 leaders and child rights experts of WCC member churches, church-related development agencies (specialized ministries) and key resource persons from UNICEF and other partners will participate.

The seminar will be held one day ahead of the anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was signed on 20 November 1989.

Expressions of interest can be sent to Frederique.Seidel[at]wcc-coe.org.

Please note that no subsidies for participation are available from WCC but some support will be sought from the Geneva Canton for participants from developing countries submitting their expressions of interest by 4 October.