WCC plans solidarity visit to Democratic Republic of Congo

World Council of Churches (WCC) leaders will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo from 19-21 August to meet with religious leaders and government officials, and to express solidarity with the people and pray for just peace with the churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The visiting delegation will include WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit and Rev. Dr Frank Chikane, moderator of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, along with representatives from the All Africa Conference of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church.

Plans include a reception at the offices of the Church of Christ in Congo, an ecumenical worship service, and meetings with the WCC and All Africa Conference of Churches fellowship. The delegation will also visit refugee camps in Kinshasa, and meet with government officials and UNICEF representatives.

The visit also coincides with a A WCC “Pilgrim Team” visit under the theme “African Women of Faith and Gender Justice,” that aims to acknowledge and build women’s roles in church and society. By focusing on gender justice, and on peace with no violence against women, the Pilgrim Team will raise awareness, and call churches and ecumenical partners to action together for justice and peace.

The Pilgrim Team will express solidarity and accompaniment by interacting with women, religious and political leaders, and youth. In the tradition of other Pilgrim Team visits across the globe, the delegation will “visit the wounds” by listening to the stories of gender injustice and violence against women. They will also celebrate the gift of women and their role in the church, their life-giving, dignity-enhancing leadership styles, and their life of effective negotiation and peace-building.

The upcoming visit builds upon previous Pilgrim Team visits to Nigeria, Burundi, and South Sudan.

The participants in the Pilgrim Visit to the DRC are coming from Zambia, Namibia, Angola, Kenya, Burundi and Jamaica.

For questions regarding the World Council of Churches and international media, please contact:

WCC director of communication Marianne Ejdersten; e-mail: [email protected], mobile phone: +41 79 507 63 63

WCC member churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo