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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.

"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 Indonesian province of Papua, one of the word's richest in terms of natural resources, in order to raise the international awareness of the indigenous population's poor living conditions.

Recordando el carisma de Chiara Lubich como una "llama de amor que comenzó a brillar en medio de las cenizas y destrucción de la guerra", en un homenaje a la fundadora del Movimiento de los Focolares, el Secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, quiso participar en el "profundo dolor" de los muchos amigos de Chiara en el CMI ante la noticia de su muerte. Chiara Lubich, que se dedicó a la promoción de la paz, la unidad de la iglesia y el diálogo interreligioso, falleció el 14 de marzo a la edad de 88 años en su hogar cerca de Roma, Italia.

"Las autoridades indonesias siguen sometiendo a los ciudadanos de Papua a torturas, malos tratos, arrestos arbitrarios y procesos judiciales injustos", afirmó la encargada del programa de derechos humanos del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Christina Papazoglou, en su intervención del 14 de marzo ante el Consejo de Derechos Humanos de las Naciones Unidas, que está celebrando su séptimo período de sesiones en Ginebra. En nombre del CMI, Papazoglou pidió que se envíe una misión de investigación a la provincia indonesia de Papua, una de las más ricas del mundo en recursos naturales, con el fin de sensibilizar a la opinión pública internacional acerca de las malas condiciones de vida de las poblaciones indígenas.

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 inter-religious dialogue, died on 14 March aged 88 at her home near Rome, Italy.

" El Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) y el movimiento ecuménico han perdido a un eminente ecumenista, un hombre de visión y de gran pasión por el futuro de la vida sobre la tierra y por una iglesia visiblemente unida en fidelidad al llamamiento de Cristo", afirmó el secretario general del CMI, pastor Dr. Samuel Kobia, en un homenaje al profesor Dr. Lukas Vischer, quien falleció el 11 de marzo de 2008, a la edad de 81 años. Texto completo del homenaje:

"The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the ecumenical movement have lost an outstanding ecumenist, a man of vision and great passion for the future of life on earth and for a church visibly united in faithfulness to Christ's calling", said WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a tribute to Rev. Dr Lukas Vischer, who died on 11 March 2008 at the age of 81.

"We express our sincere sorrow and sympathy to the families of those who were killed or injured in the shootings last week at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem," said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia on 10 March, joining his voice to those of the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem. "An attack on a Jewish seminary has a profound impact on all people of faith. The World Council of Churches strongly condemns this attack."

El secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, expresó el lunes la absoluta condena de los "ataques mortales a civiles realizados por los militares israelíes en Gaza y por militantes que lanzan cohetes desde Gaza". Alegando que el "camino para la paz está abierto, pero vacío", exigió que se ponga fin a las "incesantes violaciones del derecho a la vida y los derechos humanos", así como al "bloqueo que ha privado sistemáticamente de casi todos sus derechos a los habitantes de Gaza".

En una conversación sobre un amplio temario que tuvo lugar en el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) con sede en Ginebra, el secretario general de las Naciones Unidas, Excmo. Sr. Ban Ki-Moon, y el secretario general del CMI, Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, acordaron que las dos organizaciones mundiales deben trabajar en colaboración más estrecha con respecto a varios problemas mundiales, especialmente el cambio climático.

Absolute condemnation for the "deadly attacks on civilians by the Israeli military on Gaza and by militants firing rockets from Gaza" was expressed by the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia today. Claiming that "the path to peace stands open but empty," he called for an end of the "incessant violations of life and of human rights" and of the "blockade that has systematically deprived Gazans of almost all their rights."

In a wide ranging discussion at the Geneva-based World Council of Churches (WCC) the UN secretary general, H.E. Ban Ki-Moon and WCC general secretary, Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia found agreement for the two world bodies to work more closely on several global issues, particularly climate change.

El Comité Central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI) clausuró su reunión celebrada del 13 al 20 de febrero, después de haber elegido el lugar para la Convocatoria Ecuménica Internacional por la Paz de 2011; dio nuevos pasos hacia la ampliación de la Asamblea del CMI; acogió nuevas iglesias miembros; nombró un comité de búsqueda para designar un nuevo secretario general y celebró el 60º aniversario del Consejo. El principal órgano rector del CMI aprobó también varias declaraciones públicas, asuntos de política y planes del programa.

The WCC Central Committee this week condemned a whole category of peculiarly indiscriminate weapons known as cluster munitions. A cluster munition scatters many small bombs in order to kill and injure people over a wide area. The church debate in Geneva coincided with a world conference on banning the weapons that stirred deep debate between governments and NGOs meeting in New Zealand.

La crisis humanitaria en Gaza y el flagelo de las municiones de racimo fueron objeto de declaraciones del Comité Central del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), que también exhortó a "un cambio profundo en la relación con la naturaleza, las políticas económicas, y los patrones de consumo, de producción y tecnológicos" para enfrentar el cambio climático.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee closed its 13-20 February meeting after having chosen the venue for the 2011 International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, achieved progress towards a broader WCC Assembly, welcomed new member churches, appointed a search committee for a new general secretary and celebrated the Council's 60th anniversary. The WCC main governing body also put its stamp on a number of public statements, policy concerns and programme plans.

Nazeli Kandakarjian, a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia) in Lebanon, is serving as a young adult steward at these central committee meetings. She arrived five days late for the training programme due to a series of visa difficulties, ultimately receiving her visa just a few hours before her rescheduled flight on 11 Feb. "It was like in the movies", she said of the last-minute rush. When she finally arrived in Geneva, though--her first trip outside the Middle East--she was warmly welcomed by the other stewards. They were eager to learn about her, and she enjoyed hearing their stories, as well. She said the group bonded quickly and has worked well together. "It's like being in the center of the globe", said Kandakarjian, who was born in Kuwait. "I have people from all over the world telling me their experiences. It couldn't be any better than this. I'm so happy to be here". A friend who attended the WCC Assembly in Porto Alegre in 2006 encouraged her to apply for the stewards programme. She did, because she liked the idea of actually working at the meetings and not just being an observer. Now Kandakarjian is carrying that same message to others. "I would like to encourage everyone to be in this kind of experience", she said, expressing an appreciation for the ecumenical work she was able to witness. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's great". All of the stewards were recognised at the conclusion of the meetings Wednesday with a round of applause and the moderator's thanks, and each received the gift of a WCC watch.

Presided by an African woman, with a membership that includes three youth, eight women, four Orthodox and a strong representation from the South, the search committee for a new World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary has already begun to work.

By Manuel Quintero (*)

The World Council of Churches central committee issued a reminder on the pressing issue of climate change this week, urging member churches and others to "Be stewards of God's creation".