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Dear participants in the 10th anniversary of the Peace Train project,
On behalf of the World Council of Churches, I extend warm greetings to you as you gather to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Peace Train project.
The Peace Train project has been a tremendous source of inspiration for the ecumenical fellowship’s work for peace on the Korean Peninsula. In 2013, delegates to the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan embarked on a pilgrimage of justice and peace to Mount Dora and Imjingak, standing in solidarity with the people of Korea and endorsing the call for the peaceful reunification of the divided Korean nation.
Since the Busan Assembly, WCC member churches and partners renewed their engagement and support for ecumenical endeavours for peace, reconciliation, and reunification on the Korean Peninsula. This continuing commitment is reflected in the WCC 11th Assembly minute on ending the war and building peace on the Korean Peninsula, as well as in the WCC’s ‘The Light of Peace’ initiative.
This year, as we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Armistice Agreement, which established a ceasefire but not a formal end to the Korean War, we find ourselves amidst renewed tensions and confrontations on the Korean Peninsula. At this critical juncture, I pray that the spirit of the Peace Train project will, through your gathering, reignite the desire for a lasting peace regime to replace the Armistice Agreement. May it also serve as an inspiration for Korean churches and civil society to reaffirm their commitment to the pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation and unity.
As a worldwide fellowship of Christians, the WCC will continue to stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Korea, South and North. I urge all Christians to join us in prayer for the Korean Peninsula, that God’s will for justice and peace may prevail.
May the 10th anniversary of the Peace Train project serve as a catalyst for renewed hope, dialogue, and transformative action toward a peaceful and unified Korea.
“Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called children of God” (Matt 5:9 NRSV)
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Dr Prof. Jerry Pillay
general secretary
World Council of Churches
