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Bossey student reflects on “the joy of discovering the other”

Radu Constantin grew up in the small hamlet of Cioatele, in northeastern Romania, a village he describes as “religious people, very involved in the church life.”

11 April 2024

Voice of churches vital during UN women’s rights talks

As the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) drew to a close, a look back shows that, this year, the World Council of Churches (WCC), through its Ecumenical Office to the United Nations, brought many voices to the table to speak on gender equality, women's rights, and empowerment.

28 March 2024

Churches in South Sudan appeal for support during worsening humanitarian crisis

Churches in South Sudan are appealing for humanitarian assistance, amidst fears that the consequences of climate change, macro-economic shocks, and the war in Sudan could sink the country further into the worst humanitarian crisis since independence.

26 March 2024

The book cover shows the face of a child in the outline of the map of Africa

Recueil: De Pratiques Prometteuses dans les interventions des communautés religieuses en Afrique contre le VIH chez les enfants et les adolescents

Résumé Analytique

UNAIDS and PEPFAR developed this compendium. WCC collaborated on translating the Executive Summary into French and Portuguese.

Ce rapport vital compile des enseignements essentiels tirés du rôle moteur exceptionnel des communautés religieuses pour combattre le VIH chez les enfants. Il documente des données sur le rôle fondamental joué par les communautés religieuses pour identifier les enfants non diagnostiqués vivant avec le VIH, améliorer la continuité du traitement et soutenir l’adhésion aux soins et au traitement. Il répertorie également les enseignements tirés de la manière dont les responsables religieux ont mené des actions de plaidoyer pour s’attaquer à la stigmatisation et la discrimination et oeuvrer en faveur de la réalisation des objectifs. Il permettra aux communautés religieuses, et à tous leurs soutiens et partenaires, de promouvoir un changement de taille dans les activités pour mettre fin au SIDA chez les enfants d’ici à 2030.

23 March 2024

Compendium of Promising Practices of African Faith Community Interventions against Paediatric and Adolescent HIV

Executive Summary

UNAIDS and PEPFAR developed this compendium in 2023. WCC collaborated on translating the Executive Summary into French and Portuguese.

This vital report brings together essential lessons from faith communities’ exceptional leadership in addressing the challenge of HIV in children. It documents evidence from the core roles that faith communities have played in identifying undiagnosed children living with HIV, improving the continuity of treatment, and supporting adherence to care and treatment. It also documents lessons from how faith leaders have driven advocacy to tackle stigma and discrimination and push for targets to be achieved. It will help faith communities and those who support and partner with them to advance a step change in progress towards the goal of ending AIDS in children by 2030.

23 March 2024

Pasteure Sally Azar: Les Jeudis en noir «fédèrent des personnes du monde entier»

Notre série d’entretiens avec les ambassadeurs et ambassadrices des Jeudis en noir met en lumière les femmes et les hommes qui jouent un rôle essentiel dans l’amplification des effets de notre appel collectif à un monde sans viol ni violence. Pasteure de l’Église évangélique luthérienne de Jordanie et de la Terre Sainte, Sally Azar exerce actuellement son ministère dans des paroisses arabophones et anglophones de Jérusalem.

21 March 2024

Rev. Sally Azar: Thursdays in Black “is universally bringing people together”

Our series of interviews with Thursdays in Black ambassadors highlights those who are playing a vital role in increasing the impact of our collective call for a world without rape and violence. Rev. Sally Azar is a pastor at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and currently serves as a pastor in Jerusalem for both Arabic and English-speaking congregations.

21 March 2024

«Soyons celles et ceux qui font montre d’une réelle volonté», déclare le président de la commission pour le climat du COE

Le président de la Commission pour la justice climatique et le développement durable du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE), l’archevêque Julio Murray Thompson, livre ses réflexions lors d’une entrevue vidéo donnée au COE sur les défis que doit relever la commission, les partenariats qu’elle compte nouer et la manière dont elle prévoit d’impliquer les jeunes.

14 March 2024

WCC climate commission moderator: “Let us be the ones to show that there is a will”

Moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development Archbishop Rev. Julio Murray Thompson, in a WCC video interview, reflects on the challenges the commission is facing, how it will build partnerships, and ways in which it will involve young people.

07 March 2024

Inter-religious voices of concern in lead-up to International Women’s Day

In an online conference organized by the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations on 5 March, the World Council of Churches (WCC) was represented among inter-religious voices bringing their concerns and sense of solidarity in the lead-up to International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on 8 March.

07 March 2024

Book cover with the title and an image of a woman with a hand covering her mouth as symbol of GBV on a dark background

Waterfall of Solidarity and Resistance

sharing the stories

The Waterfall of Solidarity and Resistance is a tapestry of over 180 cloth panels, all conveying stories of pain, resistance and hope in efforts to overcome sexual and gender-based violence. The World Council of Churches invited individuals and groups to contribute panels as part of the Thursdays in Black global movement, and the resulting tapestry was launched at the WCC’s 11^th Assembly in September 2022.

The tapestry itself makes a profound and moving statement of our need and commitment to a world without rape and violence. This publication brings all the panels and the stories and explanations of their creation together so that the words and images can make an even greater impact in our homes and communities.

04 March 2024

As femicide cases rises, Kenyan religious leaders move to act

As cases of femicide rise, religious leaders in Kenya are calling for the protection of women, as they unite to condemn the incidents now sending shockwaves across the East African nation.

06 February 2024

True Freedom

Un nouveau cours mondial pour le carême 2024

Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata

Bishop Alastair Redfern

Frederique Seidel

Caroline Virgo

Claire Walford

A new global resource from The World Council of Churches and The Clewer Initiative, True Freedom is a six-week course for Lent. It draws on themes from the book of Galatians and encourages individuals and churches to respond to modern slavery in their communities.

True Freedom includes:

A short Bible study on the book of Galatians
A reflection written by Revd Dr Kenneth Mtata and Bishop Alastair Redfern
Questions for group discussion or personal reflection
Case studies from churches around the world
Information and statistics about modern slavery
Artwork to contemplate and discuss

26 January 2024

"Africa Six" bishops gather at St Paul’s University: “we carry the flag of women”

Six African Anglican female bishops—fondly known as the “Africa Six”—gathered at St Paul’s University in Nairobi, Kenya on 11 January to share their ideas and inspirations about “Christian Leadership for the 21st Century.”

12 January 2024

What is gender-based online disinformation—and what can we do about it?

Lucina Di Meco, co-founder of #ShePersisted, shared research on gendered disinformation and online abuse against women in politics. She also shared suggestions for action during her presentation, part of a workshop for young church leaders on “Tackling Online Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.”

08 January 2024

Les responsables religieux-ses s’unissent pour la paix climatique, en solidarité avec les personnes réfugiées, et encouragent la conférence de l’ONU

Les responsables religieux-ses d’une quarantaine d’organisations confessionnelles du monde entier se sont mis-es d’accord pour continuer à défendre le droit individuel de demande d’asile, lors d’une réunion à Genève. C’était un moment fort à la veille du Forum mondial sur les réfugiés, le plus grand rassemblement international de ce type au monde. Ils et elles se sont réuni-e-s le 12 décembre, au Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE), sous la présidence d’un archevêque arménien et d’une diplomate des Nations unies, ancienne législatrice turque.

15 December 2023

Photo showing some of the devastation of war

Tackling sexual violence in war

War has always tragically impacted women and children, but the traumatic effects of weaponizing women in war have long been swept under the carpet.On 8 December, the World Council of Churches (WCC) held a hybrid discussion watched globally as part of the 16 Days Against Gender-based Violence.

14 December 2023

Religious leaders uniting for climate peace in solidarity with refugees, boost UN conference

The moment religious leaders from around 40 faith-based organisations worldwide agreed to keep defending the individual right to seek asylum during a gathering in Geneva marked a high point on the eve of the Global Refugee Forum, the world's biggest such international gathering.They met at a one-day event on 12 December at the World Council of Churches (WCC), chaired by an Armenian archbishop and a UN diplomat who was once a Turkish legislator.

14 December 2023