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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. 

ACT Alliance general secretary: “equity is not negotiable”

As the 78th session of the UN General Assembly and the first-ever Climate Action Summit were held in New York City in September, ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria reflected on the importance of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the ecumenical movement in creating a more sustainable and equitable world.

Video interview: WCC “will be known by where it invests its moral and financial resources”

In a video interview with WCC news, Rev. Dr Liberato C. Bautista, assistant general secretary for United Nations and International Affairs, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, reflects on the dynamics of the ecumenical movement between local and global realities and the role of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in international multilateral dialogue.

Historic First Session of the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent convenes, addresses Racism, Afrophobia and Reparatory Justice

An ecumenical delegation composed of five members from the National Baptist Convention USA Inc, United Methodist Church; Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and United Church of Christ attended the first session of the Permanent Forum for People of African Descent, a historic event that constitutes the culmination of several years of consistent advocacy.

With no ID card in Jerusalem, 26-year-old says “I lost my right to live a normal life”

Twenty-six-year-old Samyah* has no ID card—not Palestinian or Israeli. Born in the West Bank, she once had a Jerusalem ID card after her father but it was revoked. She found out about the revocation when she was 16 and thought had the opportunity to travel with her school to Switzerland. She could not travel. Since then, Samyah and her family have been struggling to regain her Jerusalem ID card.

Churches´Commission for Migrants in Europe release European church leaders’ statement on response of Europe to refugees

The Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe - CCME released a statement that speaks about the response of Europe to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. The statement addresses the concerns of discriminatory treatment of non-Ukrainians and minority ethnic people in this context and the more general question that the generosity shown in recent weeks often has not been extended to those fleeing from elsewhere.

Below, Dr Torsten Moritz, general secretary at the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe, reflects on why church leaders requested such a statement, and what lies at the heart of some of their different inputs.

Rev. Frank Chikane: “You can’t do unity at the expense of justice”

When Rev. Frank Chikane was leading the South African Council of Churches in calling out injustices of the apartheid system, their work did not stop even after the council’s office building was bombed to the ground in 1980s. Moderating the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches (WCC) since 2016, Rev. Chikane has been engaged in addressing injustices in many parts of the world. WCC Communication asked Rev. Chikane to look back at his term at the commission and the ongoing calling of churches to address injustices in the world today.

Webinar remembers past massacres in Europe

A webinar on 6 December—last in an ongoing series— remembered past massacres in Europe. Panellists explored questions such as: How do we recognise these tragedies, and celebrate the survival, resistance, resilience, and heroes of these communities? How do we honour their martyrdom? What is done to prevent these victims from falling into amnesia or denial?