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Douglas Leonard, from the Reformed Church in America (RCA), was announced as the new coordinator of the Ecumenical United Nations Office (EUNO), a joint working space of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ACT Alliance, in New York.

The World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA grieve with the families of those who lost their lives in the mass shooting that took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the night of October 1, 2017. We pray for those whose lives have been shattered by this senseless act and lift up those who will be recovering years to come.

At a “Hearing on Racism, Discrimination, Afrophobia and Xenophobia” held at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on 25 September, speakers reflected, lamented and, at times, simply sat in silence as they considered the experience of people of African descent in the USA.

En una “Reunión de información y debate sobre el racismo, la discriminación, la afrofobia y la xenofobia” celebrada en el Centro Ecuménico de Ginebra, los oradores reflexionaron, lamentaron y, en ocasiones, simplemente permanecieron sentados en silencio mientras consideraban la experiencia de los afrodescendientes en los Estados Unidos de América.

On 20 September at the United Nations in New York, a treaty to ban nuclear weapons was formally opened for signature. At the time of writing, some 49 states have signed.

El 20 de septiembre, en la sede de Naciones Unidas de Nueva York se abrió oficialmente a la firma el Tratado sobre la prohibición de las armas nucleares. Al momento de redactar el presente comunicado, ya lo habían firmado unos 49 Estados.

Dr. Emily Welty is an assistant professor in Peace and Justice Studies at Pace University in New York City (USA). She also serves as vice moderator of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs. As an advocate for banning nuclear weapons, Dr Welty is known both for her unwavering belief in a world free from nuclear weapons, and for her strategic thinking toward that goal.

The need for the ecumenical movement is an urgent one today, said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit as he spoke this week at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University in Minnesota (USA).

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, on 18 August, released a response condemning recent racist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. The bishops lamented the loss of life, and condemned “shameful efforts” to promote racial bigotry and white supremacist ideology.

In an open letter on 28 August, former moderators of the general assemblies of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and its predecessor churches expressed their increasing alarm when notions of nationalism and racial superiority are masked and clothed in terms of the Christian faith.

On Saturday in Charlottesville, one woman died and 19 others were injured when a man who, after rallying with white supremacist groups, rammed his car into a crowd. Earlier in the day, two law enforcement officers lost their lives when their helicopter crashed as they patrolled the building crowds.

As the recent developments of nuclear weapons and increased tensions between United States and North Korea leaders can bring the world to the brink of war, churches around the world are calling for bilateral dialogue, expressing their commitment to peace and nonviolent resolution.

En vista de que los recientes progresos en el desarrollo de las armas nucleares y el aumento de las tensiones entre Estados Unidos y Corea del Norte pueden llevar al mundo al borde de una guerra, las iglesias de todo el mundo llaman al diálogo bilateral y expresan su compromiso con la paz y la resolución no violenta de los conflictos.

Banning nuclear weapons is something like climbing a mountain. The summit of this mountain – agreement on a ban treaty – is now clearly in view at United Nations negotiations in New York.

Expressing concern regarding recently announced US measures related to refugee admissions and entry into the US by seven Muslim-majority countries, the World Council of Churches (WCC), ACT Alliance (ACT), and The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) affirmed that faith calls all Christians to love and welcome the stranger, the refugee, the internally displaced person - “the other.”

Expresando su preocupación ante las medidas recientemente anunciadas por el gobierno estadounidense en relación con la admisión de refugiados y la entrada en EE. UU. de los ciudadanos de siete países de mayoría musulmana, el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias, ACT Alianza y la Federación Luterana Mundial afirman que nuestra fe nos insta a todos los cristianos, a amar y acoger al extranjero, al refugiado, al desplazado interno: al “otro”.

The General Board of Global Ministries, a mission agency of The United Methodist Church, hosted representatives from the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism this week for a meeting to plan a World Mission Conference scheduled for March 2018.

Many voices have joined the chorus demanding respect for indigenous peoples’ rights and eco-justice in connection with Standing Rock, a location at the heart of the struggle against the proposed path of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in North Dakota, USA.

Muchas voces se han unido al coro que reclama respetar los derechos de los pueblos indígenas y la ecojusticia en relación con Standing Rock, localidad central en la lucha contra el trazado inicial del oleoducto Dakota Access (DAPL por su sigla en inglés) en Dakota del Norte, Estados Unidos.

As wars and conflict continue to force thousands of families to flee their homes every day, the WCC appeals to all people of good will to support the UNHCR’s #WithRefugees campaign. By signing a petition to be handed over to the UN headquarters before the General Assembly meeting on 19 September, people around the globe are asked to raise their voices, to ensure that every refugee child gets an education, that every refugee family has somewhere safe to live, and that every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to their community.