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The World Council of Churches (WCC) condemned violence, racism and police brutality in the US, following the death of George Floyd, a black man who was unarmed, at the hands of a police officer.

The National Council of Churches (USA) has joined with other humanitarian and human rights organizations in writing the US Congress to urge that obstacles keeping nongovernmental organizations from addressing the “devastating potential for COVID-19’s spread” within the nation of North Korea be removed.

In a joint letter to US president Donald Trump, the World Council of Churches, ACT Alliance, and National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA have urged the US to lift crippling sanctions against Iran that are greatly impeding response in that nation to COVID-19.

Pacific islands experience lasting impacts of the 50 years of nuclear testing and the region has become a global hotspot of climate change, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) learned in its meeting this week in Brisbane, Australia.

Alors qu’elle se réunit cette semaine à Brisbane, en Australie, la Commission des Églises pour les affaires internationales du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE) a été informée des conséquences durables pour les îles du Pacifique des cinquante années d’essais nucléaires dans la région, devenue l’une des zones du monde les plus sensibles aux changements climatiques.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) co-convened a workshop on 28 January to plan faith-based support for the 25-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action, a comprehensive international instrument for addressing the full range of issues faced by women globally.

In the aftermath of armed attacks by both the US and Iran, WCC reiterates its call for restraint and de-escalation of the confrontation.
“Further escalation and conflict between the United States and Iran can only serve short-term political interests, while threatening the permanent destruction of many lives, communities and precious cultural and environmental heritage,” said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit. “I appeal to political leaders on all sides of this confrontation to put the interests of the people of the region ahead of their own interests, and to seek peace through dialogue and negotiation rather than confrontation.”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) condemned an attack on a Hanukkah celebration at a rabbi´s home north of New York City, on 28 December, stabbing and wounding five people. Several state and local officials have described the location of stabbing as a synagogue.

As anger and protests in Chile have escalated into violence and caused 18 deaths, the World Council of Churches’ general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, has joined other church leaders in calling for a cessation of violence and a mechanism for addressing its root causes.

In a message to those gathered in Hampton, Virginia (USA), World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit explored “Race, Repentance, and Reparation: An Ecumenical Opportunity.”

Dans un message adressé aux personnes rassemblées à Hampton, en Virginie (États-Unis), le secrétaire général du Conseil œcuménique des Églises, le pasteur Olav Fykse Tveit s’est intéressé au thème: «Race, repentance et réparation: une occasion œcuménique».

At an informal dialogue, faith leaders gathered with representatives from governments, civil society, academia, and the United Nations to talk about financing adaptation, and loss and damage, related to climate change.

Lors d’un dialogue informel, les leaders religieux ont rencontré des représentants des gouvernements, de la société civile, du monde universitaire et des Nations Unies pour discuter du financement de l’adaptation et des pertes et dommages liés au changement climatique.

Born in Nazareth, Galilee, Rev. Dr Saïd Ailabouni moved to the US at the age of 19 to become a physician. But he was so angry at God that he went to study theology instead, becoming a Lutheran pastor. Now he is leading the Middle East & Europe desk of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Since leaving his hometown 50 years ago, he visits his Palestinian family regularly. As the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel approaches, Ailabouni agreed to share some of his lifetime observations with the Word Council of Churches.

Né à Nazareth, en Galilée, le pasteur Saïd Ailabouni a déménagé aux États-Unis à l’âge de 19 ans pour devenir médecin. Or, sa colère contre Dieu était telle qu’il a préféré suivre des études de théologie avant de devenir pasteur luthérien. Il est aujourd’hui à la tête du bureau pour le Moyen-Orient et l’Europe de l’Église évangélique luthérienne d’Amérique. Depuis qu’il a quitté sa terre natale, il y a 50 ans, il rend régulièrement visite à ses proches en Palestine. Alors que la Semaine mondiale pour la paix en Palestine et Israël approche, le pasteur Ailabouni accepte de confier certaines de ses réflexions, égrenées au fil des ans, au Conseil œcuménique des Églises.

Salpy Eskidjian Weiderud, leader of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, received an International Religious Freedom Award from the US Department of State on 17 July. She paused to speak with WCC Communication with a word about what has inspired her life’s work for peace.

Salpy Eskidjian Weiderud, leader of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, has received an International Religious Freedom Award from the US Department of State. The awards “honor extraordinary advocates of religious freedom from around the world” and will be presented on 17 July in Washington, D.C.

Salpy Eskidjian Weiderud, responsable du Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process (RTCYPP, Suivi religieux du processus de paix à Chypre), a reçu le Prix international de la liberté de la presse du Département d’État américain. Le prix «honore les défenseurs et défenseuses extraordinaires de la liberté religieuse dans le monde entier» et sera remis le 17 juillet à Washington, D.C.

Faith leaders across the USA released on 9 July a jointly signed statement entitled “Back from the Brink: Faith leaders call for diplomacy, not war, with Iran.”

WCC News spoke to Rev. Douglas Leonard, coordinator of the Ecumenical United Nations Office and World Council of Churches (WCC) representative to the United Nations in New York, after attending a summit in Washington D.C. that brought together some 45 representatives of churches and faith-based organizations committed to developing an advocacy plan that responds to the current political situation in the Holy Land.