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An influential document full of hopes and aspirations, having received worldwide acclaim for highlighting the struggle of Palestinians against oppressive Israeli occupation, continues to seek a future after its fifth anniversary was celebrated in December last year.

A consultation in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa has discussed creative ways of using the WCC statement in mission education and curriculum. The WCC statement, titled “Together towards life: Mission and evangelism in changing landscapes”, seeks a renewed understanding and practice of mission and evangelism.

Although climate change is often thought of as something external to an individual person, it is interwoven with personal spirituality, as well. This was the conclusion of a panel of three faith leaders during a session at the Interfaith Summit on Climate Change held on 22 September.

Inspired by the theme “pilgrimage of justice and peace”, the Central Committee of the WCC, a chief governing body of the Council, has set directions for the work of the Council from 2014 to 2017.

As young people help to facilitate the meeting of the WCC's governing body, they are pursuing a collective pilgrimage of their own.

The WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit has congratulated new leaders of the South African Council of Churches, elected recently at its Triennial Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, 25 to 26 February.

Ambassador Abdul Samad Minty, permanent representative of South Africa to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, recalled his friend and former president Nelson Mandela in a memorial service on 16 December at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva.

The general secretary of the WCC, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, Monday morning 9 December, to attend events in honour of Nelson Mandela who died Thursday, 5 December.

Celebrating the life and works of Nelson Mandela, Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the WCC Central Committee, called Mandela a “global icon of justice, peace and dignity” for Africa and the world.

Calling Nelson Mandela a leader with hard-won wisdom and maturity unparalleled in our time, the WCC general secretary gave thanks to God for Mandela’s life, which he described as a gift to South Africa and the whole world.

The WCC is working toward the revival of “Thursdays in Black”, a campaign against sexual and gender-based violence. The emphasis is pertinent to the theme of the WCC’s upcoming assembly: “God of life, lead us to justice and peace”.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been honoured with the 2013 Templeton Prize in recognition of his lifetime achievements in advancing spiritual principles of hope, reconciliation and forgiveness, especially in helping to end the apartheid era in South Africa.

Church representatives at a recent Oikotree Global Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa stressed the need to support peoples'€™ movements promoting justice in the economy and ecology, a concern, they say, that lies at the heart of the faith.

What will the world look like if we continue careening down a slide of eco-injustice? Ninth graders in South Africa have some idea. In a campaign organized by Suwi Siwila, the students pretended they were living in the future, writing a description to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“This is the only home we have,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu referring to the crucial significance of our planet and its survival. He was speaking in an interfaith rally in Durban, urging the United Nations conference on climate change (COP17) to deliver a fair, ambitious and binding treaty to address climate change effectively.

“The prospect for a religion-based approach to peace-making has a great potential in sub-Saharan Africa,” Dr Yacob Tesfai said presenting his new book Holy Warriors, Infidels and Peacemakers in Africa.