Search results

The World Council of Churches, in a public statement, is urging the government of the United Kingdom to reconsider the UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership.

A webinar held 22 October gave space for persons with disabilities to share their reflections. Entitled “From Lamentation to Transformation,” the event, first in a series of webinars on COVID-19 perspectives, highlighted hope through stories, practical support, and social change as experienced by persons with disabilities.

WCC News met with the Very Reverend Archimandrite Dr Alexi Chehadeh, who leads the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East in Damascus, Syria. He is an impressive role model and peacemaker in Syria.

El Muy Reverendo archimandrita Alexi Chehadeh, jefe del Departamento de Relaciones Ecuménicas y Desarrollo del Patriarcado Greco-Ortodoxo de Antioquía y todo el Oriente, en Damasco (Siria), concedió la siguiente entrevista a las Noticias del CMI. El padre Alexi es una figura modélica impresionante, además de ser pacificador en Siria.

Many ecumenical pioneers, including former WCC general secretary Philip Potter, were in a sense a product of the Sunday School movement. Ulrich Becker tells a story that seems to be in danger of being forgotten.

Muchos pioneros ecuménicos, entre ellos el exsecretario general del CMI, Philip Potter, fueron en cierto modo producto del movimiento de la escuela dominical. Ulrich Becker cuenta una historia que parece correr el peligro de ser olvidada.

“Macha's contribution to improving the lives of blind, partially sighted and other persons with disabilities both in Africa and around the world was remarkable,” said Dr Penny Hartin, CEO, World Blind Union, upon learning the death of Dr Elly Macha.

David Bradwell of Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees has been on a mission for the past six months trying to raise awareness on what individuals and churches can do to help those fleeing conflicts and wars.

Participants in a recent conference on the refugee crisis in Europe, hosted by the WCC, said they felt energized by the reports from a multitude of activities undertaken by churches from Lebanon to Finland through Serbia, Greece and Germany.

En una reciente conferencia sobre la crisis de los refugiados en Europa, los participantes afirmaron sentirse alentados por los diversos informes de actividades presentados por iglesias desde el Líbano a Finlandia, hasta Serbia, Grecia y Alemania.

Two major crises have marked the months since the WCC called Katalina Tahaafe-Williams to work in Geneva on its migration, indigenous, and multicultural ministry programmes. When she took up the job in October, the European refugee crisis was in full flow. Then in November, terrorists attacked Paris.

“We are not speaking of people leaving one less-than-affluent suburb to go to a more affluent one because they seek a better quality of life; these are people leaving war-torn, poverty-stricken and conflict-filled near-anarchic states to find protection and safety for themselves and for their families.”

El obispo Angaelos rezuma autoridad cuando habla de los refugiados y de los cristianos en Oriente Medio. Nacido en El Cairo, pertenece a la diáspora de Oriente Medio y de África y actualmente es obispo general de la Iglesia Ortodoxa Copta en el Reino Unido.

The Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe and the WCC have published a revised and updated edition of their joint study, Mapping Migration: Mapping Churches’ Responses in Europe. The 2016 text explores challenges and changes in the European church landscape in light of international migration.

Azad is a refugee from the north of Aleppo, Syria and is currently in The Jungle camp in Calais, France. “It’s hard here” says Azad, and then falls quiet. “People are hungry, cold, afraid and we can’t do anything”. He’s sitting cross-legged on the floor of a small shelter.

Azad* es un refugiado del norte de Alepo (Siria). Actualmente, se encuentra en el campamento de La Jungla en Calais (Francia). “Es difícil aquí”, dice Azad, y se calla. “La gente tiene hambre, frío, miedo y no podemos hacer nada”. Está sentado con las piernas cruzadas en el suelo de un pequeño refugio.

Capitalizing on momentum from the recent COP21 accord in Paris was the focus of a meeting of the WCC general secretary and the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace on 16 December.

As the 21st Conference of Parties (COP 21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change came to a close in Paris, a consultation organized by the National Council of Churches in the Philippines and the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance of the WCC on 11 December in Quezon City, Philippines considered “The Right to Food and Life in the Context of Climate Change.”