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WCC well-represented in Religions for Peace leadership

Religions for Peace is the world's largest and most representative multi-religious coalition, and as in other multi-faith groups, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its ecumenical family figure strongly in its leadership bodies.

Staunch defenders of free speech counter hate, fear and fake news

Nowadays, any cause can be effectively promoted in a blink of an eye, with a click on a button. At virtually no cost, messages travel fast around the globe through social media and other digital platforms. For good and bad, but mostly for good. Because without it, grassroots movements, such as the Arab Spring, which started in Tunisia in 2010 and ended up toppling several governments, would have had a much harder time rallying support and getting their message across to key audiences.

#WCC70: Nathan Söderblom, ecumenical pioneer

The archbishop Dr Nathan Söderblom, an ecumenical forerunner and messenger of peace in war-torn Europe, challenged a deeply divided Christianity 100 years ago. Against all odds, the Stockholm Conference on Life and Work in 1925 gathered church leaders at a scale the world had not seen since Nicaea 1600 years earlier. And it did not end there.

Broken glass of hope grown out of rubble

Originally, they were made of pieces of broken glass from the rubble an Israeli tank left behind it when it slammed into the giftshop at the International Centre of Bethlehem (ICB) in 2002. Today the glass angels of peace are made of used bottles and have emerged into a small business enterprise employing around 50 people in the Bethlehem area. Since the tank-incident, thousands of angels have been produced and sold worldwide.

#WCC70: Dr Agnes Abuom: “I dream of a world where every man and woman’s dignity will be upheld”

It’s 70 years since the World Council of Churches was founded in Amsterdam on 23 August. In addition to a commemoration service in Amsterdam on 23 August, the WCC, its member churches and partners are planning a variety of events to move forward on our ongoing Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, and at the same time honour and learn from these 70 years of ecumenical endeavour. Dr Abuom, from the Anglican Church of Kenya, is the moderator of the WCC Central Committee. She is the first woman and the first African in the position in WCC’s history. In an interview, she reflects on the evolution of the WCC in the past 70 years.

#WCC70: Dra. Agnes Abuom: “Sueño con un mundo donde se respete la dignidad de cada hombre y cada mujer”

Hace 70 años que se fundó el Consejo Mundial de Iglesias en Ámsterdam, el 23 de agosto. Además de un servicio de conmemoración que tendrá lugar en Ámsterdam el 23 de agosto, el CMI, sus iglesias miembros y asociados ecuménicos están preparando varios eventos para seguir avanzando en nuestra actual peregrinación de justicia y paz, y, al mismo tiempo, rendir homenaje a estos 70 años de labor ecuménica y aprender de ellos. La Dra. Abuom, de la Iglesia Anglicana de Kenya, es la moderadora del Comité Central del CMI.

#WCC70: Remembering Orissa

In 2018 we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the WCC. In order to create a lively first-hand account of the ecumenical fellowship and of our shared journey, the WCC general secretary has invited all member churches to contribute stories, which we will bring to you throughout the coming year. The first story in our series was written by Gerard Willemsen, international director of the Uniting Church in Sweden.

#WCC70: Recuerdos de Orissa

En 2018 celebramos el 70º aniversario del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias. Con el fin de componer un relato vivo y de primera mano sobre la comunidad ecuménica y sobre nuestro viaje común, el secretario general del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias (CMI), el Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, ha invitado a todas las iglesias miembros a contar sus historias, las cuales les iremos transmitiendo a lo largo del año. La primera historia de nuestra serie es de Gerard Willemsen, director internacional de la Iglesia Unida de Suecia.

Peace consultations of hope

Around 60 participants from Christian churches all over the world gathered in Beit Sahour for peace consultations two weeks ago.

Plenary on children took place at WCC Central Committee meeting

A plenary discussion on support by religious communities for the rights of children, and a first draft of the statement of “principles for child-friendly churches,” captured the imagination of the Central Committee of the WCC on 27 June. The document will now undergo further revision and be resubmitted at the next WCC executive committee meeting.

A Palestinian pastor and an Israeli journalist – discerning the way ahead

Anticipating the award ceremony of the 2015 Olof Palme Prize on 29 January, the WCC secured interview time with laureates Rev. Dr Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, and Israeli journalist Gideon Levy, well-known for his contributions in the Haaretz Daily Newspaper, portraying the lives, the people and the victims in occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.

WCC/UN conference calls for coordinated action on refugee crisis

Following the WCC/UN High Level Conference on the Refugee Crisis in Europe, which took place at the Ecumenical Centre Geneva on 18-19 January, a statement has been issued entitled "Europe’s Response to the Refuge Crisis, From Origin to Transit, Reception and Refuge, A Call for Shared Responsibility and Coordinated Action”.

La conferencia del CMI/ONU insta a la adopción de medidas concertadas para la crisis de refugiados

Tras la conferencia de alto nivel celebrada en el Centro Ecuménico de Ginebra el 18 y el 19 de enero por el CMI y la ONU sobre la crisis de refugiados en Europa, se ha publicado una declaración titulada La respuesta de Europa a la crisis de refugiados y migrantes, desde los países de origen y de tránsito hasta los de acogida y refugio: llamamiento a la responsabilidad compartida y las medidas concertadas.