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Prof. Ezra Chitando, World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy regional coordinator for Southern Africa, presented on behalf of WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri, a paper on “Women’s Transformative Leadership and Africa’s Holistic Development: The Role of the Churches” during an international conference on leadership transformation and innovation in Africa.

The ecumenical staff gathered with people from Zimbabwe and Botswana on 14 June for a morning prayer and song that focused on the church as a place of refuge and trust.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is remembering the life of Patrick Matsikenyiri, whose career included virtually all aspects of church music—singing, choral directing, composition, hymnal editor, festival leader, professor, and enlivener of global songs in venues around the world.

Young African clergy, theologians and laypersons are eager to engage with the challenging issues facing their continent and the world. This became clear in a recent essay competition for authors below 35 years by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in partnership with the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC).

Les jeunes membres du clergé, théologiens et laïcs africains sont impatients de s’attaquer aux problèmes complexes qui touchent leur continent et le monde entier. C’est ce qui est apparu clairement lors d’un concours d’écriture destiné aux auteurs de moins de 35 ans et organisé par le Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE), en partenariat avec la Conférence des Églises de toute l’Afrique (CETA).

More than 100,000 people are still stranded from massive flooding caused by a devastating cyclone and heavy rainfall in Mozambique and neighbouring southeastern African countries. As the numbers of victims and people displaced are still unfolding, churches in the region are calling everyone to join in prayers for the wellbeing and protection of those affected.

Plus de 100 000 personnes sont toujours bloquées par les inondations généralisées provoquées par un cyclone destructeur et d’abondantes précipitations au Mozambique et dans les pays voisins d’Afrique du Sud-Est. Alors que le nombre de victimes et de personnes déplacées ne cesse d’augmenter, les Églises de la région en appellent à chacun et chacune à s’unir dans la prière pour le bien-être et la protection des personnes touchées.

Catholic and World Council of Churches (WCC) leaders, meeting in Rome to discuss ways of combating racism and xenophobia, have pledged to uphold the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees.

J’ai eu à vivre de nombreuses belles histoires avec le COE et certaines histoires décevantes, malheureusement, déclare la pasteure Margot Käßmann, théologienne luthérienne et ancienne présidente du Conseil de l’Église évangélique d’Allemagne (EKD). Elle fut membre des Comité central et exécutif du COE pendant de nombreuses années, jusqu’à sa démission en 2002. L’histoire qu’elle confie à l’occasion du 70e anniversaire du COE revient sur l’Assemblée générale du COE en 1998 à Harare, qui marqua la fin de la Décennie œcuménique des Églises solidaires des femmes.

I have experienced many good stories with the WCC, but unfortunately disappointing ones as well, says Rev. Dr Margot Käßmann, Lutheran theologian and former chairperson of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany. She was a member of the WCC Central and Executive Committees for many years, until her resignation in 2002. The story she contributed for the WCC 70th anniversary commemoration looks back to the 1998 WCC Assembly in Harare, which marked the end of the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women.

As election polls closed in Zimbabwe on 31 July, and people awaited announcements of results, reports on the ground were indicating that, although peace was holding, the situation is tense.

For Marijke van Duin it was culture shock on two levels: being in sub-Saharan Africa, attending a huge international conference. Both for the first time. The Dutch Mennonite experienced confrontation, transformation and hope at the WCC 8th Assembly in Harare…and made a friendship that transcended borders.

Pour Marijke van Duin, il y a eu un choc culturel à deux niveaux : le fait d’être en Afrique subsaharienne et de participer à une grande conférence internationale. Dans les deux cas, pour la première fois. Cette Mennonite hollandaise a découvert l’affrontement, la transformation, l’espoir lors de la 8ème assemblée du COE à Harare… et elle a noué une amitié qui franchissait les frontières.

Speaking to a gathering of key church leaders in Harare, Zimbabwe on 1 July ahead of a 30 July election of parliament and a new president, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit brought greetings from the WCC and assured those gathered of the support and prayers of the ecumenical fellowship.

In 2018 we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches. In order to create a lively firsthand account of the ecumenical fellowship and of our shared journey, member churches have contributed stories of people, events, achievements and even failures, all of which have deepened our collective search for Christian unity. This story was written by Olle Eriksson, a Namibian who worked for 35 years (1968 – 2003) with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia, Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission and Lutheran World Federation.

Les minorités blanches ont gouverné trois pays du sud de l’Afrique pendant de nombreuses années, y compris après l’indépendance de la plupart des anciennes colonies africaines. Des guerres sanglantes et acharnées ont fait rage pendant 20 à 30 ans avant que le Zimbabwe (anciennement Rhodésie) et la Namibie (anciennement Sud-Ouest africain) n’obtiennent leur indépendance en 1980 et 1990 respectivement, ainsi qu’avant la prise de pouvoir de la majorité en Afrique du Sud en 1994.

At its meeting in Amman, Jordan, the WCC Executive Committee issued a “Minute on the situation in Zimbabwe” as developments in Zimbabwe have led to the resignation of President Robert Mugabe after 37 years in power.

Lors de sa réunion à Amman, le Comité exécutif du COE a publié une «Note sur la situation au Zimbabwe», les événements dans le pays ayant entraîné la démission du président Robert Mugabe après 37 années au pouvoir.

Working with boys and men is critical to the success of the UNAIDS Fast Track agenda, said Pierre Somse, UNAIDS senior advisor for Fast Track Innovation, speaking at a symposium in Harare, Zimbabwe.

A delegation of church leaders from three continents led by the general secretary of the World Council of Churches was invited on a solidarity visit to Zimbabwe 17-20 May. The purpose of the visit was to show support for the churches in Zimbabwe in their peaceful efforts for the well-being of the people of Zimbabwe, and their work for a national dialogue with the government, political parties and other organizations.