Displaying 1 - 20 of 30

5th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith Based Organizations in International Affairs

29 January 2019

On Tuesday, 29 January 29 2019, the Fifth Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs will focus on financing for sustainable development and build on this vision of an economy of life as the flourishing of all life. Panel discussions will consider the broad issues of economic justice as addressed in the course of human rights-based development, governance and accountability in the global financial architecture, the implications for environmental sustainability, gender justice and financing social protection.

Conference Room 2, United Nations secretariat, New York

Re-engineering life forms: Church forum raises concerns

“What do we have the right to manipulate in creation?” The question is at the heart of a Canadian Quaker’s commitment to the process of encouraging member churches of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to reflect on scientific experiments in modifying life forms known as “synthetic biology”.

Responsible agriculture investments theme of WCC session

Promoting responsible agricultural investments was the theme of a session organised by the WCC at the Civil Society Policy Forum of the World Bank Group-International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings held in Washington DC from 9-13 October. “There is no doubt we need to invest more in agriculture – it feeds us all and remains an important source of employment, especially for the world’s poor,” said Athena Peralta, WCC programme executive for economic and ecological justice.

Redesigning the Tree of Life: Synthetic Biology and the Future of Food

02 - 04 November 2017

Organized by the World Council of Churches and the Canadian Council of Churches on 2-4 November, in Toronto, Canada, "Redesigning the Tree of Life" is intended as a participatory learning conference, informed by expert presentations, with time to build relationships and shared learning that make future shared work possible.

Toronto, Canada

G20 summit: call to pray for peace in Hamburg

Friday evening when the leaders of the G20 states will be meeting in Hamburg and discussing global economic, social, environmental and political issues, the churches in Germany are inviting people in Germany and all over the world to a common peace prayer.

G7 must address famine

Not nearly enough is being done to save the lives of the 20 million people who face famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria. Among them are 1.4 million children, who are at imminent risk of death unless aid reaches them immediately.

Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice

24 July - 03 August 2017

At its first Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice, the WCC's Ecumenical Water Network (EWN) along with its Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance will bring together about 20 young people from the Africa region. Over a period of 10 days, in an ecumenical setting, participants will have the opportunity to study the local, regional, and international manifestations and causes of the water crisis and food security affected by climate change. They will examine the situation and challenges from a perspective of faith and ethics, and search together for possible ecumenical responses to these challenges.

Lilongwe, Malawi

UN discussion focuses on women, HIV and property rights

“She is HIV positive too. No need to inherit her late husband’s title deed. She will die soon and leave it anyway.”

These man’s thoughts during his brother’s funeral were used by Jane Ng’ang’a, national coordinator, International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV (INERELA+) Kenya Chapter, to push the debate on property and inheritance rights linked to HIV. The discussion was held during the 61st Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), on 16 March, at the headquarters of UNAIDS, in New York.

Faith-based groups bring hope for a fast-track HIV response

"If there ever was a time to change words into action, it is today", said U.S. ambassador-at-large Deborah L. Birx, M.D., coordinator of the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, at an interfaith prayer breakfast held during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 20 September.

WCC book featured in UN discussion on gender, religions and health

“Dignity, Freedom, and Grace: Christian Perspectives on HIV, AIDS and Human Rights,” a book published earlier this year by the WCC, will be among reports discussed at a 20 September event with the theme “Keeping the Faith in Development: Gender, Religions & Heath.”

Keeping the Faith in Development: Gender, Religion and Health

20 September 2016

UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNWomen (as part of the United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force on Religion and Development), the World Council of Churches - Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, & the Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research will co-host a symposium to launch three reports examining the intersections and areas of contention between health, human rights & lived theology during the United Nations General Assembly.

Salvation Army Auditorium, New York City, United States

Interfaith prayer breakfast on HIV

20 September 2016

An interfaith prayer breakfast will be held during the United Nations General Assembly will renew commitment to a shared vision of ending AIDS by 2030. Organized by the World Council of Churches – Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (WCC – EAA), in collaboration with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the UN Interagency Task Force on Religion and Development (IATF), this will be a unique opportunity to strengthen current collaboration and to forge new partnerships between faiths and other sectors.

New York City, United States