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Under the theme “That the World May Know”, the Global Christian Forum (GCF) kicks off its Fourth Global Gathering, in Accra, Ghana, on Tuesday, 16 April. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) offered a workshop on health and healing at the All Africa Youth Congress being held in Accra, Ghana under the theme “Africa: My Home. My Future.”

Rev. Dr Fidon Mwombeki, general secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, urged youth to work for the prosperity of Africa, as he reminded them that the continent was their future home.

As part of an ongoing campaign on youth and patriotism, the All Africa Conference of Churches has convened a pre-congress meeting in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to prepare for a continental youth assembly later next year.

The city of Geneva is planning to rename a street for Annie Jiagge (1918-1996), who was the first African woman to be a World Council of Churches (WCC) president (1975-83). She was also moderator of the WCC’s commission on the Programme to Combat Racism.

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.

As Jonathan Kofi Dugbartey and Janice Adukwei Allotey showed photos of clothing and accessories during a recent World Council of Churches (WCC) webinar, a casual viewer may have thought this was a high-end fashion show.

African Church leaders are highlighting the need to tame the continent’s persistent post-harvest losses, as organizations point at rising food insecurity due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ayoko Bahun-Wilson is regional coordinator for West Africa for the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme. She hosted a weekly radio show for churches in Benin called “Zero Rape, Zero Violence.” The show was offered in collaboration by the WCC, Deborah Network, INACES and Hosannah Radio.

Below, Bahun-Wilson reflects on how the radio show, offered every Wednesday for three months, has heightened awareness—but there are many challenges that remain.

The WCC fellowship joins the family and friends of Prof. John Samuel Pobee in celebrating his life and ministry and grieving his death on 22 January.

A seminar on human resources and leadership development for diakonia was held in the West African Republic of Bénin from 13-17 May.

More than 70 African ecumenical leaders will take part in training seminars for diakonia and development, improving human resource development capacities of churches across all regions of the continent.

A delegation from the Evangelical Church in Germany is visiting the WCC on 26-27 October for an ecumenical learning experience that includes prayers with students from the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, an introduction and overview of the work of the WCC, a meeting with the Lutheran World Federation, and a guided tour of the Ecumenical Centre.

Maryland-based, Ghanaian-born Rev. Dr Casely Essamuah was in February selected as secretary of the Global Christian Forum. Originally ordained in the Methodist Church in Ghana, he began his work officially in July. This week he made a study visit to the WCC and the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva and the WCC was able to converse with him.

A global consultation on “Call to Mission, Perceptions of Proselytism” in Accra, Ghana on 8-11 June provided a forum for some 30 theologians and church leaders to explore what proselytism means and how it affects a wide range of Christian traditions.

“We’ve seen in the case of refugees, how the church takes a strong standpoint in welcoming those who have fled. But it isn’t always so easy in the congregations. There are many who feel fear, as we receive not only refugees but sometimes also people of other faiths. In this case, we can see a gap between what the church says, and what is actually lived.”

The first ever WCC Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice will be held 24 July to 3 August, hosted by the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Blantyre Synod. Applications are now open with a deadline of 11 June (deadline extended).

In the West African countries of Togo and Benin, adolescents and young people are confronted by various obstacles in accessing sexual and reproductive health services. Organized by the World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy West Africa regional office in Lomé, Togo, a workshop for 25 adolescents and young people from Benin and Togo helped participants make safe, responsible choices that prevent HIV infection.

Receiving the news that Pope Francis has appointed Cardinal Peter Turkson as president of the newly created dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the WCC expressed expectation to cooperation with the new structure, as it relates to several dimensions of work and cooperation with the Roman Catholic Church worldwide.