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As a “Living Together” celebration in Bagdad opened on 6 March, religious and ethnic leaders from Iraq celebrated diversity and, at the same time, candidly addressed challenges to inclusive citizenship. They were joined by representatives of Iraqi executive and legislative authorities as well as representatives from UN agencies and embassies.

The Jamaica Baptist Union, at its 173rd General Assembly, elected and appointed Rev. Merlyn Hyde-Riley as its new general secretary. Hyde-Riley is the first woman to be appointed to this post.

Hyde-Riley is currently one of two vice-moderators for the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay spoke as part of a panel discussion at the Global Tolerance & Human Fraternity Summit in Abu Dhabi on 6 and 7 February.

Following the devastating Turkey-Syria earthquake on 6 February, the presidents of the Middle East Council of Churches held an emergency meeting to discuss the disaster and how to respond.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Prof. Rev. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed deep concern about recent developments that massively affect the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and threaten its unity.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) joins The United Church of Canada and many other churches and peoples across the world who are mourning the death of Omega Chilufya Bula, a beloved justice leader, sister, elder, pioneer, mentor, friend, and colleague.

At an ecumenical service hosted at St Paul’s Anglican Church by the Barbados Christian Council, those gathered prayerfully explored the symbols of stones and water as “the beginning of a decolonized spiritual practice.”

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA released a message on 1 February that mourns the “senseless killing” of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black male who died from injuries sustained after a brutal beating at the hands of police officers in Memphis, Tennessee.

Prominent Suffi leader Sheikh Khaled Bentounès made his first visit to the World Council of Churches (WCC) on 1 February, meeting with WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and other WCC staff.

In a congratulatory letter, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed great joy and gratitude over the appointment of Archbishop Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub as the patriarchal vicar for Jerusalem, Jordan, and the Holy Land by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.

As Pope Francis travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo, then with Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, and Rt. Rev. Iain Greenshields, moderator of the general assembly of the Church of Scotland, to South Sudan on 3- 5 February, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay said he welcomes and supports the visits.

The Dicastery for Promoting Interreligious Dialogue is hosting a conference in Rome on the importance of women building a culture of interreligious encounter.

As mourners across the world prepare for the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on 5 January in St Peter’s Square, the WCC global fellowship shared prayers and expressed empathy for the Roman Catholic Church.