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WCC director applauds liberation of Colombian hostages

The liberation of Clara Rojas and Consuelo González "is a sign of hope that shows that a negotiated solution to the situation in Colombia is possible", stated today Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) programme on Public witness: addressing power and affirming peace . Expressing joy at the liberation of the two women held hostage by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for about six years, Giddings Ivory congratulated the mediators and called on the Colombian government and the FARC "to look for peaceful ways of ending the long lasting violent conflict", in which "civil society has suffered the most", with hundred of civilians "victimized by the ongoing military operations". Giddings Ivory also affirmed that a "humanitarian agreement is still possible and urgent to put an end to the hostage situation". Several hundreds of people are believed to be held hostages by the FARC.

WCC president receives honor

The World Council of Churches president from Europe, Dr Mary Tanner, was recently rewarded with the title of Dame in Queen Elizabeth II's New Year Honours list. As one of eight presidents of the WCC, she serves as an "ambassador" to the ecumenical movement in general and the WCC.Â

WCC calls for political solution and independent investigation in Kenya's electoral dispute

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has called on the leaders of Kenya's two main political parties to "turn urgently from partisan postures and negotiate in good faith to reach a non-violent, political solution" to the country's electoral dispute. In a statement made public on 2 January, Kobia affirmed that "an independent investigation of the electoral dispute is necessary and should be monitored by international observers".

Ecumenical Centre welcomes youth from Europe and beyond

Geneva's Ecumenical Centre will welcome youth from near and afar by hosting a number of events within the programme of the 30th European Meeting of Young Adults organized by the Taizé community and the local churches in Geneva.

Ecumenical initiative to accompany churches in conflict situations

A new World Council of Churches (WCC) initiative aimed at supporting Christians living in conflict situations around the world has begun. "When one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers with it," Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the WCC said in a videotaped address to experts in international relations and ecumenical partners at a recent consultation held in Geneva, 8-10 December.

Stop "insatiable consumption" of the few and focus on the problems of the many say ecumenical climate advocates

Societies must move away from "promoting endless growth and production of goods" as well as a "seemingly insatiable" consumption, says a statement presented today by the World Council of Churches to the plenary of high-level government representatives at the UN climate summit in Bali, Indonesia. While "the poorer carry the burden of the irresponsible waste of resources, energy and extreme consumerism of the richer," the statement affirms, actions should be focused on resolving "the problems of the great majority of today's world population."

Be "leaders in peace", WCC invites churches

Can churches be peacemakers in a world racked by violence? This is the question to be addressed by World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia at the Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC, on Sunday, 16 December 2007.

Ecumenical conference to tackle racist patterns left by slave trade

The legacies of the slave trade, and how churches can respond to past and present forms of slavery, are going to be discussed at an ecumenical conference to be held 10-14 December in Runaway Bay, Jamaica. About sixty theologians, church leaders, social scientists and activists, mainly from Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean will gather in the country where nearly one million Africans and later indentured servants from Asia were exploited as human commodities and many more transited on their often deadly passage into slavery.

Genetic advances and new biotechnologies force churches to reaffirm human dignity and the integrity of the web of life

Participants at a 2-5 December Global Consultation on Genetics and New Biotechnologies held in Johannesburg, South Africa stated that "the creativity of science needs to serve the common good" and cautioned against the risk of biotechnology leading to "increased dependency and threat to biodiversity". "Communities can be devastated by the intrusion of genetically modified seeds and bio-piracy", participants said. They recognized the "need for dialogue with scientists", so as to move "beyond a reactive mode", and called for the "restoration of the churches' prophetic voices and public witness in the growing debate regarding the ethical use of genetics and biotechnologies".

European Union should not pressure developing countries to hastily sign trade agreements against their interests, WCC says

Concern about undue pressure exerted by the European Union on African, Caribbean and Pacific countries to sign interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) by the end of the year has been expressed by World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a 6 December letter to EU commissioner for external trade Peter Mandelson. The interim agreements open up local markets to competition with European companies without adequate legal frameworks and infrastructure in place, and they address issues which are still contentious within a deadline that prevents parliamentary discussion. Therefore these agreements represent an imminent danger of revenue loss for those countries, hindering their poverty eradication efforts, the letter affirms.

After Annapolis, Christian leaders entertain hope, with provisos

"So far is just a signature, now they have to walk the talk", says Munib Younan, the bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, commenting on the results of the Annapolis Middle East conference hosted by the US administration on 27 November. Cautiously optimistic, he adds: "I do hope this is a serious attempt to achieve a lasting peace."