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A House panel in the United States Congress advanced a decades-long effort to pay reparations to the descendants of slaves by approving legislation, commonly referred to as H.R. 40, on 15 April that would create a commission to study the issue. The “40” refers to the failed government effort to provide 40 acres (16 hectares) of land to newly freed slaves as the Civil War drew to a close.

It's the first time the House Judiciary Committee has acted on the legislation.

The Working Group of Experts of People of African Descent met virtually from 24-26 March to discuss “Environmental Justice, the Climate Crisis and People of African Descent.”

In the wake of rising anti-Asian violence and hate speech in the USA, religious leaders and ecumenical coalitions in the nation are calling for an end to the violence—and the xenophobia and discrimination that undergird it.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is making available a prayer to invite its member churches and partners across the world observe the International Day for the Elimination of  Racial Discrimination on 21 March.

In a recent meeting, the World Council of Churches Commission on World Mission and Evangelism discussed how COVID-19 has reshaped mission and the church.

Young people in the Pacific region shared their unique ecological insights, along with their passion for change, at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice in February.

In the month of March, the World Council of Churches is encouraging its fellowship and partners to join the Lott Carey “31 Days of Prayer for Women’s Empowerment,” which is also the 9th Anniversary Global Women’s Prayer Guide. The guide features 31 days of prayer for incarcerated women and girls around the world.

The fourth of a series of five webinars promoted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) Pan-African Women’s Ecumenical Empowerment Network (PAWEEN) was held on 18 February, providing reflections on inclusion of both African culture and tradition into theological reflection.

Under the title “Christ’s Love in the Midst of Pandemic: Moving the World to Reconciliation and Solidarity,” the World Council of Churches (WCC) journal The Ecumenical Review explores a range of theological, spiritual, and societal questions raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Two new World Council of Churches podcasts highlight the intersection of racism and COVID-19. Guests are Rev. Dr Karen Georgia Thompson, associate general minister for Wider Church Ministries and Operations and co-executive for Global Ministries, United Church of Christ in the USA, and Rev. Canon Emmanuel Chikoya, general secretary, Council of Churches in Zambia.

The Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau has commemorated its decision 50 years ago to fund the Programme to Combat Racism of the World Council of Churches (WCC), in the face of widespread public criticism, as a continuing obligation to oppose all forms of racism and inhumanity.

The brutal killing of Joao Alberto Silveira Freitas, 40, a black man, at the hands of two white security guards outside a supermarket in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on 19 November, the eve of National Black Consciousness Day, has sparked outrage across the country. World Council of Churches (WCC) member churches raised their voices to condemn the killing and to express deep concern regarding systemic racial injustice in Brazil.

During its online meeting, 9-13 November, the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee addressed vital international developments, approved plans for 2021 and pledged support and solidarity with churches across the world at a time of multiple concurrent crises.

A webinar, “People on the Move: Solidarity and Advocacy,” highlighted the current experiences of refugees, stateless persons, seasonal and migrant workers, and undocumented persons, with a particular focus on ways they are being affected by COVID-19 as the pandemic rages on.

A 5 November webinar, “People at the Frontlines: the Gift of Life,” hosted by the World Council of Churches, brought together both firsthand and learned perspectives from a medical doctor, who is also a clergy and a COVID-19 survivor, a public sanitation worker, and a humanitarian responder.

A 12 November webinar entitled “People on the Move: Solidarity and Advocacy” will highlight the experiences and often untold stories of refugees, stateless persons, seasonal and migrant workers, and undocumented persons, with a particular focus on ways they have been affected by COVID-19.

On 5 November, the World Council of Churches will host a webinar, open to the public, highlighting the experience and reflections of people on the “frontlines” of caring for communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.

A 29 October webinar entitled “Indigenous Peoples: Wisdom and Resilience,” will share the hope, resilience, and encouragement of indigenous communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.