“I have cerebral palsy spastic quadriplegia, meaning all of my limbs are severely affected by my cerebral. However, I am not defined by my cerebral palsy. There's much more to me than my cerebral palsy,” Julius Van Der Wat, a member of the Dutch Reformed Church in Pretoria, South Africa, told a recent churches’ disability conference in South Africa.
In order to strengthen the voice of the churches with regards to global economics, a group of up to 20 current and future leaders representing the churches will have the opportunity to attend the Ecumenical School on Governance, Economics and Management (GEM School) for an Economy of Life in Nairobi, Kenya (TBC) from 19 until 30 August 2024.
GEM School aims to train church leaders and young persons on eco-just international economics and global economic governance, thereby equipping churches with tools to enable them to engage in advocacy for transformations in the financial and economic architecture.
In the Caribbean, there is an increased sense that persons with disabilities have rights and the church is strengthening the view that all are created in the image of God, said a Jamaican cleric and academic who campaigns for disability rights.
War has always tragically impacted women and children, but the traumatic effects of weaponizing women in war have long been swept under the carpet.On 8 December, the World Council of Churches (WCC) held a hybrid discussion watched globally as part of the 16 Days Against Gender-based Violence.
The moment religious leaders from around 40 faith-based organisations worldwide agreed to keep defending the individual right to seek asylum during a gathering in Geneva marked a high point on the eve of the Global Refugee Forum, the world's biggest such international gathering.They met at a one-day event on 12 December at the World Council of Churches (WCC), chaired by an Armenian archbishop and a UN diplomat who was once a Turkish legislator.
Reinforcing the traditional role of faith communities in offering sanctuary and, indeed hospitality to refugees, 90 faith-based leaders today committed to offering their continued and additional support to refugees, including children, on their journey to safety, including in reception and admission, meeting protection or service delivery needs and supporting communities to find solutions such as private sponsorship or scholarship programmes.
Address by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the WCC Town-Hall Discussion on Interfaith Dialogue, Climate Change, and Refugee Displacement - at the Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees, Ecumenical Center, Geneva, Switzerland 12 December 2023.
Message of the H.E. Archbishop Dr Aykazian Vicken, Vice-moderator of the WCC central committee at the "Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees" event at the Ecumenical Center, Geneva, Switzerland 12 December 2023.
Message of the H.E. Archbishop Dr Aykazian Vicken, Vice-moderator of the WCC central committee at the Inter-Religious Ceremony for Peace in Solidarity with Refugees, Ecumenical Center, Geneva, Switzerland 12 December 2023.
With a close look at the “skin-whitening pandemic,” a 4 December webinar hosted by the World Council of Churches (WCC) explored the intersections of mission, gender, racism, and health.
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay commemorated the legacy of Nelson Mandela on 8 December at a piano concert for peace.
Churches should promote disability studies in theological institutions and recruit persons into ordained ministry, youth with disabilities urged after attending the 12th General Assembly of the All Africa Conference of Churches in Abuja, Nigeria.
Religious leaders will gather on 12 December for an event inked to the Global Refugee Forum. Hosted by the UNHCR, the World Council of Churches (WCC), and Religions for Peace (RfP) at the Ecumenical Centre, Geneva, the programme is entitled: “Religious Leaders Unite for Climate Peace in Solidarity with Refugees.”
Students who recently completed the WCC Eco School in Crete, Greece, took time to compile their reflections on how the experience helped them hone their messages and actions related to climate justice and a transition to green energy. This is first of a series of blog entries from Eco School students.
World Council of Churches Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay congratulated Brother Matthew, embracing continuity and communion in leadership transition at Taizé community.