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Seven Weeks for Water 2024, week 6: "Cured water, peaceable people: A reflection from Pasifika (Pacific)"

The sixth reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is written by Rev. Dr Jione Havea from the Pacific region. Reflecting on the interesting story of the Bible where Moses turns the bitter water of Marah into drinkable water, with the help of God, Havea argues that drinkable water can bring peace while lack of water is a source of conflict. Then he encourages the readers to advocate for water justice. 

Advocacy and prophetic witness for metanoia

The Kanak concept of “Do Kamo: the authentic human in a permanent becoming”, emphasizes that true human nature is not a fixed state—not something one is born with, but rather an ongoing process of maturation. This is a metaphor for personal growth and transformation, as individuals let go of their past selves and embrace their true identities. This transformation symbolizes shedding our primitive natures and embracing the qualities and potentials of a Do Kamo.

Seven Weeks for Water 2024, week 2: How can we drink from our own cisterns?

The second reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is written by Rev. Vinod Victor, Anglican Church of Freiburg in Germany. In this reflection, he compares the water situation of early Palestine to that of today in the wake of the ongoing war in Gaza. He also asks how people can drink from their own cisterns when they are controlled by outsiders. 

Religious leaders uniting for climate peace in solidarity with refugees, boost UN conference

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.

Impact of climate change: women and children bearing the brunt

From 2020 to 2021, more than 50 million people were displaced due to weather events and faced risks of trafficking and even death as well as discrimination based on race and gender. This finding emerged from the report of Ian Fry, special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change, to the 53rd session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva from 19 June-14 July.

Pacific islands in peril, local churches' leader stresses before COP26

The Pacific islands are in grave danger and at the frontline of global climate change, so that is why the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, known as COP26, in Glasgow is so important for islanders, says Rev. James Bhagwan. He is general secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, a Methodist minister based in Fiji, and visited Geneva on his way to COP26, in Scotland's biggest city, Glasgow, from 31 October to 12 November.

Indigenous Peoples and the Economy of Life: Spirituality, Land, and Self-Determination

22 April 2021

As part of the New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA) initiative, the World Council of Churches together with the World Communion of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Methodist Council and Council for World Mission will be hosting a webinar highlighting the voices of Indigenous Peoples and their understandings of the Economy of Life.  

Seven Weeks for Water 2020, week 6: "Water, food and trade: Impact on the Pacific Islands", by Athena Peralta and Dr Manoj Kurian

The 6th reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2020 is by Athena Peralta and Dr Manoj Kurian, programme executives of the World Council of Churches Economic and Ecological Justice programme and Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance, respectively. In this reflection, they are focusing on the perils of cash crops such as sugarcane, produced primarily for exporting, threatening to impact the freshwater levels of Fiji. Over-dependency on food import for its sustenance is not a sustainable practice.

WCC Programmes

Churches should use their voice on climate change

Pacific islands experience lasting impacts of the 50 years of nuclear testing and the region has become a global hotspot of climate change, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) learned in its meeting this week in Brisbane, Australia.

CCIA meets in Brisbane with focus on Pacific regional priorities

Impacts of the climate change and the lingering health and environmental effects of nuclear testing on the countries in the Pacific region are among the issues to be discussed at the meeting of the WCC’s Commission of Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), convened from 19 to 21 February in Brisbane, Australia.

Photos portray suffering caused by climate change - but offer hope as well

As we begin the year 2020, wildfires rage from the Arctic to Australia, icecaps melt, and fierce storms and floods lash our cities. This is already “the new normal.” Sean Hawkey, a photographer for ecumenical organisations including the World Council of Churches (WCC), selected photos from his archive as a reflection on a decade of work.