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Religious diversity is an unavoidable reality today – and an opportunity, according to the participants of an interfaith seminar held in July at the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical Institute at Bossey outside Geneva, Switzerland.

Australia is focusing on Gaza, Austria has town pilgrimages. Brazil has seminary students debating conflict over "holy" land. Canadians, Scots, Norwegians, British and French are making contact with lawmakers. Directors of church-related aid agencies are visiting Israeli and Palestinian partner organizations. And on the high Wall that hems in Bethlehem, Palestinians are "showing" prayers at night.

World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel, 4-10 June 2009 is intended to generate joint church action for a just peace. Churches in 20 countries have already sent news of their plans to the convenors, the World Council of Churches (WCC). A Palestinian community organization is offering a way for many more countries to join – by sending peace prayers to Bethlehem.

Issued jointly by the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has expressed deep sadness at the passing away of Canadian writer and activist Hugh McCullum, who died on 16 October, aged 76. From India, where he is currently visiting WCC member churches, Kobia made the following comment on McCullum's longstanding involvement with the ecumenical movement:

Rev. Canon Dr John Saint Helier Gibaut, from the Anglican Church of Canada, will head the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Faith and Order as of January 2008.

By Jerry Hames (*)

By Jerry Hames (*)

By Jerry Hames (*)

The international community's responsibility to protect endangered populations when their governments fail to do so - if necessary, by the use of force - and church support for such measures was the subject of a lively debate at a World Council of Churches (WCC) workshop at the 20-25 January World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr Peter Piot, Bishop Mark Hanson, Canon Gideon Byamugisha, Rev. Rick Warren and his wife Kay, and Erik Sawyer are among speakers at ecumenical and interfaith pre-conferences taking place on the eve of the world's largest HIV/AIDS conference.

A high-level meeting to urge the strengthening and continued presence of the UN peacekeeping force in Haiti was held on 14 July in New York, hosted by the Canadian government in collaboration with the UN liaison office of the World Council of Churches (WCC) and World Vision.

By Walt Wiltschek (*)

by Stephen Webb (*)