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An international conference held at the invitation of the Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Nikos Kotzias, has gathered around 70 prominent religious, political and academic figures in Athens, Greece, this week.

To achieve just peace in the Middle East, “it is very adequate to focus on what would maintain and reinforce the cultural and religious diversity that has distinguished this region for long centuries,” said the WCC general secretary.

«Notre communauté fraternelle d’Églises du monde entier a à cœur de soutenir les initiatives en faveur de la paix juste dans toute la région du Moyen-Orient», a déclaré le secrétaire général du COE, lors d’un discours prononcé à Athènes.

The United Church of Canada intends to pursue its policy of pressing for a peaceful solution to tensions between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories by continuing its economic action against businesses operating in illegal settlements.

A statement issued by the WCC Executive Committee on 25 November has made strong recommendations urging all countries to take special measures to protect and support refugees and displaced people from the Middle East, especially those from countries like Syria, Iraq and Israel-Palestine.

Le Comité exécutif du COE a instamment invité tous les pays à protéger et aider les personnes réfugiées et déplacées du Moyen-Orient, en particulier celles venant de pays tels que la Syrie, l’Irak et Israël-Palestine.

A statement issued by the WCC Executive Committee on 25 November has made strong recommendations urging all countries to take special measures to protect and support refugees and displaced people from the Middle East, especially those from countries like Syria, Iraq and Israel-Palestine.

Displaced by the armed offensive of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and their brutal purge of Yazidis and Christians, along with Sufi, Shiite and Sunni Muslims, from northern Iraq, members of these communities have begun to speak out about their experiences, their longing for security, and their hopes for the future.

Pope Tawadros II, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt visited the WCC offices in Geneva, Switzerland on Monday 1 September. In the presence of representatives from ecumenical and international organizations, Tawadros participated in morning prayers followed by a meeting with staff and a conversation with the WCC general secretary.

Dans une déclaration, COE a demandé au Conseil des droits de l'homme des Nations Unies de mandater de toute urgence une mission pour établir, avec le rapporteur spécial sur la liberté de religion ou de conviction, un rapport sur ce que vivent les communautés minoritaires du nord de l'Irak persécutées par l'«État islamique».

High officials from ancient Christian churches in the Near East have issued a common statement denouncing the emergence of armed extremist groups who “murder, shatter and violate the sacred nature of the churches” and other suffering communities in the Middle East.

Jayonta Adhikari, a Bangladeshi member of the WCC Central Committee, speaks about socio-political realities for Christians in his country, aspirations for protection of human rights, as well as what the WCC's call for a “pilgrimage of justice of peace” means for the region’s churches.

The WCC has expressed its support for an appeal against a Malaysian court’s decision in October 2013 forbidding the use of the word “Allah” by non-Muslims. This development, the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit said, risks jeopardizing “fundamental values and the long history of multi-religious co-existence in Malaysia”.

The WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit in his recent visit to Iran underlined the important role of faith leaders, religious communities and governments to work together for the cause of “justice and peace”.

Talk about peace on the Korean peninsula part of discussions at ecumenical consultation on peace and security issues in Asia.

In developing countries, many Christians are faced with issues of corruption, war, hunger, oppression, killings and new forms of terrorism, said Rev. Dr Ibrahim Yusuf Wushishi, general secretary of the Christian Council of Nigeria, an ecumenical organization representing member churches of the World Council of Churches in Nigeria.

For the first time in their history, the patriarch of the Antiochian Orthodox Church has asked the believers to adorn the traditional Palm Sunday processions with black ribbons tied on candles rather than the usual white ribbons expressing their sadness because of the two abducted church leaders from Aleppo, Syria.

WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit met in Egypt on Sunday, 21 April, with Pope Tawadros II, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, discussing post-revolution developments in Egypt, the situation of Christians in the Arab world and ways to strengthen Christian-Muslim relations.

In a statement released on 9 April, the WCC general secretary has condemned the attacks against St Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo and killings of Christians in the village of Al-Khosous in Egypt.

After a four year interval the World Council of Council (WCC) and the Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue (CID) in Tehran, Iran, have recommenced their meetings for bi-lateral dialogue.