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Though COP28 failed to produce a credible plan to phase out fossil fuels, there is still reason for hope that the world can move toward climate justice, said World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay as COP28 concluded.

On 9 December, during a COP28 side event titled "Faith communities & resilient frontliners responding to the nexus of food-water-climate change,” 12-year-old Faith Sebwa had a clear message to the world. 

An online event hosted by Arigatou International, UNICEF, the World Council of Churches (WCC), and other partners lifted up young voices on the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children 2023—voices expressing grave concern about the impact of both war and climate change.

During Building Bridges Action Days featuring high-level dialogues and interventions from thought leaders about the future of finance, the World Council of Churches (WCC) spoke out about why the world must accelerate investments into renewable energies.

Media coverage of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly—held in Karlsruhe, Germany in 2022—indicated a global interest in how ecumenism can and will address the pressing concerns of the world, including climate change, the war in Ukraine, and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

As the World Council of Churches (WCC) Climate Working Group meets this month, the advisory body is looking forward to offering the fruits of its work for reflection and, most important, action at the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe. Below, Rev. Henrik Grape, senior advisor on Care for Creation, Sustainability, and Climate Justice, reflects on climate justice work in the lead-up to the assembly and beyond.

During a discussion hosted by the Dicastery for Catholic Education on 5 October, World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca met with representatives of religions to discuss the major challenges for education in today's world.

The fruits of an intergenerational, international dialogue have been published as a "Statement on Faith in Action for Children: Taking Action Together for Children in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond.”

During an intergenerational, international dialogue on 19 November, World Council of Churches deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri spoke on poverty in the context of COVID-19, and how it relates to sustainability, climate change and the use of natural resources.

For children, the COVID-19 pandemic is more about the impact of containment measures than a health issue, as such. Confinement may put children at risk for domestic violence and affect their rights to education, care and protection. Churches around the globe are well-positioned to pro-tect and champion child rights further.

It is confirmation season in Greenland. In churches across the country, bench rows are decorated with flowers and candles along the aisle. Joy is in the air and it is time for a vast majority of 14-year-olds to have their Christian baptism confirmed.

The voices of young people will ring through the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on 21 November as part of global celebrations for World Children’s Day linked to other events involving the World Council of Churches (WCC) in different places.

In a 9 July letter, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit invited the WCC global fellowship and all people of good will to participate in the World Week of Peace in Palestine and Israel on 16-23 September.

Churches can make a huge difference in children’s lives and therefore improve the whole community, strongly believes Frederique Seidel, World Council of Churches (WCC) special advisor on children’s rights. To help the churches in their efforts in improving the wellbeing of children, WCC has published this year the invitation and resource for churches, “Churches’ Commitments to Children”.

Participating in a new World Vision campaign called “It takes a World to End Violence against Children,” World Council of Churches (WCC) deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri spoke at a Geneva-based event on 13 June, reflecting that churches and organizations working together can prevent and address “a tragic reality.”

Religious leaders must break their silence with regard to young people and sexual reproductive health, agreed young people and theologians gathered in Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) from 6-7 September.