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La direction du Comité central du COE s’est réunie à Genève les 14 et 15 mars afin de préparer la réunion du Comité exécutif qui se déroulera en juin à Genève. Le COE continue à mettre l’accent sur les préparations de son Pèlerinage de justice et paix pour la Onzième Assemblée de 2021, et pour son 70e anniversaire qui approche. Le COE a été créé en 1948 à Amsterdam. L’année 2018 marquera un moment important de l’histoire de la communauté fraternelle du COE, mais c’est également une année pendant laquelle le Conseil œcuménique des Églises poursuivra la lutte contre les injustices modernes et pour une paix juste.

More than 120 religious and spiritual leaders, health workers and young people met on 7-8 February to focus on strengthening the fight against stigma in the HIV response in Kenya. They were joined by representatives from the Kenyan government, civil society organizations, networks of people living with HIV, and development partners for an event in Nairobi. The meeting, “Faith on the Fast Track: Eliminating Stigma and Discrimination Through Love and Dialogue” aimed to assess the impact of the Framework for Dialogue methodology which has been implemented in several countries since 2013.

Plus de 120 responsables religieux et spirituels, travailleurs sanitaires et jeunes gens se sont réunis les 7 et 8 février derniers pour mettre l’accent sur le renforcement du combat mené contre la stigmatisation au titre de la riposte au VIH au Kenya. Des représentants du gouvernement kényan, d’organisations de la société civile, de réseaux de personnes vivant avec le VIH, ainsi que des partenaires de développement se sont joints à eux dans le cadre d’un événement à Nairobi. Axée sur le thème «Faith on the Fast Track: Eliminating Stigma and Discrimination Through Love and Dialogue» (La foi pour accélérer la riposte: éliminer la stigmatisation et la discrimination par l’amour et le dialogue), la réunion visait à évaluer l’impact de la méthodologie du «Framework for Dialogue» (Cadre pour le dialogue), une initiative mise en œuvre dans plusieurs pays depuis 2013. L’événement était organisé par INERELA+ Kenya (le Réseau international des responsables religieux vivant avec ou affectés par le VIH, Kenya) et l’EAA-COE (l’Alliance œcuménique «agir ensemble» du Conseil œcuménique des Églises), avec notamment l’appui du Programme commun des Nations Unies sur le VIH/sida (ONUSIDA).

The World Council of Churches - Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance applauds the first licensing agreement related to tuberculosis, announced on 25 January by the Medicines Patent Pool and Johns Hopkins University. The agreement will facilitate the clinical development of sutezolid, a tuberculosis drug candidate. The antibiotic sutezolid, in combination with other drugs, could be used to more effectively treat drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis.

L'Alliance œcuménique «agir ensemble» du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE-EAA) applaudit le premier accord de licence concernant la tuberculose, annoncé le 25 janvier dernier par la communauté de brevet sur les médicaments, Medicines Patent Pool, et l'Université Johns Hopkins. L'accord facilitera le développement clinique du sutezolide, un médicament potentiel contre la tuberculose. L'antibiotique sutezolide, en combinaison avec d'autres médicaments, pourrait être utilisé pour traiter plus efficacement la tuberculose, réactive et résistante aux médicaments.

“I have been tested for HIV,” said Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the WCC, who received his test while traveling in Oslo, Norway, as a demonstration of his support for the WCC campaign “Leading by Example: Religious Leaders and HIV Testing,” launched at events observing World AIDS Day - 1 December - at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland.

Religious leaders are getting tested for HIV in hopes of inspiring others across the world to seek testing, too. Increasing the number of people receiving HIV testing is vitally important in the effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Reformation has played a vital role in catalyzing and modernizing the Christian faith communities' responses to the many existential issues of humanity, showed workshops on child rights, health and food security, the plight of refugees, and ecumenical heritage on 4 November at Plaine de Plainpalais, Geneva.

Peasant seed systems, which have fed most of the world’s population for centuries, are endangered by the imposition of intellectual property rights and patents, says a church-backed campaign.

"If there ever was a time to change words into action, it is today", said U.S. ambassador-at-large Deborah L. Birx, M.D., coordinator of the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy, at an interfaith prayer breakfast held during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 20 September.

“Dignity, Freedom, and Grace: Christian Perspectives on HIV, AIDS and Human Rights,” a book published earlier this year by the WCC, will be among reports discussed at a 20 September event with the theme “Keeping the Faith in Development: Gender, Religions & Heath.”

Being open about living with HIV can still be daunting and damaging, even some 30 years into the response to the virus. The pernicious stigma that cleaves to testing positive, remains one of the main barriers to a truly effective response. While billions of dollars have been spent over the last few decades to tackle HIV and AIDS scientifically and medically, with huge gains in prevention and treatment, social and cultural barriers still remain in what is the greatest epidemic in modern history.

To help the world’s children become HIV-free, faith groups must help bring UN goals to life through strong advocacy, rapid action and unprecedented collaboration, say experts. Children must be helped onto a “Super Fast Track” to end AIDS or they will die at what Dr Stuart Kean describes as a “shocking” rate.

The 21st International AIDS Conference, which concluded July 22, had its normal dose of science speak, with seminars and workshops ranging from new vaccine trials to the testing of a vaginal ring that appears to dramatically lower the risk of HIV infection in women.

Prince Harry, Elton John, Charlize Theron, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, Bill Gates – royalty, celebrities, religious leaders and philanthropists joined scientists, politicians, health workers, and activists – all of whom include people of faith – at the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban. At a time when “AIDS fatigue” deepens, affecting funding, awareness and capacity to respond, the stars help to put a media spotlight on the many challenges and injustices that remain.

Thirty-five years into the response to HIV and AIDS, it remains a disease that not only thrives on, but exploits the lines of exclusion and inequality in society. In the Philippines, where there has been an alarming increase in people testing positive for HIV, the country’s National Council of Churches recognized that more than words were needed. While dialogue and debate were important, they needed to translate into action, given the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor in Filipino society, and a faith-based and societal milieu still dominated by a sex-negative theology.

In a final session at the faith-based pre-conference on HIV and AIDS, faith communities re-committed themselves to ending HIV and AIDS, and to keeping up the pressure in the face of “AIDS fatigue.” In a stirring speech, Rev. Phumzile Mabizela, executive director of INERELA+ said, “We must continue in the fast lane. We cannot return to the slow lane or go slow in the fast lane.”

“Prophet, people and a plan.” That’s what faith-based organizations (FBOs) need to ensure nobody living with HIV is left behind, said Jesse Milan, past board chair of the Black AIDS Institute. He was speaking as part of a panel group at the Faith on the Fast Track AIDS2016 Pre-Conference.