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Witnessing the mighty river flow

What an incredible time to be living in! While skepticism and eco-anxiety tend to be the results we most see nowadays as we grow aware of the dimensions of the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity and the socio-environmental crisis, for me I can't help but feel the daring and stubborn Christian hope as I grow increasingly committed to ecumenical care for creation. 

Sieben Wochen im Zeichen des Wassers 2023, woche 5: "Wasser: Gabe Gottes, öffentliches Gut und Menschenrecht. Dürfen wir es privatisieren? ", Pastor. Dr. Donald Bruce Yeates

Die fünfte Reflexion der sieben Wochen für Wasser 2023 des Ökumenischen Wassernetzwerks des ÖRK wurde ursprünglich im Jahr 2020 geschrieben und stammt von Rev. Dr. Donald Bruce Yeates, einem Geistlichen der Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church of Suva, Fidschi und beratender Seelsorger an der Universität von der Südpazifik. Bruce ist seit 1975 im Pazifik als Akademiker in Sozialarbeit, Gemeindeentwicklung und Sozialpolitik tätig, nachdem er an der Universität von Papua-Neuguinea und der Universität des Südpazifik gedient hat. In der folgenden Reflexion unterstreicht er die Bedeutung des Menschenrechts auf Wasser und den Ansturm der Privatisierung vor dem Hintergrund des weltweit berühmtesten Flaschenwassers, das aus seinem Heimatland, den „Fidschi-Gewässern“, stammt.

Seven Weeks for Water 2023, week 5: "Water: a gift of God, a public good and a human right. Should we privatize it?", by Rev. Dr. Donald Bruce Yeates

Originally published in 2020, the fifth reflection of the seven weeks for water 2023 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is by Rev. Dr. Donald Bruce Yeates, a minister of Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church of Suva, Fiji and a consultant chaplain at The University of the South Pacific. Bruce has been active in the Pacific since 1975 as an academic in social work, community development and social policy having served at the University of Papua New Guinea and The University of the South Pacific. In the following  reflection he underlines the importance of human right to water and the onslaught of privatisation in the backdrop of  world’s most famous bottled water which comes from his home country, the “Fiji waters”.

Sieben Wochen im Zeichen des Wassers 2020, woche 4: "Wasser: Gabe Gottes, öffentliches Gut und Menschenrecht. Dürfen wir es privatisieren? ", Pastor. Dr. Donald Bruce Yeates

Die vierte Betrachtung zu den Sieben Wochen im Zeichen des Wassers 2020 des Ökumenischen Wassernetzwerks des ÖRK kommt von Pastor Dr. Donald Bruce Yeates, einem Geistlichen der Presbyterianischen Kirche St. Andrews von Suva, Fidschi und beratender Kaplan der University of the South Pacific. Bruce ist seit 1975 als akademische Lehrkraft für Sozialarbeit, Gemeindeentwicklung und Sozialpolitik im Pazifikraum tätig und hat an der University of Papua New Guinea und der University of the South Pacific gearbeitet. In den nachfolgenden Betrachtungen unterstreicht er die Bedeutung des Menschenrechts auf Wasser und den Ansturm der Privatisierung vor dem Hintergrund, dass das berühmteste in Flaschen abgefüllte Wasser der Welt, „Fiji Waters“, aus seinem Heimatland komm

WCC Programmes

Dear future steward

One hundred twenty-seven young people from over 50 countries in all eight regions served as stewards at the World  Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly providing essential assistance in all activities and areas as well as contributing energy and perspective to  our life together as an ecumenical fellowship. Two of the stewards assisting the WCC Communication team share their experience as a letter and diary to future stewards at the 12th assembly.

Harmonies of unity: Wednesday morning prayers

To the lively, lilting accompaniment of an orchestral band, visitors to the prayer tent in Karlsruhe, Germany sang an adaptation of Psalm 133 by Hungarian poet and playwright Zoltán Sumonyi, “How good it is when God’s people play together”. The assembled faithful sang enthusiastically, “nothing compares to the sound when God’s people play together as they really were one. Here is the blessing, do believe: God composes life and music so the kingdom may come.”

Joint Report of the Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group and the Working Group on Climate Change of the World Council of Churches

This joint report emphasises the work of the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) Ecumenical Indigenous Peoples Network Reference Group and the Working Group on Climate Change. It affirms that Indigenous perspectives are crucial not only for addressing the burgeoning climate emergency but also for navigating the way forward to a hopeful post-COVID, post-growth and post-fossil fuel future and calls on the WCC to address this at the 11th WCC Assembly and relevant preassemblies.

WCC Programmes

Borders and Migrants

On 20 May 2022, a group of us, 14 pilgrims from different parts of the world (Kenya, Brussels, Germany, Hong Kong, Philippines, Poland, Rome, Korea, Canada, Fiji, Australia, London, Scotland, and Geneva—a very diverse group) gathered in Palermo, Italy for a Pilgrim Team Visit on the theme of migration. 

My experience in Fiji

My name is Tobias Nissen, I am an 18-year-old UK / Danish dual national who has lived in France my whole life. I attended school in Geneva, Switzerland and during my final years of education, I wrote an essay about the effects that climate change is having on low-lying Pacific countries. From this point on my interest in the Pacific region grew, and when I received the opportunity to work as an intern for the Pacific Conference of Churches, in Fiji for 2 months, I knew that it would be an experience that I couldn’t miss.