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Almost two weeks have passed since an earthquake that hit northern Syria and Turkey on 6 February, killing over 41,000 people. The disaster also caused thousands of buildings to collapse. In various cities such as Aleppo, Hama, and Lattakia, over 115 schools were destroyed.

During its travels in Moscow, a World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation visited the Humanitarian Aid Center, a church initiative which started in March 2022, after the beginning of the war in Ukraine. Most of the refugees from Ukraine who arrive in Moscow have friends or relatives in the Russian capital. Nevertheless, their need is great. Around 500 people knock at the door of the Refugee Centre every day. At the refugee drop-in centre, they receive daily necessities, basic food, products for personal hygiene and, if they do have children, the necessary basic equipment for them. Many of the people who come to the drop-in centre suffer from psychological problems and traumatic experiences. After initial treatment, they are referred to professionals.

During a plenary session held 5 September as part of the ongoing World Council of Churches 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, women, men, youth, Indigenous peoples, and people living with HIV and AIDS challenged ecumenical leaders to counter injustices and affirm wholeness of life.

Christian Aid has commissioned composers and musicians from around the world to create a new orchestral theme inspired by the climate crisis.

The 12-minute piece, Song of the Prophets: A Requiem for the Climate, is being composed by Chineke! — said to be the first majority-black and minority ethnic orchestra in Europe. It will have its première in St Paul’s Cathedral during Christian Aid Week (12-18 May).

Religions for Peace is the world's largest and most representative multi-religious coalition, and as in other multi-faith groups, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and its ecumenical family figure strongly in its leadership bodies.

From the restaurant terrace, at Chateau de Bossey, one enjoys a clear view of Lake Geneva during a shared meal with family and friends. Located just 15 kilometres outside of Geneva, the restaurant has a broad range of freshly cooked food in a buffet-style manner, prepared with care and thoughtfulness.

Dinesh Suna, coordinator of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network, spoke at the G20 Interfaith Forum, held 7-9 June in Tokyo. This year’s theme was “Peace, People, Planet: Pathways Forward.” About 2,000 participants attend the gathering, which precedes the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan. The interfaith forum submitted recommendations for G20 leaders.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit reflected on the “10 Commandments of Food” during a Seminar on Food and Water for Life, on 4 May, in Hong Kong.

They came from governments, the United Nations, civil society, churches and other faith-based organizations to discuss the impact of Cyclone Idai that has wreaked death, havoc and destruction on Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe in recent weeks.

Puppet characters Theo and Popette are helping children worldwide understand what the WCC is, and how it works for children’s rights.

In the small village of Kaliki, men, women and children are on their feet, dancing, accompanied by drum rolls, as an international World Council of Churches (WCC) Pilgrim Team arrives. The pilgrims are given intricately-woven crowns of grass and flowers and their faces are painted with traditional patterns.

On 14 February, the Global Christian Forum Committee concluded a fruitful five-day meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where priorities were carved out and future directions of the network outlined.

New hope for world’s tropical forests arises as the Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Daoist leaders join indigenous forest guardians to launch global effort to end deforestation. Interfaith rainforest initiative, created by global coalition to fight escalating threats to endangered forests in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America is vital to slowing climate change.

Interview with Dr Agnes Abuom, moderator of the World Council of Churches Central Committee at the Synod of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Württemberg, Germany.

World Health Day, 7 April, is focusing this year on diabetes. The World Health Organization has released its first Global Report on Diabetes, which reveals that the number of adults living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million, or 8.5% of the world’s adult population.

A 21 January World Economic Forum session on how food choices can become a catalyst for positive change became an opportunity for World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit to present “Ten Commandments” of food to the gathered business and political leaders.

Climate change poses serious environmental challenges to meet current and future demands for food. The poorest communities, having the smallest carbon footprint on the planet, are facing the greatest impact of climate change. For many years, the right to food has been a key issue and priority for many parties, churches and ecumenical delegations involved in climate talks.

Some 40 individuals from churches, faith-based groups, community-based organizations, academia and the government will gather in the Philippines on 11 December for a consultation entitled The Right to Food and Life in the Context of Climate Change.