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“Feast of Creation” seminar explores and inspires toward global ecological transformation

The World Council of Churches (WCC) cosponsored with Laudato Si Research Institute and the World Communion of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Anglican Communion, and World Methodist Council an international seminar on “The Feast of Creation and the Mystery of Creation: Ecumenism, Theology, Liturgy, and Signs of the Times in Dialogue,” from 14-16 March at Laudato Si’ Center of Assisi and Pro Civitate Christiana, in Italy.

Seven Weeks for Water 2024, week 2: How can we drink from our own cisterns?

The second reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is written by Rev. Vinod Victor, Anglican Church of Freiburg in Germany. In this reflection, he compares the water situation of early Palestine to that of today in the wake of the ongoing war in Gaza. He also asks how people can drink from their own cisterns when they are controlled by outsiders. 

Religious leaders uniting for climate peace in solidarity with refugees, boost UN conference

The moment religious leaders from around 40 faith-based organisations worldwide agreed to keep defending the individual right to seek asylum during a gathering in Geneva marked a high point on the eve of the Global Refugee Forum, the world's biggest such international gathering.They met at a one-day event on 12 December at the World Council of Churches (WCC), chaired by an Armenian archbishop and a UN diplomat who was once a Turkish legislator.

COP28 Side-events

30 November - 12 December 2023

Events with involvement of the World Council of Churches and ecumenical partners at the COP28 conference in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 30 November - 12 December.

COP28, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Climate crisis: have we learned lessons from the past?

"2000", "3000", "10 000,” and "we cannot provide reliable estimates regarding the number of victims”—these were heard and read in the last days ever too often about the situation in Libya. This situation highlights the pressing issues of climate change and global injustices also regarding the youth. Again and again.

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”.

On World AIDS today, tackling inequalities is a matter of justice

During a webinar, Faith Communities in the HIV & AIDS response today,” held on World AIDS Day, participants received an overview of the history of response to HIV from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and UNAIDS, and they mapped the way forward in combatting new challenges.

Where are we at the climate change negotiations?

COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh is over. Numerous reports have all pointed out that if we don't cut the emissions of greenhouse gases radically and immediately, we will not keep the global average temperature rise below 1.5 degrees. Therefore, the emissions must drastically decrease in the coming decades if we want to avoid severe consequences for our home, planet Earth.

Water and justice at the WCC 11th Assembly

“The global water crisis is not simply about dealing with scarcity, it’s about fighting inequality and discrimination, about addressing blatant mismanagement and often also corruption.” For Bishop Arnold Temple, chair of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network, this is why it is so important for churches to keep raising awareness and speaking up about water being a matter of justice and rights. "It's great to see that the importance of water and the churches' commitment to water justice are going to be reflected in the programme of the upcoming WCC 11th Assembly", Temple notes. 

Seven Weeks for Water 2022, week 2: "Water Justice towards Gender Justice", by Nicqi Ashwood

The second reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2022 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is written by Nicole Ashwood (Nicqi).* In the following reflection , which was  written around the International Women’s Day, she reflects how the women in the story of Exodus were deprived of water and how Moses came up to their defense  and provided them and their flock with water. Then she  highlights how developed countries in Europe, including Switzerland fares in getting access to clean water and how it affects the health, wellbeing and dignity of the people, particularly, women, everywhere.

Pastor Godson Lawson Kpavuvu: “God heals, but people must also be treated”

Pastor Godson Lawson Kpavuvu, president of the Methodist Church of Togo, is also chair of the International Reference Group of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme (WCC-EHAIA). Involved with WCC-EHAIA from the beginning, he reflects below on what its like to be, as he describes, one of the veterans of the struggle.”

Ecumenical International Youth Day 2021 Event Toolkit

Young People and Climate Justice

The World Council of Churches provides this toolkit as a resource for the fellowship to plan and organize unique celebrations of Ecumenical International Youth Day 2021. It includes background information and a description of this year’s theme, climate justice, tools and resources and a suggested programme format to use and adapt in local contexts.

The WCC programmes on Youth Engagement in the Ecumenical Movement, Churches Commitment to Children, and Climate and Economic Justice are collaborating for this year’s focus area.

Arctic communities to WCC pilgrims: “We need your voice”

Lorraine Netro, who was raised in the Gwichin First Nation of Old Crow, Yukon (Canada), is part of an indigenous community—but shes also a global citizen.

Todays Arctic peoples are important members of global society,” Netro said. The survival of Arctic cultures and communities remains tied to the wildlife and landscape of the Arctic Refuge.”

WCC study supports financial choices in response to the climate crisis

Celebrating International Children's Day, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has released a research paper "Cooler Earth - Higher Benefits: Actions by those who care about children, climate and finance.” The publication gives suggestions of how churches and other organizations around the world can respond to the climate emergency through investment decisions which are crucial to protect children from global warming.