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"This letter is most welcome," said World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, especially at a time when "all of humanity is looking to religious leaders for guidance as to how to respond to the situation of violence in the world". Kobia was commenting on the letter "A Common Word between Us and You," saying that it "gives a lot of hope".

The members of the World Council of Churches (WCC) have been asked to engage "their own governments over the need to break the international silence on the humanitarian crisis in Iraq and provide greater assistance to displaced and refugee Iraqis".

While the situation on the horn of Africa remains tense, Ethiopians prepare themselves to sound the bell for a new millennium of hope for peace, reconciliation and transformation. The country, home to one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, follows its own calendar, which dates the birth of Jesus Christ seven years later than the Gregorian calendar. That is why on Wednesday, the 12 September 2007 according to the Gregorian calendar, Ethiopians celebrate the first day of the year 2000. The so-called Ge-ez calendar corresponds also to the liturgical year of the World Council of Churches' two members in the country, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia and an ecumenical delegation visited member churches and Christian communities in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel from 21-26 June. Taking place immediately after the launch of the WCC-sponsored Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum in Amman, Jordan, the visit aimed to express worldwide church solidarity with the churches in the Holy Land. It also intended to convey concern for the future of both peoples affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Four photo stories about the visit have just been published on the WCC website's photo gallery section .

In an interview with Juan Michel (*) a prominent Iraqi Christian shares his views on the situation in the violence-plagued country.

Local churches in Palestine/Israel are looking to the whole fellowship of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to play a stronger role in supporting local churches' struggles for a just peace there. This is the main finding of a delegation led by the Council's general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia that visited Palestine/Israel from 21 to 26 June. A new advocacy forum launched prior to the visit, and ecumenical accompaniment are high on the churches' list of actions in pursuit of this goal.

A free high resolution photo is available, see below

Free high resolution photo available, see below

By Fredrick Nzwili (*)

Doing justice to the Palestinian people would bring about security for Israel, while delaying the end of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories feeds extremism and terrorism, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah told participants at a church conference for peace in Middle East yesterday.

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia will visit member churches and Christian communities in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel on 21-26 June.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is convening an international conference called "Churches together for Peace with Justice in the Middle East" in Jordan, 18-20 June. The event will address prospects for peace in Israel and Palestine and launch a new church advocacy forum.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has received with "deep concern" the recent withdrawal of Jordan's recognition of Patriarch Theophilos III as the head of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and requested the decision to be reconsidered.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is launching an international, inter-church advocacy initiative for peace in Israel and Palestine - the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum - at a conference June 17-21, 2007, in Jordan.