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At the 16-21 November United Nations Advocacy Week of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Christians from the Pacific islands have appealed for worldwide solidarity with regard to climate change, a question of life and death in their communities.

The US and its allies must "settle the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme through negotiations and not through the use of military force," stated the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee at its 25-28 September meeting in Etchmiadzin, Armenia.

By Juan Michel (*)

Six committed ecumenists, each with significant experience in specific fields of ecumenical endeavour, have been appointed to take up key leadership roles within the Geneva-based World Council of Churches (WCC). The newly appointed staff members will head five programmes plus a planning and integration office, all of which are the result of programmatic reshaping following the WCC 9th Assembly in 2006 .

The need for churches to be vigilant about nuclear proliferation has been stressed by the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee in a statement adopted at its 27 February - 2 March meeting in Bossey, near Geneva.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia has welcomed as "a major breakthrough" the 13 February agreement at the Six Party Talks in Beijing, under which the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) committed itself to take initial steps towards denuclearisation in return for energy and economic aid.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee called today on the government of Iran for a moratorium on its uranium enrichment programme, to recognize the state of Israel, and to support international efforts to end terrorism. Other countries should also contribute to global security, the committee said.

This year's Nobel Peace Prize affirms that "multilateral, legal and peaceable conduct of international affairs is not only possible but productive," said Peter Weiderud, director of the World Council of Churches Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (WCC/CCIA), commenting on the prize awarded to Mohamed El Baradei today. Weiderud also said that "control of nuclear arms and technology" is an "incontrovertible recognition of the God-given value of human life" and that, therefore, the award represents an "important investment in hope as well as peace".

In the lead-up to the 14-16 September 2005 United Nations World Summit, the World Council of Churches (WCC) has shared its views on a planned reform of the international body with the governments of the UK and China - the two nations which currently preside, respectively, over the G8, and the G77.

"The unfinished business of banning nuclear weapons has been derailed and urgently needs to be put back on track" is the central point of a message sent 4 August by the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) acting director Clement John to WCC member churches and the national council of churches in Japan.

Cf. WCC Press Release, PR-02-29, of 15 November 2002