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World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca led a prayer for love, peace and kindness for the nation of Ethiopia during a service at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York on 19 June.

The World Council of Churches (WCC), with an open letter and prayer, shared its hopes for peace on the eve of the first summit between the U.S. and Russian presidents, which will take place in Geneva on 16 June.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, the World Council of Churches (WCC) welcomed the establishment of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, while at the same time urging the UN to take a more assertive role to ensure the ceasefire is not simply a lull in the violence. The letter laments the  “heavy toll in civilian lives, especially children and women” - which has overwhelmingly affected the people of Gaza but which has also affected communities in Israel - as well as the destruction of schools and hospitals, and the attacks on the international media during this conflict. “The responsibility under international law to protect these populations and institutions is fundamental” the letter stresses, “and there must be accountability for violations thereof.”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee, convening from 17-20 May, set a tone of hope for the future while, at the same time, addressing multiple global crises with statements, pastoral messages, and calls for prayer.

As Ethiopia faces increasing inter-communal tensions and violence, and rising cases of COVID-19, the nation’s religious communities have been jointly observing a special week of prayer for peace, an interreligious initiative that is bringing people together from all over the country.

In a joint statement on 31 March, the World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia expressed profound dismay at the ongoing violence and the brutal attacks by military and security forces against peaceful protesters in Myanmar.

The National Council of Churches in Korea has published a “2021 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula” with a message of hope and reconciliation.

Churches in Korea are expressing solidarity with the people of Myanmar through prayers and letters that urge an end to human rights abuses and the restoration of democracy.

Faith-based health services play a critical role in many countries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization head Dr Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, has said in support of a World Council of Churches (WCC) led Week of Prayer on the pandemic.

The 15 March webinar provided information on the pandemic's current status and related issues and presented an introduction and overview of the ecumenical Week of Prayer from 22-27 March.

Rev. Prof. Dr Fernando Enns, on behalf of the World Council of Churches (WCC), presented a prayer in an interfaith setting during the 7th Global Interreligious Conference on Article 9 of the Japanese Peace Constitution, held 9 March in Okinawa.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will host a webinar on 15 March that looks candidly at “signs of the times” after one whole year has passed since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is celebrating the life of Rev. Canon Clement Janda, an ecumenical visionary known as a liberation icon and a listening ear for all.

The World Council of Churches and the Christian Conference of Asia, in a joint statement, expressed distress and concern over the disturbing trend of continued lethal action against the people by the Myanmar military.

In a pastoral letter to churches and communities in Myanmar, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Christian Conference of Asia expressed both alarm and great sadness for recent developments in Myanmar.

Convening online on 14 January, members and supporters of the Ecumenical Forum for Peace, Reunification and Cooperation on the Korean Peninsula recalled the initiatives undertaken during 2020 despite the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and reflected on the implications of a changing global context for efforts for peace.