On Thursday 14 April 2022, the United Kingdom and Rwanda announced a new Migration and Economic Development Partnership. Through this partnership, asylum-seekers who are already on UK soil can be transferred to Rwanda, where their asylum claims will be processed. Though UK government officials claim that the agreement “fully complies with all national and international law, including the UN Refugee Convention and European Convention on Human Rights”, many reputable human rights organizations as well as senior church leaders in the UK have criticized it.
I will basically share with you thoughts from the recent visits of solidarity and engagement. First, I want to thank the executive committee very, very sincerely for your hard work.
A webinar on 20 May underscored the importance of the recently released landmark joint appeal, “Climate Responsible Finance—A Moral Imperative Towards Children,” signed by the World Council of Churches (WCC), United Nations Environment Programme, Muslim Council of Elders, and New York Board of Rabbis.
In a recent visit to the United States, a group of four laureates of the “National Human Rights Award in Colombia” engaged in meetings in Washington and New York City with government officials, diplomats, and United Nations (UN) representatives. They spoke of the deterioration of the peace process in the country and the importance of international solidarity.
Today March 22 marks World Water Day – a day set aside to focus on the importance of water to everything in the world. This day was set aside by the United Nations in 1993.
A conference held in Wuppertal, Germany, and online on 9-12 April published a message calling on churches across the world to not only listen more closely to the victims of human rights violations, but to act in stronger solidarity with them.
Message of the conference "Christian Perspectives on Human Dignity and Human Rights", organised jointly by WCC, UEM and EKD, gathering 47 participants from 22 countries in Wuppertal (Germany) and online from 9 to 12 April 2022.
Bringing together biblical, theological and practical perspectives on human dignity, participants of the international conference in Wuppertal challenged churches for a common understanding and protection of human rights during the public panel discussion on 11 April.
Addressing the challenges for a common vision of churches on human rights today, the international conference “Christian Perspectives on Human Dignity and Human Rights” will take place on 9-12 April in Wuppertal, Germany. Everyone is invited to follow the public session of the conference on 11 April, when a panel of the keynote speakers will bring together biblical, theological and practical perspectives on human dignity.
The sixth reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2022 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network is written by Dinesh Suna.* In the following reflection , he gives a historical background of the WCC's water justice ministry and reaffirms that water is a gift of God, a common good and human right. Taking the inspiration from Isaiah, he calls the churches to become blue communities and say no to privatisation of water and to bottled water.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) convened an ecumenical roundtable consultation on the situation in Ukraine, which took place 30 March at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute.
Part of the international conference held on 9-12 April in Wuppertal, Germany, the online panel discussion on 11 April will reflect on the challenges for a common vision of churches on human rights today, bringing together biblical, theological and practical perspectives on human dignity.
A five-day online training workshop, “Achieving Racial Justice Through Human Rights Mechanisms,” from 21-25 February, drew over 30 participants from 13 different countries.
His Excellency Rev. Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, president of the Republic of Malawi, and First Lady Monica Chakwera and a delegation visited the Ecumenical Centre on 21 February, meeting with World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, the WCC staff leadership group and programme executives.
As preparations continue for the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany in 2022, pre-assemblies are taking shape as well. Planners are working to create an experience in which people can work together in transformational ways.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) supports a renewed call issued by interreligious leaders from the United States for the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be closed, and for justice for those being held.
The 8th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs, entitled "Mobilizing Moral Influence and Governance to End the Systemic Injustices of Racism, the legacy of Colonialism and Slavery", will be held virtually 8:00 – 12:30 EDT on Tuesday 25 January 2022.