As a United Nations high-level meeting convenes from 8-10 June in New York, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is joining the UN and other faith-based and civic groups to review progress on commitments to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
476 million indigenous people live around the world, of which 11.5% live in our Latin American region. In these years that we are going from the COVID 19 pandemic in our territories (indigenous or tribal at the Latin American level), the presence of many extractive companies, mainly uranium and lithium, has increased, land traffickers and among other monoculture companies with fires for the cultivation of oil palm, logging, putting vulnerable peoples at greater risk than what is already experienced.
A World Council of Churches (WCC) pilgrim team engaged in online visits to indigenous communities on Standing Rock, 25-28 May. The WCC delegation stood in solidarity with the local indigenous communities, particularly along the shore of the Missouri River (Lake Oahe), in their struggle for justice, including water justice.
As religious leaders in the USA gathered online for a Faiths4Vaccines National Summit on 26 May, they heard a clear message from policymakers and scientists leading the COVID-19 response: churches are not only caring for people’s health but for their souls, too.
African faith leaders are being urged to push for commitments on tangible climate change action, as governments head to the next climate negotiations at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP 26) in the city of Glasgow in the United Kingdom from 1-12 November.
“Persons with disabilities as well as other persons in the community see the church as a pillar of support to their complete wellbeing,” said Anderson Gitonga, executive director of United Disabled Persons of Kenya at a virtual dialogue, held 5 May, on promoting mental wellness of persons with disabilities in Kenya during and beyond COVID-19. “There is need for the church to explore further ways to build communities of support within communities to promote mental wellness of persons with disabilities during COVID-19.”
Bishop Philip Huggins, president of the National Council of Churches in Australia, described the United Nations COP26 climate talks as possibly the “last chance to save our planet” in a letter to Australian prime minister Scott Morrison.
During a webinar organized through the New International Financial and Economic Architecture initiative (NIFEA), they spoke on the collusion of capitalism, colonialism, and Christianity, and shared how indigenous communities are well-suited to lead the ecumenical movement in seeking alternatives to the world’s death-dealing systems.
As part of the New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA) initiative, the World Council of Churches together with the World Communion of Reformed Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Methodist Council and Council for World Mission will be hosting a webinar highlighting the voices of Indigenous Peoples and their understandings of the Economy of Life.
Speaking during a webinar hosted by the United Church of Christ, panelists from the World Council of Churches (WCC) underscored the importance of churches’ involvement in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Pedro Arrojo-Agudo, from Spain, is the United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation.In this interview with WCC News, he talks about the significance of these human rights, his plans and priorities for his mandate, and to that end, the role of faith, spirituality and ethics.
An event offered by the Geneva Interfaith Forum on Climate Change, Environment and Human Rights (GIF) on the occasion of the 46th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.
The synthesis report from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on the National Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement was released at the end of last February. This report sums up the NDCs reported to UNFCCC until 31 December 2020. It represents 40% of the parties and 30% of the global emissions.
With more than 312 million doses of vaccine having been administered by 9 March 2021, we pray for an equitable distribution of vaccines, especially in low-income countries, so that people everywhere will be protected.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy programme is cohosting a consultation with the Council of Churches in Zambia on 18-20 March with the aim of strengthening HIV treatment adherence.
The 5th reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2021 of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network (EWN) is written by Susan Smith and Dinesh Suna.* In the following reflection, they condemn the recent listing of water on Wall Street as a tradable commodity. Referring to the biblical assurance that God will quench the thirst of the poor and needy and that water should be made available to all even if they have no money, they proclaim the true value of water as a gift from God, a human right, a spiritual wonder and the source of all life.
On March 22 all over the world people observe World Water Day. This year’s theme is Valuing Water. To explore this issue deeper the WCC Ecumenical Water Network is organizing a webinar with the office of the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Right to Water and Sanitation, Prof. Pedro Arrojo-Agudo.
In a statement developed for the 46th session of the Human Rights Council, the Geneva Interfaith Forum on Climate Change, Environment and Human Rights declares that 2021 is the year to act on climate change and human rights.
I teach water law, especially the water laws of the western United States. Every year we discuss the question of water marketing, which is a well-established practice now in the somewhat arid western portion of the United States. Naturally, students and others ask about the recent development of a futures market for water in California. Here is my answer: the creation of a futures market for water is the ultimate act of commodifying water in California. It is dangerous, inequitable, and quite contrary to the rule in water law that prohibits financial speculation in water.
