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The role of Christian unity in today’s world was explored by the Rev. Dr Anders Wejryd, Archbishop emeritus of the Church of Sweden and president for Europe of the WCC, in his speech at an international conference in Tirana, Albania.

Jan Hus, a Czech Christian reformer, priest and philosopher of the 14th and 15th centuries and one of the most notable personalities in European history, was the subject of a profound tribute paid by Archbishop Emeritus Anders Wejryd, the WCC president for Europe.

The WCC remembers today, 24 April, the 1.5 million Armenian victims – children, women and men – who died 100 years ago.

A WCC delegation visited Ukraine from 17 to 20 March, reporting that they “heard a consistent call for the World Council of Churches and the ecumenical movement to inform the international community about the situation in Ukraine, to promote a more adequate humanitarian response to the human suffering resulting from the conflict, and to support and strengthen the efforts of the churches and faith communities of Ukraine for justice and peace.”

In an interfaith dialogue on human dignity and human sexuality organized by the Church of Sweden, the WCC president for Europe has stressed the significance of engaging in dialogue on this topic.

The WCC has congratulated Urmas Viilma on becoming the new archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Archbishop Viilma, a member of the WCC Central Committee, was consecrated in his new position in a ceremony held in Tallinn, Estonia on 2 February.

Pilgrimage towards peace and justice formed the theme of remarks opening the 5-day Ecumenical Peace Consultation in Sigtuna, Sweden. The WCC general secretary invited 80 participants from all over the world to join in a common journey of hope.

Nathan Söderblom was appointed Archbishop of Uppsala and primate of the Church of Sweden in November – one hundred years ago. A Nobel laureate and a well-known theologian, Söderblom was instrumental in building the modern ecumenical movement and a concept of global Christian fellowship which later contributed to the creation of the WCC.

In significant events last week, the Evangelical Church of the River Plate and the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, two member churches of the WCC, held leadership elections while reflecting on issues of diversity, communion and challenges posed by the emerging contexts of urban life in the region.

Around 400 international participants representing diverse religious traditions at the Sant’Egidio community's 28th International Meeting of People and Religions in Antwerp, Belgium, focused on the theme “Peace is the Future”. The meeting featured dialogue, prayers and reflections on cultures and religions, including on 9 September an address from the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

Recently, a representative of the WCC, the Swedish crown princess, church leaders and thousands of others took part in the celebration of one thousand years of Christianity in Sweden held in the Diocese of Skara in southern Sweden.

More than 250 mission workers and church leaders from around the world gathered in Berlin, Germany, 27 to 28 August, for the Mission Respect congress which reviewed the 2011 document "Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World - Recommendations for Conduct".