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In 1895, student leaders from ten North American and European countries met at Vadstena Castle in Sweden to form the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF). Among its founders were John R. Mott (US), Karl Fries (Sweden), Martin Eckhoff (Norway), Luther D. Wishard (US), Johannes Siemsen (Germany), and J. Rutter Williamson (UK). The WSCF was the first international student organization and together with YMCA and YWCA, it is one of the oldest youth movements still in existence. 

During a 26 June service, participants from all over the world celebrated the 127th anniversary of the World Student Christian Federation in an 18th-century baroque church, Sophienkirche in Berlin, Germany.

The 37th Word Student Christian Federation  (WSCF) General Assembly officially kicked off  in Berlin with the theme, "Rejoice in Hope" (Romans 12:12), and a sub-theme of "Young People, Journeying Together Toward Justice and Peace.” Over 100 movements from 94 countries will attend this year’s assembly along with senior friends, partners, and guests from 24 -30 June.

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared greetings with the 37th Session of the World Student Christian Federation General Assembly, which will be held in Berlin from 23 June to 1 July.

The World Student Christian Federation, already with a history of calling for climate justice, continues to urge action and commitment from world leaders.

As a symposium on digital justice drew to a close on 15 September, participants  were weighing their vision for the future in a landscape fraught with injustice. Those taking part in the symposium—be they theologians, church leaders, politicians, students, journalists or professional communicators—are all in fact, “digital communicators,” and this broad array of people who care worked to hone their collective thoughts into recommendations they believe can help the world.

A one-of-a-kind international symposium—“Communication for Social Justice in the Digital Age”—will offer a chance to explore new visions for digital justice, public space, and actions that will make a difference. 

Hotel Beau-Séjour, Geneva, 8 August 1920. It’s been too cold an August, with average temperatures around 17.3 Celsius. Tomorrow is the opening day of a very promising post-war international consultation. Its title is “The Preliminary Meeting to Consider an Ecumenical Conference of the Church of Christ on Life and work.” However, I can tell you that a Church of Scotland delegate, J.-A. MacClymont, will certainly object to this awkward use of the word “ecumenical.”

Dr Jurjen Zeilstra is a historian and theologian. His biography “Visser 't Hooft, 1900-1985 Living for the Unity of the Church” served as a dissertation in the humanities at the Amsterdam Free University in order to receive the degree of Ph.D. in 2018. Willem Visser 't Hooft led the World Council of Churches (WCC) during its formative stages. Below, Dr Zeilstra reflects on what it was like to study the life of Visser 't Hooft.

Was 1920 to the ecumenical movement what the ancient used to call annus mirabilis, an amazing year? If you are confined like me you may take time to think about it. We start our ecumenical tour of 1920 one year earlier.