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Faith communities at COP27

COP27 is being held 7-18 November, in the cradle of civilization: the magnificent Egypt. Behind the backdrop of ancient pyramids, the Red Sea, Mount Sinai, and the Nile River, numerous heads of states and world leaders descended upon COP27 at Sharm El-Sheikh to negotiate and act upon climate change policies which affect us worldwide.

Statement on the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27)

As Christians we confess that The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it” (Ps 24). We acknowledge our responsibility as stewards and caretakers of God’s unique and abundant Creation of which we human beings are part. And yet we look around our world today, and see that due to our greed and negligence the entire living planet is threatened by accelerating climate change. “The earth dries up and withers, the world languishes and withers…”, “The earth is defiled by its people…” (Isaiah 24:4-5).

Executive committee

Experiences of promoting global coexistence and Human Fraternity - Lecture of the WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca at the “Bahrain Dialogue Forum"

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca delivered a lecture during the first edition of the Bahrain Dialogue Forum: East and West for Human Coexistence” held 3-4 November. Saucas lecture took place during a forum session entitled Experiences of Promoting Global Coexistence and Human Fraternity.”

General Secretary

A meeting place, a zone for exchange, and a second home: The Networking Zone from the perspective of the Protestant Church in Switzerland

Nomen est omen – the big white hall right next to the entrance really lived up to its name as a Networking Zone during the assembly. Here, there were times of colorful confusion, laughter, concentrated listening, and relaxed tranquility on the sidelines of a program that was filled to the brim. The Networking Zone was a source of strength for us at the Protestant Church in Switzerland, which was allowed to occupy a booth here as one of the host churches. This hall came to life only through the efforts of everyone at their booths: after getting their bearings, refueling with the best assembly coffee, some Ricola drops, and candies from the ACK, they were ready to keep going.

Voices on the ground: peace, social justice, and ethics—the way to the end of hunger

Halfway to the sustainable development goals, the latest UN indicators show a record increase in hunger. The World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization report that 828 million people are hungry, an increase of 46 million from the previous year and an increase of 150 million people since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of people worldwide who cannot afford a healthy diet has increased by 112 million, reaching nearly 3.1 billion by 2020, the report said. Millions of people are at risk of falling into a vicious cycle of malnutrition, ill health, and poverty, exacerbating inequalities already visible to current and future generations.

Statement on Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples

‘Behold I create new heavens in which life, justice and peace are possible for all’.

(Isaiah  65:17-25)

Indigenous Peoples are created with God-given identities that are beautiful.  God was present in their lands and among their peoples before colonizers arrived. When Christians brought the Bible, Indigenous People recognized the voice of their Creator in Jesus’ teachings. They did not hear a call to reject their identities.

Assembly

Pentecostals at the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany 2022

As a Pentecostal, I have dreamed dreams” and had visions aplenty, but often it has been the WCC that brought those dreams and visions to life. What is found in this report fulfills a vision that I took with me to Geneva in 1989 in a meeting with then-general secretary Emilio Castro. During that visit, I called on the WCC to bring together 120 Pentecostal scholars from around the world to the WCC 7th Assembly known as Canberra 91.