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Peoples’ Water Forum in Colombia

Brazilian university first in the Global South certified as “Blue University”

The Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Brazil was accredited as a “Blue University” in a ceremony during the Peoples’ Water Forum in Colombia on 26 September.

27 September 2023

PUC Paraná

Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (Brazil) to become Blue University

The Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Brazil is looking at how to transform into a “Blue University.” Brother Rogério Renato Mateucci, rector, confirmed the university’s commitment to become part of the global Blue Community network.

28 August 2023

Fiji

My experience in Fiji

My name is Tobias Nissen, I am an 18-year-old UK / Danish dual national who has lived in France my whole life. I attended school in Geneva, Switzerland and during my final years of education, I wrote an essay about the effects that climate change is having on low-lying Pacific countries. From this point on my interest in the Pacific region grew, and when I received the opportunity to work as an intern for the Pacific Conference of Churches, in Fiji for 2 months, I knew that it would be an experience that I couldn’t miss.

22 June 2022

Tobias Nissen

WCC panel at World Social Forum 2022

WCC delegation at the World Social Forum highlights the links between water, food and climate change

At the recently concluded World Social Forum in Mexico City, a delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) reflected on ecological justice by addressing the nexus between water, food and climate change.

11 May 2022

Landslide devastate houses in Petrópolis, Brazil

WCC stands in solidarity with victims of major flood in Brazil

“In the midst of death and trauma caused by this terrible event, let us bring our intercessions together, praying that the God of Life will comfort the ones who lost their loved ones and give strength to those involved in the actions of solidarity with the victims,” said Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches, as a torrential rainfall took the lives of over 100 people in Petrópolis, Brazil.

17 February 2022

river in Sao Paulo state Brazil

Brazilian ecumenical water network launched

An online event held on 22 July marked the launch of the Ecumenical Water Network Brazil, an initiative that intends to articulate several ecumenical organizations and interfaith voices with the purpose of raising awareness about the life cycle of water.

29 July 2021

Members of the Articulação da Bacia do Rio Pardo

Pulling together for a living River Pardo

Areas around the River Pardo in northeastern Brazil are home to more than one million people. Included in them are traditional communities such as the quilombolas (descendants of runaway African slaves), the geraizeiros and others. Each year they see less water in their river. “This is not solely due to the reduction in rainfall.

02 July 2021

Mayor Margarida Salomão signs the decree

Brazilian city joins “water diagram” initiative headed by Swiss Church Aid

The Brazilian municipality of Juiz de Fora has approved a cooperation agreement with Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER), a member of the WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network (WCC-EWN), thus becoming part of an international working group that wants to contribute to good water management and management practices using a water flow diagram. The project also encompasses the city of Bern, Switzerland; Cape Town, in South Africa, and Rio Pardo de Minas, in Brazil.

02 July 2021

Scenes from La Planeta, San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

As repeat hurricanes threaten, churches offer vital services in Nicaragua, Honduras

Two weeks after Hurricane Eta struck, Nicaragua and Honduras are now bracing for another massive storm, Hurricane Iota. Eta killed at least 120 people in flash floods and mudslides. By 15 November, ahead of Iota’s landfall, some 63,500 people had been evacuated in northern Honduras, and 1,500 people in Nicaragua had been moved from low-lying areas of the country's northeast. Carlos Rauda, a regional officer with ACT Alliance, offers a glimpse of this unfolding situation, and the important role of churches.

17 November 2020

Leo Heller

WCC congratulates Prof. Leo Heller on advancing human right to water across the world

The World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network sent a letter of appreciation on 31 October to Prof. Leo Heller as he completed his term as the UN special rapporteur for the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation.

02 November 2020

Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC

Applications open for WCC Eco-School

The fourth edition of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice will be held 18-24 January 2021 in the Pacific region in five countries (Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Tuvalu & Solomon Islands).

22 October 2020

Rev. François Pihaatae of the Maohi Protestant Church at the session on impacts of nuclear testing in Pacific at the 57th CCIA meeting. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC

Churches should use their voice on climate change

Pacific islands experience lasting impacts of the 50 years of nuclear testing and the region has become a global hotspot of climate change, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) learned in its meeting this week in Brisbane, Australia.

26 February 2020

Photo: Pacific Conference of Churches

WCC’s Ecumenical Water Network invites a pilgrimage of water justice in the Pacific region

The pre-launch of the Lenten campaign “Seven Weeks for Water” was held in Suva, Fiji, on 21 January, under the theme “A Pilgrimage of Water Justice in the Pacific Region.” In 2020, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace has a regional focus in the Pacific region.

21 January 2020

John Dunn indicates where the graveyard of his ancestors was located until 10 years ago, in Togoru. The rise of sea levels has been forcing displacement and adaptation in many parts of Fiji. Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC

Islands of hope: Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace focuses on Pacific region

“The Pacific Conference of Churches welcomes you on board our ecumenical canoe, as we sail and voyage together beyond the fringing reefs and rocks of the many issues that affect us here in the Pacific and globally, and set sail with our eyes firmly fixed on the island of hope,” said Rev. Dr James Bhagwan, Pacific Conference of Churches general secretary as he welcomed participants of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace to Fiji, on 20 January.

20 January 2020

Photo: Paulino Menezes/WCC

Interfaith Rainforest Initiative expands

A global faith-based movement, the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative, has been strengthening its communication and creating country programs in an ongoing effort to inspire people, appeal to their core values, and make an ethical case for urgent and concerted action to protect rainforests.

12 February 2019

Participants of the WCC Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice. Photo: Dinesh Suna/WCC

WCC Eco-School encourages youth to become eco-ambassadors

“Hunger amidst plenty is the great contradiction of our time”, said Dr Ángel Ibarra, vice-minister of environment and natural resources of El Salvador, as he addressed participants of the World Council of Churches (WCC) “Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice”, being held in San Salvador, 1-12 November.

08 November 2018

Young women collect water from a well in San Onofre, Colombia. Water and food scarcity are daily challenges in this region deeply marked by land conflicts. ©Marcelo Schneider/World Council of Churches

Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice

01 - 12 November 2018

The Ecumenical Water Network (EWN), in collaboration with the WCC Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (EAA) and WCC’s Economic and Ecological Justice programme, is organising the second edition of the Eco-School for up to 25 young people from Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss the nexus between water, food and climate justice.

San Salvador, El Salvador

Young women collect water from a well in San Onofre, Colombia. Water and food scarcity are daily challenges in this region deeply marked by land conflicts. ©Marcelo Schneider/World Council of Churches

Applications open for WCC Eco-School 2018 for Latin America and the Caribbean

The second edition of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Eco-School on Water, Food and Climate Justice will be held from 1-12 November 2018 in San Salvador, El Salvador. This year the Eco-School will focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. Applications are now open with a deadline of 31 August 2018.

30 July 2018

WCC working group members visited urban poor communities close to Buenos Aires, facing challenges with access to water and a clean environment. ©Henrik Grape/WCC

WCC climate change meeting explores “just transitions”, plans for COP 24

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stressed that zero carbon emissions must be achieved by 2050 by the world if we are to avoid catastrophic climate impacts such severe and recurrent droughts, record-breaking storms as well as the inundation of small island states and coastal cities.

04 July 2018

"Water belongs to the people", read one of the banners of the FAMA rally, in Brasilia. Photo: Paulino Menezes/WCC

WCC reaffirms water as God’s gift and a human right

Members and partners of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Water Network (WCC-EWN) at the Alternative World Water Forum (Forum Alternativo Mundial da Agua or FAMA, in Portuguese) ratified the “Ecumenical declaration on water as a human right and a public good,” originally released 13 years ago.

27 March 2018