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The new group is exploring how they connect historical milestones—such as the Berlin Conference, Council of Nicaea, Decade of Climate Justice, Beijing Platform, and Stockholm Conference—to their lives and communities.
With training and mentoring from the WCC Communications team, the group aims to become effective communicators of the WCC's mission. Together, they will harness their passion and insights to foster a future where youth are at the forefront of advocacy, dialogue, and transformation.
The group kicked off with a first workshop focused on an orientation to the WCC’s work. They also discussed how to generate innovative social media content and compelling blog posts for the WCC social media channels and website, inspiring dialogue and connection from their communities to the global context.
The youth who gathered online for the introductory communications workshop have been involved in the WCC through the Thursdays in Black campaign, as stewards, as youth ambassadors, youth communicators, and in large gatherings such as central committee meetings and the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe in 2022.
Young people received an overview of WCC communications from WCC staff, who emphasized how communications is tied to the WCC’s Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity.
The young people also learned about how innovative and inspiring communication is an integral part of the WCC’s Strategic Plan, and how, through prophetic communication, the WCC tries to bring hope to the world.
The initiative aims to establish a new network of youth who are willing to serve in different capacities. After receiving a special orientation on the WCC website and blog, participants brainstormed topics about which they’d like to communicate, and the channels they prefer to use.
Youth named church and technology, digitization, AI, short-form videos, TikTok, intergenerational leadership, and many other topics on their minds.
Abigayle Bolado, WCC programme executive for Young People in the Ecumenical Movement, invited young people to continue to share their gifts with the WCC.
“This is just the beginning of having young people more involved,” she said.
Future workshops will enhance engagement through dynamic storytelling and interactive content that captivates general audiences.
Some of them will also be serving as stewards during the upcoming WCC central committee meeting in Johannesburg.
"The Ecumenical Voices of Youth Ambassadors are not just learning to communicate—they're learning to lead. From a communications perspective, this work is about building the confidence and capacity of young people to speak into global conversations with clarity, conviction, and compassion. Their voices are vital to the WCC’s mission, and through this platform, we are investing in a generation that can inspire meaningful change across the world. What drives us in this journey is the ‘why’—why their voices matter, why their stories must be heard. It's about more than just content; it's about cultivating bold, informed youth ambassadors who carry messages of justice, unity, and reconciliation into their own contexts and beyond. This is capacity building with purpose", said Rhoda Mphande, WCC Youth programme communication officer.
WCC Communication Strategy revised
WCC Strategic Plan 2023-2030 revised
