Report of the WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay at the WCC executive committee meeting convening in Paralimni, Cyprus, 21-26 November 2024.
As World Council of Churches (WCC) staff participated in the ACT Alliance General Assembly in Indonesia, they collaborated to help send a message of both urgency and hope across the world. As with many other assemblies across the world, the ecumenical family came together to support the gathering, joining hands to support logistics, communications, and governance.
The ACT Alliance General Assembly closed with message of both urgency and hope from the 300 delegates from across the globe who gathered in Indonesia under the theme “Hope in Action: Together for Justice!”
Rev. Dr Ibrahim Wushishi Yusuf, World Council of Churches programme executive for Peacebuilding in Africa and coordinator of the WCC Africa Regional Programme Office in Abuja, Nigeria, took time to reflect on the focus for peace-building work in Africa in 2025, and why inter-religious dialogue is so important.
ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria shared expectations for the upcoming ACT Assembly in Indonesia, as well as the importance of ecumenical cooperation in today’s world.
The World Council of Churches (WCC), along with global faith organizations, raised urgent awareness of the growing hunger crisis through the "Weekend of Prayer and Action Against Hunger." Inspired by Isaiah 58—"to loose the chains of injustice, untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free...and share our food with the hungry"—this global movement called on faith communities to take spiritual and practical steps to help end hunger.
A hybrid event on 25 September aimed at enhancing understanding among religious communities, civil society, and policymakers regarding the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence (AI), with a particular focus on issues related to peace, security, and the disarmament of autonomous weapons systems.
During a multi-faith reception to mark the close of the UN Summit for the Future, Rev. Dr Angelique Keturah Walker-Smith, World Council of Churches president from North America, offered a perspective on taking the UN Pact for the Future forward.
As faith leaders digest the complex discussions and ideas generated during the 2024 G20 Interfaith Forum and International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development Forum in August, common threads have begun to emerge that point to pathways of hope and global cooperation.
The 11th edition of the Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-Based Organizations will assess the trends and opportunities for the participation of civil society, and specifically faith actors, in all stages from policy formulation to implementation if the world is to achieve sustainable development, peace and security and enjoy human rights and rule of law.
Am 12. August haben junge Menschen weltweit am Ökumenischen Internationalen Tag der Jugend des Ökumenischen Rates der Kirchen (ÖRK) teilgenommen, der sich unter dem Thema „Eine Reise der Gerechtigkeit, des Friedens und der Einheit: Ein Aufruf zur Beendigung der Gewalt“ versammelt hat. Diese Online-Veranstaltung hat die Erfahrungen und die Widerstandskraft junger Menschen und Kinder in den Mittelpunkt gestellt, die inmitten von Konflikten leben, und darauf aufmerksam gemacht, wie übermächtig der Wunsch nach Frieden und Unterstützung ist.
On 12 August, young people across the world participated in the World Council of Churches (WCC) Ecumenical International Youth Day, which convened under the theme "Journey of Justice, Peace, and Unity: A Call to End Violence." The online event highlighted the experiences and resilience of young people and children living amidst conflict, emphasizing the urgent need for peace and support.
The World Council of Churches led a delegation on a visit to Sudan from 18-22 April. The ecumenical group included the World Council of Churches (WCC), All Africa Conference of Churches, ACT Alliance, Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa Global Ministries, Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa, General Board Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, and Norwegian Church Aid.
Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm and H.E. Archbishop Dr Vicken Aykazian, moderator and vice moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee, respectively, traveled to New York City on 3-4 April to deepen the WCC’s engagement with the United Nations.
As the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) drew to a close, a look back shows that, this year, the World Council of Churches (WCC), through its Ecumenical Office to the United Nations, brought many voices to the table to speak on gender equality, women's rights, and empowerment.
The environment doesn't give to us; we provide to the environment, said Rev. Dr Stavros Kofinas, coordinator of the Network of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for Pastoral Health Care. Kofinas, the new moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission on Health and Healing, spoke on 5 March, during a discussion by three WCC commissions.
A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) is visiting Colombia, conveying a message of the WCC’s commitment to accompanying and supporting the nation’s peace processes.
