Latest News
![Christiana Figueres, executive secretary for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, addressing the WCC Virtual Conference for Youth. Youth addresses community issues in a virtual conference](all-news/youth-addresses-community-issues-in-a-virtual-conference/image_thumb.jpg)
Youth addresses community issues in a virtual conference
The WCC held its first Youth Virtual Conference titled “Live your Faith!” on 12 October, offering young Christians from around the world an opportunity to reflect on issues of concern for their communities, including eco-justice, migration and peace.
![Rev. Dr Kim Young Ju (center) giving the benediction at the Peace Candlelight Prayer Vigil in front of Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany. © ELKB/ChBreit Peace Train takes a journey towards reunification of Koreas](all-news/peace-train-takes-a-journey-towards-reunification-of-koreas/image_thumb.jpg)
Peace Train takes a journey towards reunification of Koreas
A Peace Train has recently started its journey from Berlin, Germany through Russia and China to northeast Asia and the WCC 10th assembly in Busan, Republic of Korea.
![Fulata Moyo, WCC programme executive for Women in Church and Society, wearing black on a Thursday, demanding an end to violence against women. Thursdays in Black: zero tolerance for violence against women](all-news/thursdays-in-black-zero-tolerance-for-violence-against-women/image_thumb.jpg)
Thursdays in Black: zero tolerance for violence against women
The WCC is working toward the revival of “Thursdays in Black”, a campaign against sexual and gender-based violence. The emphasis is pertinent to the theme of the WCC’s upcoming assembly: “God of life, lead us to justice and peace”.
![WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit WCC 10th Assembly: hopes and aspirations](all-news/wcc-10th-assembly-hopes-and-aspirations/image_thumb.jpg)
WCC 10th Assembly: hopes and aspirations
The 10th Assembly of the WCC begins at the end of October and promises to be one of the most diverse gatherings of Christians in the world.
![Rev. Dr Hur Won Koo preaching at the Ecumenical Centre chapel in Geneva. Korean church delegation shares hope for a meaningful WCC assembly](all-news/korean-church-delegation-shares-hope-for-a-meaningful-wcc-assembly/image_thumb.jpg)
Korean church delegation shares hope for a meaningful WCC assembly
During a recent visit, members of the committee responsible for hosting the upcoming WCC assembly in Busan shared their hope for a “meaningful and successful assembly” which will bring together the worldwide fellowship of WCC member churches in the Republic of Korea for celebration, deliberations and prayer.
![Participants in a meeting with youth delegates to the WCC Busan assembly. © Ya-Chi Yang Youth delegates prepare for WCC assembly](all-news/youth-delegates-prepare-for-wcc-assembly/image_thumb.jpg)
Youth delegates prepare for WCC assembly
As part of the preparations for the upcoming WCC assembly in Korea, young delegates to the event recently got together in Geneva to strategize on making youth contributions to the assembly and to the WCC youth programme more meaningful – envisioning a “youth pilgrimage for justice and peace”.
![Participants assemble at the ASYG 2013 in the Philippines. © ASYG Asian youth call for justice and peace](all-news/asian-youth-call-for-justice-and-peace/image_thumb.jpg)
Asian youth call for justice and peace
“Justice and peace now!” was a call made by the participants of the Asia-Pacific Students and Youth Gathering in the Philippines. They affirmed their role in revitalizing the ecumenical movement, aspiring to be “seeds of hope, catalysts of genuine and lasting peace that is based on justice”.
![Women from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, the UK and the USA, and guests from the Presbyterian Church of Canada and various mission organizations participated at the PCEA Woman’s Guild conference. Conference in Kenya addresses women’s concerns](all-news/conference-in-kenya-addresses-women2019s-concerns/image_thumb.jpg)
Conference in Kenya addresses women’s concerns
Hopes for strong expressions of women’s concerns for life, justice and peace at the WCC's upcoming assembly were expressed at the 90th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) - Woman’s Guild, held recently in Kenya.
Event in Geneva will celebrate the spirit of WCC assembly
Members of migrant and local churches in Geneva will get to experience the life and spirit of the WCC 10th Assembly in their own city on Saturday 14 September.
![WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit preaching at the ecumenical celebration in Lausanne. Swiss churches host ecumenical celebration in Lausanne](swiss-churches-host-ecumenical-celebration-in-lausanne/image_thumb.jpg)
Swiss churches host ecumenical celebration in Lausanne
In an ecumenical celebration at the cathedral of Lausanne, Switzerland, the WCC general secretary preached on the theme of the WCC’s upcoming Busan assembly. He encouraged churches to continue their journeys towards justice and peace.
![Corals remain under threat due to warming of ocean waters. Time to pray for God’s creation](all-news/time-to-pray-for-god2019s-creation/image_thumb.jpg)
Time to pray for God’s creation
In a call to celebrate Time for Creation, Bartholomew I, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, encouraged the churches to pay attention to the “human interventions impacting the ecological balance”.
![Participants of the CCI pre-assembly meeting in Jakarta. © Arshinta Yakkum Indonesian churches to contribute spirit of diversity to WCC assembly](all-news/indonesian-churches-to-contribute-spirit-of-diversity-to-wcc-assembly/image_thumb.jpg)
Indonesian churches to contribute spirit of diversity to WCC assembly
With 15 million members of various ethnicities and backgrounds living alongside the world’s largest national Muslim population, Indonesian churches hope to make a dynamic contribution to the upcoming assembly of the WCC in Busan, Republic of Korea.
![Participants of the NCCI consultation in a prayer service in Bangalore. © NCCI Indian churches reflect on the WCC assembly theme](all-news/indian-churches-reflect-on-the-wcc-assembly-theme/image_thumb.jpg)
Indian churches reflect on the WCC assembly theme
While reflecting on the theme of the WCC upcoming assembly in Busan, Indian churches stressed the importance of celebrating life in fullness, vibrancy, dynamism and fervour irrespective of caste, creed, colour, class, gender or ethnicity.
![Stan Noffsinger (left), general secretary of the Church of the Brethren, presents Olav Fykse Tveit and Natasha Klukach books on the church's history and liturgy. © The Church of the Brethren Justice and peace in focus during WCC general secretary’s visit to US](all-news/justice-and-peace-in-focus-during-wcc-general-secretary2019s-visit-to-us/image_thumb.jpg)
Justice and peace in focus during WCC general secretary’s visit to US
The ecumenical calling of churches and exploring different ways of renewing their commitment towards justice and peace was a significant focus during the WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit‘s recent visit to churches in the United States.
![© Tom Martinez Churches to observe International Day of Prayer for Peace](all-news/churches-to-observe-international-day-of-prayer-for-peace/image_thumb.jpg)
Churches to observe International Day of Prayer for Peace
The WCC is calling its member churches to observe the International Day of Prayer for Peace on 21 September.
Events today dramatize lessons and legacies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki anniversary
Events in Northeast Asia this year “dramatize how much the region and the world still live in the shadow of mass destruction”, the WCC general secretary said in a comment on the 68th anniversary this week of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. “The God of life calls all of us to take up [the survivors’] tireless cry and make certain that a Hiroshima or Nagasaki bombing can never happen again.”
![Church of Westphalia booklet about the WCC Assembly WCC assembly theme explored by German and Argentinian ministers](all-news/wcc-assembly-theme-explored-by-german-and-argentinian-ministers/image_thumb.jpg)
WCC assembly theme explored by German and Argentinian ministers
Pastors from Germany and Argentina reflect on what peace and justice means while a local church in Germany encourages others to do the same through a new resource.
![Pastor Christina Biere, co-founder of MEET and a youth delegate at the WCC Central Committee © Daniela Kayßer Youth in Germany feel the rhythm of Busan](all-news/youth-in-germany-feel-the-rhythm-of-busan/image_thumb.jpg)
Youth in Germany feel the rhythm of Busan
While the WCC 10th Assembly is several months away, a foretaste of what young people will bring to the assembly and experience is already developing a rhythm.
![Grace Kaiso at the AACC's assembly in Kampala, Uganda. Holding on to faith traditions, Uganda churches build their country](all-news/holding-on-to-faith-traditions-uganda-churches-build-their-country/image_thumb.jpg)
Holding on to faith traditions, Uganda churches build their country
“Uganda is a country of strong Christian witness. It is a country of Christian martyrs like Archbishop Janani Luwum, who lost his life at the hands of Idi Amin. It is therefore natural that we get together in Uganda to see what peace, justice and dignity mean to the African churches.”
![African churches celebrate fifty years of the All Africa Conference of Churches at its 10th Assembly in Kampala, Uganda, 2013. Churches seek life, peace, justice and dignity for Africa](all-news/churches-seek-life-peace-justice-and-dignity-for-africa/image_thumb.jpg)
Churches seek life, peace, justice and dignity for Africa
At the 50th anniversary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, church leaders from more than forty African countries ask how they can rise up against the shackles of the colonial legacy, conflicts, poverty, class struggles and political upheavals, to unlock Africa's immense potential.