World Council of Churches

The conference is dedicated to the Human Rights and the consequences of the ongoing conflict in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh in terms of the protection of the Armenian heritage. It is organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with the Protestant Church in Switzerland to promote a constructive dialogue on the issues related to the protection of Armenian people and heritage in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh, as well as other such experiences in the world. 

An Armenian Heritage Conference opened in Bern, Switzerland, on 27 May to address the consequences of the conflict in Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh with regard to the protection of Armenian religious and cultural heritage, the human rights of its people, and the future security of the Armenian nation. 

How does digitalization contribute to a good society for all? The answer to that question is about much more than advanced technical solutions. According to Rev. Dr. Antje Jackelén, Archbishop Emerita of the Church of Sweden and member of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission, digitalization requires an interdisciplinary approach where moral and ethical aspects are taken into account, alongside the practical benefits it brings in our everyday lives.

How does digitalization contribute to a good society for all? The answer to that question is about much more than advanced technical solutions. According to Rev. Dr. Antje Jackelén, Archbishop Emerita of the Church of Sweden and member of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Faith and Order Commission, digitalization requires an interdisciplinary approach where moral and ethical aspects are taken into account, alongside the practical benefits it brings in our everyday lives.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee convened 12-16 May via video conference to complete regular business of the first half of the year; review preparations for the WCC central committee meeting, which will convene 18-24 June in Johannesburg, South Africa; and issue public statements and minutes about some of the world’s most pressing issues.

A message from the Life and Work conference held in Athens made strong connections to the gathering’s historic counterpart in Stockholm in 1925 and, even further back, to the first Ecumenical Council in Nicaea 1700 years ago.

With an ancient history, deep ties to the ecumenical movement, and extensive social programmes, the Church of Greece is a stalwart institution—as well as this week’s host for the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs meeting. 

In a minute on Myanmar, the World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee lifted up the suffering of the people, churches, and faith communities of Myanmar for prayers, solidarity, advocacy, and action.

A webinar on 21 May, “From Occupation to Annexation: Legal perspectives and the implications of current political realities for the occupied population,” examined legal realities in Palestine and Israel—even as the grim situation on the ground are changing by the hour. 

Two conferences in May—the first in Antalya, Türkiye, and the second in Bucharest, Romania, brought forth the great relevance of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea to contemporary theology. 

Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Middle East held an official celebration marking the 17th Centennial Jubilee (1700 years) of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea.

Accreditation remains open for the Armenian Heritage Conference, taking place in Bern, Switzerland, 27 – 28 May 2025.  

As the “Life and Work” centenary conference continued on 20 May in Athens, participants took a deep dip into church history, emerging with challenging questions and topics that will inform their ongoing discussions. 

As interconnected crises of land degradation, water scarcity, and food insecurity intensify worldwide, faith communities in India are taking the lead to address these challenges through a holistic "nexus approach." The India Peace Centre, in collaboration with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the National Council of Churches in India, is launching a certificate programme consisting of four educational webinars on the nexus approach to land, water, and food.

As a “Life and Work” centenary conference in Athens entered its second day, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs traveled back in time to consider the scene in Stockholm in 1925—then took a courageous look forward at the many serious global issues under consideration by churches today. 

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is mourning the loss and celebrating the life of Dr Thomas Wieser, a member of the United Presbyterian Church in the US, who was originally from Basel, Switzerland.

As Pope Leo XIV presided over the Mass of Inauguration on 18 May, he urged the world to walk toward God and to love one another—a message that resonated deeply with the World Council of Churches (WCC) leaders who attended the mass as well as a private ecumenical audience with Pope Leo on 19 May.

A webinar on 21 May, entitled “From Occupation to Annexation: Legal perspectives and the implications of current political realities for the occupied population,” will kick off a new World Council of Churches (WCC) campaign, “Stop annexation, end the occupation.”

On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the 1884–85 Berlin Conference that institutionalized the colonial partitioning of Africa, former World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Konrad Raiser delivered opening remarks at a landmark ecumenical gathering in Berlin. 

Reports from the moderator and the director of the World Council of Churches Commission of the Churches on International Affairs summarized the history of the Conference on Life and Work and looked forward at the commission’s upcoming discussions of emerging global trends.