WCC News: WCC webinar to explore nuclear disarmament amid growing militarization in Nordic countries

The World Council of Churches Commission of the Churches on International Affairs will host a webinar “Nuclear disarmament in times of increased militarization: the experience from Nordic countries” on 30 June from 14:30–16:00 CEST. It will be part of a series on regional trends with global impact, offering perspectives from the ecumenical movement. Gotland, Sweden. Photo: Albin Hillert/Life n Earth 18 June 2026 Organized by the commission’s Peace and Security Working Group, the webinar will examine how increasing militarization in Europe is reshaping longstanding Nordic approaches to nuclear disarmament and peacebuilding. The discussion will also reflect on the role of churches and the wider ecumenical movement in responding to current geopolitical challenges. The webinar is the first in a five-part series designed to explore regional developments with global implications, offering perspectives from the ecumenical movement and contributing to ongoing reflections on justice, peace, and international affairs. Speakers of the webinar will include: Peter Weiderud, special advisor for Religion in Conflict and Peacebuilding, Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs; Dr Tytti Erästö, senior researcher, Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute; Dr Minna Hietamäki, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland; and Fredrika Gårdfeldt, Church of Sweden and member of Swedish Priests and Pastors Against Nuclear Weapons. Drawing on experiences from Sweden and Finland, the webinar will explore the challenges facing nuclear disarmament efforts in the current security environment and consider how churches can contribute to peace, dialogue, and advocacy for disarmament. Webinar “Nuclear disarmament in times of increased militarization: the experience from Nordic countries” Register and join the webinar See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC FEATURE: UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS will bring Political Declaration—but will it bring commitment?

An HIV High Level Meeting, scheduled for 22-23 June, will bring, as its main outcome, a Political Declaration. While not legally binding for UN Member States, civil society organizations and communities can make the declaration actionable. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 19 June 2026 For Gracia Violeta Ross, World Council of Churches (WCC) programme executive for HIV, Reproductive Health, and Pandemics, this is not an abstract policy discussion.  “It is about survival,” she said. “It is about dignity.” It is about whether millions of people like Ross—who has been living with HIV for 26 years—will continue to have access to treatment, care, hope—and life. “As governments prepare to adopt a new Political Declaration, I am reminded of the power these declarations can have—when they are backed by real commitment,” she said. “Political Declarations can change lives.” The first global HIV commitment adopted in 2001, and signed by Bolivia, Ross’ home country, was not just a piece of paper. “It became a tool for accountability,” said Ross. “Communities organized. We advocated. We demanded that our government fulfil what it had committed to at the global level.” Commitment to transformation At the beginning of the HIV response in Bolivia, the Global Fund financed almost everything related to HIV. “But we used the Political Declaration to push for national ownership,” she said. “The path toward sustainability took years—at least seven years of continuous advocacy, dialogue, and pressure from communities.” Step by step, the government began to invest. “Today, 95% of antiretroviral treatment in Bolivia is financed by the government,” said Ross. “This transformation did not happen by chance. It happened because global commitments were translated into national action—and because communities held governments accountable.” The draft of the Political Declaration set before the UN High-Level Meeting on HIV and AIDS contains important elements: recognition of inequalities, the role of communities, and the need for sustained action. “But there is one area where it remains too weak: financing,” said Ross. “And yet, financing is the most essential part.” Without it, there are no prevention programmes, no treatment, no community services, and no continuity of care. “In other words, there are no lives saved,” said Ross. “If governments are serious about ending AIDS, that seriousness must be reflected in stronger financing commitments in the Political Declaration—and in real budget decisions.” Financial challenges At this moment, Ross, said, it is critical that governments not only speak about financing, but that they explicitly support the Global Fund both in the Political Declaration and in their international cooperation budgets. “The reason is simple,” she said. “The Global Fund is not an abstract mechanism. It delivers at country and community level. It brings health, lifesaving treatment, hope, and enables the leadership of communities.” Ross noted that the Global Fund is doing more than saving over 70 million lives. “It is advancing democracy, strengthening equity, and promoting transparency and accountability,” she said. “Through its model, communities are not passive recipients—we are part of decision-making.” Today, the global HIV response is facing massive financial challenges. “We are already seeing drastic cuts to HIV funding, growing pressure on national health budgets, and increasing risks to prevention and community-led services,” she said. “The reality is clear: countries will not be able to take on the full responsibility alone, especially in the short term.” Deeply moral moment Ross believes international solidarity must remain strong—not as charity, but as responsibility. “It is the right thing, the fair thing, and the just thing to do,” she said. "From a faith perspective, this moment is deeply moral.” This Political Declaration will shape the future of the HIV response. “If it includes strong commitments on financing and explicit support to mechanisms like the Global Fund, we can sustain progress, protect communities, and move closer to ending AIDS,” said Ross. “If it does not, services will shrink, inequalities will deepen, and lives will be lost.” Governments now have a choice— a choice, Ross said, to ensure that this Political Declaration strengthens commitments to sustainable and predictable financing, explicitly supports the Global Fund as a key delivery mechanism, reaffirms international solidarity alongside domestic investment, protects community-led responses, and translates commitment into real action. At a public health level, budget are moral choices. “Because in the end, this is not about words,” she said. “It is about whether we choose to sustain life—or allow progress to be reversed. And for those of us living with HIV, the answer is not theoretical. It is deeply personal.” See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: WCC publishes “HIV and Mental Health: What Can the Church Do?”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has published “HIV and Mental Health: What Can the Church Do?” by Dr Sue Parry, a practical and theologically grounded resource for congregations ready to respond to one of the most complex pastoral challenges of our time. Photo: Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC 19 June 2026 The book is an invitation and a challenge to churches and faith communities to engage courageously and compassionately with the profound intersections of HIV, mental health, and psychosocial wellbeing.  Drawing on theological reflection and global best practice, this manual affirms the church’s unique vocation as a place of healing, dignity, and hope. Faith communities are positioned to reach where healthcare systems alone cannot: into homes, relationships, and the interior life of the spirit. The resource offers a grounded overview of mental health challenges faced by people living with or affected by HIV and addresses stigma. It highlights the importance of integrating mental health and psychosocial support into HIV responses. Rooted in scripture and theology, the manual combines reflection with practical tools, case examples, and a clear framework for action. Designed as a practical guide rather than a prescriptive text, it supports congregations to accompany individuals and communities with empathy, wisdom, and care, and to initiate locally meaningful programmes that do no harm. The question the title poses—What can the church do?—is answered here with clarity, compassion, and an unmistakable call to act. Translations into French, Spanish, and Portuguese will be available soon.  “We invite you to share this tool widely within your networks and to let us know how it has supported your ministry,” said Gracia Violeta Ross, WCC programme executive for HIV, Reproductive Health, and Pandemics. “Your feedback is invaluable and will help us strengthen future resources.” Send feedback to: HealthandHealing@wcc-coe.org Link to the book See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

EarthBeat Weekly: How climate change is hindering child growth

How climate change is stunting the growth of children   EarthBeat Weekly Your weekly newsletter about faith and climate change June 19, 2026   An internally displaced Somali family prepares breakfast outside their makeshift shelter in Mogadishu May 7, 2026. Experts say nearly 6.5 million people in Somalia are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity and more than 1.8 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition because of recurrent drought, displacement, prolonged instability and insufficient resources.(OSV News/Reuters/Feisal Omar) When we think of how climate change is impacting our world, the images that typically come to mind are those of intensified hurricanes battering coastal communities, people beleaguered under extreme summer heat, melting glaciers calving huge ice chunks into the sea, and yes, even stranded polar bears floating adrift. Less front of mind are the ways rising temperatures impact human health, especially that of children.  A recent study by researchers at the University of Notre Dame examined this question with a particular focus on how climate change is hindering children as they grow, as I reported today in a story for EarthBeat.  After examining 16 years of health and demographic data for 34 African countries, alongside temperature observations and climate modeling, the researchers found that every 1 degree Celsius the planet heats due to human activities is directly linked to a 3.45% increase in childhood stunting.  Stunting refers to impaired growth or development and is commonly visible through a child's diminished weight and height. It is a sign of malnutrition. That 3.45% may at first seem like a small percentage, but it equates to close to 7 million children across Africa, said Arun Agrawal, one of the study's co-authors and director of Notre Dame's Just Transformations to Sustainability Initiative. "It's a significant proportion of the population being affected, and it's a significant effect on their life chances after they're born," he told EarthBeat. There are many factors at play with childhood stunting. Poor diets, repeated infections and inadequate sanitation, as well as genetics, maternal diet and education, and access to healthcare all play a role. Hotter temperatures do too, both directly and indirectly. Droughts worsened by climate change, for example, strain agriculture production and food access, worsening nutrition for both children and expectant mothers. Increased heat can also place biological stressors on a child in utero, such as reduced blood flow through the placenta, Agrawal told me.  In a press release accompanying the study, he elaborated on the "threat multiplier" that climate change poses on existing social inequalities facing vulnerable communities and the poorest households, especially those lacking the means to buy food elsewhere after a bad harvest. "We are seeing a direct physical translation of global emissions into child undernutrition. When extreme heat limits food availability and drives up prices, young children are the very first to suffer the biological consequences," he said. "Their developing brains and bodies simply do not get the fuel they need, cementing a cycle of intergenerational poverty before they even reach their fifth birthday." Global temperatures have already risen 1.3 C since the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s, primarily fueled by humans burning fossil fuels. Temperatures are projected to rise between 2.3 C and 2.8 C by the end of the century, bringing with it significant consequences for the health of the world's ecosystems, its people and its children, too.  Read more: Notre Dame study links climate change to stunted child growth in Africa What else is new on EarthBeat:   Church leaders to G7 leaders: Place the human person 'at the heart' of governance by OSV News Presidents of Catholic bishops' conferences of the G7 member states called on heads of state and government to root governance in human dignity, as national leaders prepare for the G7 Summit. Read more here »   Sisters find creativity is key in converting land, buildings by Dan Stockman When it comes to unneeded buildings and property with built-in challenges, such as out of the way locations or buildings too expensive to heat and maintain but not worth renovating, sisters find new ways to make them useful. Read more here » What's happening in other climate news: The tiny solar panel that could change America —Robinson Meyer for The New York Times US public still favours action on climate change despite Trump's fossil fuel drive —Oliver Milman for the Guardian Trump's EPA unlawfully cancelled environmental justice grants, judge rules —Lauren Dalban for Inside Climate News Trump DOJ supports Musk-owned data center in suit by NAACP —Hassan Ali Kanu for E&E News Nearly 12,000 residents have been evacuated as a wildfire spreads in Washington —Nadine El-Bawab and Jenna Harrison for ABC News Democrats once vowed to stop oil and gas. Now they're not so sure. —Lisa Friedman and Brad Plumer for The New York Times Reflecting Pool algae bloom is one of biggest recorded in years after $14M renovation —Meg Kelly and Maura Judkis for the Washington Post Final Beat: This week, we at EarthBeat learned the sad news of the passing of James Bruggers, a longtime environmental journalist.  Bruggers, 68, died Tuesday while in the hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.  A widely respected veteran of the environmental beat, primarily for the Louisville Courier Journal and Inside Climate News, in recent years he began exploring more the intersection of ecology and faith.  I met James a few times over the years, first in New Orleans in 2023 at a journalism briefing about the multitude of environmental health threats facing residents in southern Louisiana, often referred to as "Cancer Alley." From that trip, James reported on the Black women of faith — including several Catholics, among them Sharon Lavigne — who are leading the region's opposition to industrial facilities and petrochemical complexes in their communities.  He also reported stories on Pope Francis' climate messages in Laudato Si' and Laudate Deum, Cardinal Wilton Gregory's environmental track record and faith leaders' rebukes of the EPA director's disparaging comments about "the climate change religion." One of his final articles, published in March, was an interview with Passionist Fr. Joe Mitchell about faith and ecological crises as well as the work of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center in Louisville.  James was always kind in our brief interactions, and we at EarthBeat and NCR welcomed having his award-winning reporting turn toward faith-and-environmental issues. He will be missed, and we send our condolences and prayers for him, his family and his colleagues.  You can read more about his life and career in obituaries at Inside Climate News and the Louisville Courier Journal.  As always, thanks for reading EarthBeat.   Brian Roewe Environment Correspondent National Catholic Reporter broewe@ncronline.org     Featured Advertisers   Become a Healer. Online, Flexible, Stackable. Apply your credits towards a Master’s in Ministry. NACC education collaborator.   Advertisement

Truth and Action Roundup 6.19.2026

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, your reliable weekly source for information, inspiration, and opportunities for action during the second Trump administration.  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. Today is Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Galveston, Texas, at the end of the Civil War. The occasion marked by this holiday is a signal moment representing the efforts of thousands of people who gave everything they had to fight a system that seemed insurmountable in its power and cruelty. The moral force of Bible-rooted abolitionist arguments was key to building support for ending the sin of chattel slavery. It didn’t fall all at once, but only under determined, concentrated pressure sustained by true faith and moral clarity. The decades-long activism of Opal Lee after she retired from teaching is a major reason we now recognize this day nationally. She made a yearly practice of walking 2.5 miles to represent the two and a half years the Emancipation Proclamation took to reach Texas. Her activism also represents the tireless patience required to push for change. Although she succeeded in having Juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday, she has not stopped working to address poverty and violence in Fort Worth, Texas, where she lives. As we consider the challenges we face in a country where our communities have been targeted by the Trump Administration, we should carry forward in the spirit of Juneteenth. We must act when the odds seem insurmountable and remain patiently persistent in seeking change. –Chad Stanton, Sojourners P.S. We are continuing to build an intentional community of people looking to enact their faith in our Sojourners Faith and Practice Forum on Mighty Networks. Please consider joining us. In the News 1. The Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation continued to be weaponized by the administration against political opponents, even as many court cases went against the administration. • The FBI raided the Cleveland offices of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, an organization that helps register voters. Beyond the raid on the offices, agents questioned organizational leadership and staff across the state, seeking information and electronic devices. The group is accusing the federal government of waging a large-scale intimidation campaign. • Donald Trump’s name was removed from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., to comply with a judge’s order. Sojourners’ own Krystal Brewer attended the removal and was interviewed by NPR: “It's about not being able to do something just because you think you're the most powerful person and you can defy the courts. ... I wanted to see us get a part of our city back.” • A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reinstall exhibits and signs on topics like slavery and climate change that it had removed from parks and monuments nationwide. 2. The Trump administration’s cruel deportation regime manifested in many different ways: • Omar Artan, a Somali soccer referee, was denied entry into the United States to work the World Cup. Artan, who was named Africa’s best male referee last year, was turned away because of alleged associations with suspected members of terror organizations. Somalia is one of nearly 40 countries whose citizens currently cannot enter the United States as part of the administration’s immigration crackdown. FIFA has announced that he will be paid in full. • Fifteen people in Minnesota were charged with conspiracy to impede or injure federal officers over their response to a controversial and deadly ICE crackdown earlier this year. So far, the U.S. attorney’s office’s track record in charging anti-ICE protesters has been uneven at best, with the office dropping 18 of its 36 prior cases. As one activist charged in Illinois noted, “The process [of fighting the charges] is the punishment.” • A Haitian woman’s hypothermia death after her release by ICE has been ruled a homicide by a medical examiner. Daphy Michel, 31, died after being left at a Pittsburgh bus shelter for days last winter without proper clothing, social support, or any medical or mental health care. An attorney representing her family expects them to sue ICE in connection with her death. 3. Events in Iran and the Caribbean remained turbulent, even as hopes for peace rose in the former. • Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian have signed a memorandum of understanding to end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran for now and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The parties now enter a 60-day negotiating window to resolve key issues around the future of Iran’s nuclear program. • The long-term impacts of the war on Iran will continue to be felt worldwide for months and years to come. In the United States, for example, one estimate is that a typical US household will have to pay thousands of dollars in various additional costs compared with a scenario in which war had not happened. • The U.S. military struck another boat it accused of smuggling drugs, killing one man and leaving two survivors. The United States has now killed at least 208 people in this campaign since early September. Take Action • On June 28th Sojourners is joining the Latino Christian National Network for a Lament and Hope service. • We’re demanding an end to the blockade against Cuba and providing resources to those in need on the island. What We’re Reading “Queer Folk Have a Faith that the Church Should Admire” | “The ballroom and the Black church exist in different worlds, yet they are also in conversation with one another.” (by Bryan Epps) “Interfaith Choir Roots Juneteenth Celebration in Joy and Justice” | “It’s our right to celebrate what’s good right now. We don’t have to wait until it’s perfect.” (by June Williams, FāVS News) Deep Breaths Freedom Friday How will you commemorate Juneteenth? Today is Juneteenth, and as a Black woman, my heart rejoices. I rejoice in the remembrance that despite centuries of bondage, my ancestors tasted the joy of freedom. I will rejoice, and I will rest, and I will remember. In this racial climate, where it has become acceptable to denigrate a former First Lady on the grounds of the so-called people’s house, honoring Juneteenth feels all the more urgent. My soul rejoices in the truth that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice, and no one can stop its bend. I ask again, how will you commemorate Juneteenth? Author Jemar Tisby reminds us that non-Black people should take time to “commemorate the day. Do your own educational labor before you show up to the party. Reckon with the history that made emancipation necessary and ask yourself where you stand on the right side of justice today.” Others suggest supporting Black-owned businesses, reading Black authors, and investing in the Black content creators whose work you regularly consume. Perhaps it looks like committing to protect the vote in Black communities that remain under attack. How will you stand with Black people at this moment? Today I am sharing a poem by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, a suffragist, writer, teacher, and abolitionist. Born free in Baltimore and orphaned at the age of three, she was raised by her aunt and uncle and came of age with a deep commitment to justice. Harper used her words and her voice as instruments of freedom, refusing to separate the fight for women’s rights from the realities faced by Black women. At a suffrage gathering featuring Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, she offered a pointed reminder: “You white women speak here of rights… I speak of wrongs.” Her witness still calls us to hold together truth, justice, and courage in our public lives. May your Juneteenth be filled with both joy and reflection. –Rev. Moya Harris, Senior Director of Programs, Sojourners Bury Me In A Free Land Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) Make me a grave where’er you will, In a lowly plain, or a lofty hill; Make it among earth’s humblest graves, But not in a land where men are slaves. I could not rest if around my grave I heard the steps of a trembling slave; His shadow above my silent tomb Would make it a place of fearful gloom. I could not rest if I heard the tread Of a coffle gang to the shambles led, And the mother’s shriek of wild despair Rise like a curse on the trembling air. I could not sleep if I saw the lash Drinking her blood at each fearful gash, And I saw her babes torn from her breast, Like trembling doves from their parent nest. I’d shudder and start if I heard the bay Of bloodhounds seizing their human prey, And I heard the captive plead in vain As they bound afresh his galling chain. If I saw young girls from their mother’s arms Bartered and sold for their youthful charms, My eye would flash with a mournful flame, My death-paled cheek grow red with shame. I would sleep, dear friends, where bloated might Can rob no man of his dearest right; My rest shall be calm in any grave Where none can call his brother a slave. I ask no monument, proud and high, To arrest the gaze of the passers-by; All that my yearning spirit craves, Is bury me not in a land of slaves. This poem is in the public domain. The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Digital Content and Community Specialist: Kassandra Tapia Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Senior Program Director: Rev. Moya Harris Digital Education and Outreach Specialist: Cortnie Brooks Policy and Action Assistant: Trinity Williams Donate Subscribe Copyright © 2026 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842