WCC NEWS: WCC presents Geneva Peace Forum panel on what faith brings to peacebuilding

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will host a panel at the Geneva Peace Forum on 15 October to explore the role of faith-based actors in peacebuilding.  Religious leaders and representatives of ecumenical organizations gather for a Talanoa dialogue at the eve of COP27 in Egypt, November 2022. Photo: Albin Hillert/Life on Earth 14 October 2026 “What Faith Brings to the Dialogue Table” will take place from 13:00 to 14:30 CEST in Plenary B at the CICG, Rue de Varembé 17. Participants can also join online. The event is co-organized by WCC’s partners ACT Alliance, Arigatou International, and Caritas Internationalis. In many places, religious leaders and faith-based organizations are the only authority trusted by all sides. The panel asks what makes faith-based peacebuilding distinctive, how these actors can be better integrated into the “peace ecosystem,” and how their influence can help counter the declining respect for international humanitarian law. The session will also draw on a 2026 Applied Research Project at the Geneva Graduate Institute, “Strengthening the Moral Force of International Humanitarian Law Through Faith-based Advocacy.”  Peter Prove, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, will moderate. Speakers include Jenny Neme Neiva, WCC special envoy for dialogue and political engagement; Wendyam Hervé Lankoandé, WCC, International Geneva Peace Fellowship; Rayane Baydoun, project officer in Emergency Response and Youth at the Adyan Foundation; and Mgr Héctor Fabio Henao Gaviria, director of FICONPAZ. Dr Rachel Tavernor, global advocacy and policy manager at ACT Alliance, will give closing remarks. Join the event online More information: genevapeaceforum.ch 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 meeting discusses addressing crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay met with the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Denis Mukwege on 13 October to discuss calls for stronger international action to end violence and advance lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Denis Mukwege and general secretary of the World Council of Churches Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay during the meeting at the WCC office, 13 October 2026. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 13 October 2026 Mukwege, a physician from the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a renowned human rights defender. The discussion highlighted the role of external actors in perpetuating the conflict and undermining efforts to achieve peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The WCC general secretary and Mukwege also discussed how the international community could exert greater pressure on external actors, particularly Rwanda, to end any support that fuels armed conflict and instability. The ongoing crisis has displaced millions of people and left millions more facing severe food insecurity, shortage of medical supplies, and increasing humanitarian need. There is a growing concern for the safety and security of women and children who usually suffer the most in such situations. The dialogue noted that achieving peace requires accountable national leadership, decisive international engagement, a commitment to addressing the underlying causes of the conflict—and help from churches. Pillay reaffirmed the WCC’s commitment to accompanying the people and churches of the Democratic Republic of Congo in their pursuit of justice, peace, and self-determination. He pledged to raise international awareness of a crisis that often receives insufficient attention in international media and to work with global and local church networks to influence political processes towards a peaceful resolution. “The international community must not turn a blind eye to the suffering and atrocities in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said. “We must intensify our efforts to achieve peace and enable communities to rebuild their lives in dignity and security. This is impossible while violence and armed conflict continue.” Pillay and Mukwege also discussed economic interests that continue to undermine peace. The Democratic Republic of Congo possesses vast mineral resources essential to global industries, including technologies supporting the green transition. Yet, the exploitation and illicit trade of these resources have contributed to insecurity and the suffering of local communities. “The churches have a vital role to play in standing alongside the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, amplifying their calls for justice, and building momentum for peace,” Pillay said. “The WCC will continue to work with churches and partners locally and globally to raise awareness, encourage political action, and support efforts towards a just and lasting peace.” WCC member churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo 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 issues “Call to Prophetic Action for Life, Justice, and Peace”

A conference of World Council of Churches commissions and reference groups in Chiang Mai, Thailand, has closed with a message entitled “Call to Prophetic Action for Life, Justice, and Peace.” A local fisherman’s boat heads out to sea at sunset on Thailand’s Andaman coast. For coastal communities, the ocean is both livelihood and lifeline. Sirinat National Park, Thailand.  Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 13 October 2026 Hosted by the Christian Conference of Asia and the Church of Christ in Thailand from 4-9 October, the meeting drew inspiration from the commitment of Asian Christians to encounter, dialogue, and harmony with people of other faiths, civil society, government authorities, and the rest of creation, seeking a common life and witness together in the midst of the diversity of faith and culture. “We met in a time of polycrisis,” the message reads. “Creation is suffering, and those who caused the least harm suffer first and most.” The message notes that new technologies bring both promise and danger.  “In these days, we have asked whose voices were missing or excluded from our memory of ecumenical social ethics,” reads the text. “We especially recognize with alarm the distinct echoes between the context of the Oxford Conference on Church State and Society in 1937 and our present global situation.” The message notes how the churches’ response in 1937 was to seek ever closer unity. “While noting the similarities of historical circumstance, and the continued importance and applicability of the Christian ethical principles developed during those times, we are also acutely aware of the great gaps in this history and in our current ethical responses,” reads the message. “Refugees, migrants, and others on the move face resurgent xenophobia and discrimination, and the ethical response to their situation remains inadequate, even more so in these times of populist and isolationist nationalism.” The message reflects that the Christian community is both local and global. “We understand that we must work to ensure the resilience of the ecumenical movement as nationalist movements antagonistic to our vision proliferate and claim Christian authenticity for their agendas,” reads the text. “We must ensure that we stand alongside beleaguered international structures, even as we help reimagine them, and remain robust in upholding true internationalism as a Christian virtue." Message of the Joint Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace in Chiang Mai Commission leaders in Chiang Mai reflect on re-articulating social ethics for today (WCC News release, 09 October 2026) Listening before speaking: conference participants meet local communities in Chiang Mai (WCC Feature story, 8 October 2026) Chiang Mai conference opens to explore “Being Church in the World Today” (WCC News release, 05 October 2026) PHOTO GALLERY: Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace in Chiang Mai, Thailand Participants of the Joint Conference of the WCC Commissions and Reference Groups on Life, Justice and Peace gathered in Chiang Mai, Thailand from 4-9 October 2026. Photo: Sean Hawkey/WCC 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

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship - Colombia Accompaniment 2.0

A New Program  Presbyterian Peace Fellowship (PPF) has strong ties to Colombia that predate the start of the accompaniment program in 2004. That program began at the invitation of our partners in the Presbyterian Church of Colombia (known as the IPC, its Spanish acronym). From 2004-2020 PPF trained and sent at least 168 volunteer accompaniers. They served in a ministry of presence and supported the work and witness for peace with justice of the IPC. The program came to a halt with the pandemic, but PPF has remained in contact and visited the IPC several times in the interim.    Today, with gratitude and hope, we answer the invitation to renewed partnership in what we have been calling “Colombia Accompaniment 2.0.” Calling it this draws attention to the ways we are both continuing the same program that began 22 years ago and also doing so in new ways that respond to the changing dynamics, capacity, and needs on both sides.    The Current Situation (La Coyuntura)   Ten years after the 2016 signing and ratification of the Peace Accord between the Colombian state and the former FARC insurgent group, Colombia continues to struggle with a peace process full of contradictions and complexities, with steps forward and with setbacks. Some sectors of Colombian society maintain a firm commitment to build peace even in the face of powerful overt opposition. In this challenging time, our commitment to walking the paths of peace as followers of Jesus remains steadfast.    If you were connected to the accompaniment program in the early days, you may remember hearing the story of Saiza, a remote community in the mountains. The Presbyterian church there was established in the 1930s and grew to be one of the IPC’s largest congregations. Then in 1999, a paramilitary group carried out a massacre in the center of town. The Presbyterian pastor in Saiza at the time was able to escape from the massacre, and the surviving community fled because of the threats. Some 1,200 families migrated to towns in Urabá and other municipalities in Colombia. Years later, the population slowly began to return, and eventually the Presbyterian church resumed its life and witness as well.    In Saiza today, there is an “apparent peace” but under the control of the paramilitary group. The Presbyterian church and its young pastor play a prominent role in the community, and Saiza’s community action board has invited us to come and support them in promoting peace.   In collaboration with a team representing the IPC’s three presbyteries, we are planning a series of four joint PPF-IPC accompaniment delegations for 2027. The delegations will offer solidarity and ministry of presence, psycho-spiritual accompaniment and support, and peace education through creative expression. PPF executive committee member Ben Daniel and Colombia accompaniment coordinator Sarah Henken will make a preliminary visit this fall to begin preparations.    Spreading the Word and Praying   We welcome and appreciate your support for this new season of accompaniment. Please pray for this new initiative, for the community of Saiza, and for the accompaniers who will take part in our delegations. PPF is committed to making accompaniment economically accessible to all eligible volunteers, and your donations make that possible. Donations sent to PPF using this link will be designated to Colombia Accompaniment 2.0: https://bit.ly/colaccomp   Would you like more information about serving as an accompanier? Here is a link to let us know of your interest: https://bit.ly/3Vrpz2q (wait a few seconds for the form to appear).

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship | 17 Cricketown Road | Stony Point, NY 10980 US

Margaret Atwood: Who gets to shape the future?

Before a movement has a name, a strategy, or a crowd filling the streets, it often begins with a story. Someone finds words for what others have felt but could not yet name. Something hidden becomes visible. People begin to recognize themselves in one another and imagine that the world does not have to remain as it is. Few writers understand that power more deeply than Margaret Atwood. Across novels, poetry, and essays, Atwood has spent decades exploring the stories societies tell about themselves, the forces those stories can conceal, and what happens when people begin to question what they have been taught to accept. On Wednesday, November 11, at 1 pm ET, Atwood will join Sojourners president Adam Russell Taylor for a live conversation, How Stories Shape Justice Movements. Registration is free, but space for this live online conversation is limited. We expect seats to fill quickly, so we encourage you to register soon. You can also help shape the conversation. Is there something you have always wanted to ask Margaret Atwood? When you register, you’ll have an opportunity to submit a question for consideration during the live Q&A. We may not be able to include every question, but each one will be reviewed, and we will include as many as time allows. Save Your Seat and Submit a Question This will be more than a conversation about books. Atwood and Taylor will explore what stories do in the world: how they expose systems of power, deepen our responsibility to one another, give language to resistance, and help us imagine futures that once seemed impossible. They will consider: What makes a story powerful enough to change how we see the world? How can storytelling reveal the forces shaping our lives? Why does imagination matter to movements for justice? What helps hope endure when change feels distant? Atwood’s work has accompanied readers through moments of uncertainty, awakening, and change. This conversation invites us to consider not only the stories we have inherited, but also the ones we are telling now and the future they may help create. Event Details What: How Stories Shape Justice Movements When: Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | 1pm ET Where: Online via live stream Cost: Free; registration required This is a can’t-miss conversation for anyone who believes stories can help us see injustice more clearly, awaken our courage, and imagine a more hopeful and just future. Can’t attend live? Register anyway, and we’ll send you the recording afterward. Register for this free webinar today In faith and resistance, Your friends at Sojourners

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