WCC NEWS: WCC central committee members demonstrate commitment to Thursdays in Black

Across the globe, World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee members demonstrated their commitment to end sexual and gender-based violence by marking “Thursdays in Black” in their online regional meetings today.  Asia regional meeting (left) and Pacific regional meeting (right). On 24 June 2021, World Council of Churches central committee members and staff demonstrate their commitment to end sexual and gender-based violence by marking “Thursdays in Black” in online regional meetings during central committee in June 2021. Photo: WCC.  24 June 2021 Thursdays in Black is a global movement towards a world without rape and violence. Originating during the WCC’s Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women (1988-1998), it is now taken up by individuals and groups around the world. “In the Pacific, we joined the initial campaign over 30 years ago during the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women,” says Rev. James Bhagwan, general secretary, Pacific Conference of Churches. “Thursdays in Black has been a practice for many women’s groups and human rights defenders to stand in solidarity against domestic violence and rape.” “By dressing in black, by wearing a pin to say why we are in black, and in these pandemic times having a virtual background in our online encounters that proclaims ‘Thursdays in Black,’ we can all take a visible stand against sexual abuse and violence,” says Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen, general secretary, Conference of European Churches. In today’s regional gatherings, the moderators paused discussion to reflect on the importance of the symbolism of the movement. In a collective statement, they emphasized through Thursdays in Black “that we respect and support those who have experienced sexual abuse and violence. That we honour those who are resilient in the face of tremendous personal pain and injustice.  That we stand together with a vision of a different world where women, children, vulnerable people, feel safe and experience truly loving relationships.”   Story will be updated during the day   WCC central committee meeting 2021 Read more about Thursdays in Black in English, German, French and Spanish Thursdays in Black virtual backgrounds 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 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland