WCC NEWS: In letters to Colombian president and peace commissioner, WCC offers solidarity and support to peacebuilding process

The World Council of Churches (WCC), in letters to Colombian president Gustavo Petro and to Colombian peace commissioner Danilo Rueda, expressed the WCC’s support and solidarity for peace-building in Colombia—and confirmed the WCC’s representation in the dialogue process between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) in response to an earlier invitation. 23 April 2018, Bogotá, Colombia. Church and cloister of Nuestra Señora de las Aguas ('our mother of the waters'). Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 06 January 2023 WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, in a letter to Petro, welcomed the commitment of the Colombian president to resume negotiations with the ELN. “I take this opportunity to assure you of the WCC’s continuing and renewed commitment and solidarity, and of our support and accompaniment of the search for peace in Colombia,” reads the letter. “May God grant you wisdom and strength for the heavy responsibilities of leadership at this pivotal moment in Colombia’s history.” In a letter to the leadership of the Roundtable of Dialogue between the Colombian Government and the ELN, WCC director for international affairs Peter Prove recalled that the WCC has over many years joined the people and churches of Colombia in their efforts for peace founded on justice. “I hereby confirm that the WCC would be honoured to be represented on the Roundtable of Dialogue between the National Government of Colombia and the ELN, in order to offer our experience in peacebuilding efforts over the 74 years of WCC’s history,” reads the letter. “With all our member churches and partners around the world, we pray and hope that each step towards peace will create an environment in which the longstanding injustices and grievances which have fed the conflict in Colombia can be addressed peacefully and resolved sustainably.” Letter to H.E. Gustavo Petro President of Colombia Letter to the leadership of the Roundtable of Dialogue between the National Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army 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 352 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 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