WCC News: WCC statement marks 75th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights

The World Council of Churches (WCC) marked the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a public statement that acknowledges the shared values that underpin both the declaration and the WCC, also marking its own 75th year in existence. 10 November 2022, Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt: People from around the globe rally at the venue of the United Nations climate change conference COP27 in Egypt, calling for respect of human rights and speaking up against shrinking public space in countries around the world.  Photo: Albin Hillert/Life on Earth 26 June 2023 “At the same time, we acknowledge the many ways and places in which God-given human dignity is threatened and imperilled, by resurgent authoritarian repression of freedoms, by conflict, occupation and forced displacement, by discrimination and prejudice, by persecution, by rampant economic inequality and persistent extreme poverty, by violent extremism, by social media misinformation and hate speech, by the abuse of artificial intelligence and other new technologies, and by anthropogenic climate change and the lack of climate justice,” reads the statement. The statement invites WCC member churches and ecumenical partners to, among other actions, recommit “to a compassionate, practical, and active response to the voices, cries, and lived experiences of the women, children, and men who experience the violation of their human dignity and rights.” The WCC central committee usually meets every two years and serves as the chief governing body of the WCC between assemblies. This year’s meeting is the first since the central committee was elected at the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 2022. Statement on the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Photo gallery of the WCC Central committee meeting WCC Central committee meeting, June 2023 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 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 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland