WCC NEWS: WCC welcomes high-level Summit on Peace in Ukraine

As Switzerland hosts the Summit on Peace in Ukraine on 15-16 June, the World Council of Churches (WCC) welcomed the initiative. Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC 14 June 2024 “Ultimately, sustainable peace cannot be secured by armed force, but only through dialogue and diplomacy” said WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay.  Though Russia is not expected to be represented at this first summit, Pillay noted that subsequent genuine steps towards sustainable peace cannot avoid engaging with Russia. “WCC hopes that this first summit will establish a basis upon which those subsequent steps, and dialogue and diplomacy for sustainable peace, can proceed,” he said. “For its part, WCC is continuously seeking for ways in which dialogue within its own constituency can help serve the purposes of peace and justice, to bring an end to this brutal conflict and the suffering inflicted on civilians in the affected areas, and to restore stability and respect for the rule of law at the international level.” Link to the full statement 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