WCC News: Global church leaders to attend school on economic justice in Kenya

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will host, for the next ten days, the Ecumenical School on Governance, Economics, and Management for an Economy of Life (GEM School) from 19-28 August, in Limuru, Kenya. The event will bring together 20 current and future church leaders worldwide to deepen their understanding of global economic systems and empower them to advocate for transformative change. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth 22 August 2024 Athena Peralta, director of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development, emphasized the significance of this initiative: “Faith communities have a unique and powerful role in advocating for an Economy of Life—one that prioritizes people and the planet over profit. The GEM School offers a critical space for deepening our understanding and strategies to transform the current global economic order.” Participants will engage in a series of lectures, panel discussions, and group exercises to explore alternative economic models, global capitalism's impacts, and faith's role in promoting economic justice. Key topics include ecological economics, feminist economics, debt and tax justice, and the theological foundations for an Economy of Life. Ashey Zhou from Zimbabwe expressed her hope for the program: "My expectation is to be empowered so that I can empower my people back home." Pastor Stephanie Joy Mayores from the Philippines shared, "I expect GEM School to be a space to develop and harness my skills to find creative ways to challenge churches to advocate for social and economic justice.” The GEM School’s curriculum also includes practical sessions on project development and advocacy, during which participants collaborate to design strategic initiatives that can be implemented in their respective regions. Learn more about the GEM School 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