WCC NEWS: WCC shares input at two gatherings for exploring equitable global health

On 17 May, the World Council of Churches (WCC) cohosted two events in conjunction with the 79th World Health Assembly, currently underway in Geneva from 17-23 May.  Photo: MCK/WCC 20 May 2026 The first event, a session at the “Advancing Innovation and Investment for Equitable Global Health Impact Summit,” was co-hosted by the WCC, Health Innovation Exchange, and Alliance for Health Promotion.  The session, titled “Dialogue to Action: Co-creating the Next Steps for Civil Society in Health Promotion,” explored how civil society, the private sector, and health innovators can communicate, collaborate, and act together across sectors to advance health promotion. The WCC co-led this session, bringing faith-based and ecumenical perspectives to the discourse on civil society's evolving role in equitable global health.  The dialogue engaged WHO, academicians, innovators, and civil society organizations. Dr Manoj Kurian, director of the Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing, pointing to the global situation, where the rules-based global order is collapsing, said: “It is vital that we strengthen the values-based global order as a clear path forward, Only a health system that is rooted in values—that respects dignity and the rights of all, with the active engagement of the governments, civil society, the private sector, and health innovators—can be fit for purpose to bring equitable health for all.” A second gathering on 17 May was the 10th Annual General Meeting of the Geneva Global Health Hub, held at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey. The WCC is a member of the Geneva Global Health Hub, a civil society association founded in Geneva in 2016 to provide a platform for civil society to meet, share knowledge, and advocate for democratic global health governance.  The Geneva Global Health Hub hosted the gathering of 35 representatives from all over the world. A delegation from the WCC participated in the meeting to engage with civil society partners and align positions ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly. A WCC Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing delegation is participating in the 79th World Health Assembly. The five-person delegation, led by Rev. Dr Stavros Kofinas, moderator of the WCC Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing, will pursue four core objectives: monitoring relevant plenary and committee sessions to track resolutions and decisions affecting the WCC’s health mandate; strengthening partnerships with global health actors, civil society networks, and faith-based organizations; cohosting side events that amplify the WCC’s advocacy positions; and gathering inputs to inform joint WCC commission and reference group meetings planned for October 2026. WCC will participate in 79th World Health Assembly 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 356 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 Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland