WCC NEWS: Olive harvesters in Taybeh—only remaining Christian community in West Bank—suffer violence and harassment

During olive harvest, the village of Taybeh—the only remaining Christian community in the West Bank—has been suffering violence and harassment by settlers. Olive harvest in Taybeh, 2026. Photo: WCC-EAPPI 02 November 2026 During olive harvest, the village of Taybeh—the only remaining Christian community in the West Bank—has been suffering violence and harassment by settlers. Six hundred seventy two incidents of settler violence were reported between 23 September and 23 October, during the olive harvest in the West Bank, according to the Yesh Din rights group. This amounts to an average of more than 25 incidents per day that have been taking place in 194 Palestinian communities across the West Bank.  The violence against Palestinian communities has brought an atmosphere of fear and economic loss in Taybeh, as a remote village where Christians amount to small portion of the Palestinian community.  The attacks include 135 incidents of physical violence, 106 incidents of blocking Palestinians from harvesting their olive trees, 176 incidents of theft and property damage, and 49 incidents of tree vandalism. Those on the ground with the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel participated in the harvest with local families.  On 22 October, accompaniers visited the village of Taybeh to harvest olives. “The owner has 1,500 olive trees; the age of them is about 500 to 600 years,” reported the accompaniers. “The harvesting time this year has been moved forward about two weeks.” Normally the season begins in the beginning of November; some days of rain are preferred to lift the quantity of olive oil. “But this year, in all olive tree areas of the West Bank, there is a lot of violence and destruction of olive plantations by settlers, so they decided to begin earlier in order to harvest as many olives as possible,” reported the accompaniers. “This community as well was forbidden to enter the fields: five army jeeps came with about 30 soldiers and chased the farmers from their land.” Palestinian Christian farmers refused to be interviewed to tell their story, for fear of reprisal by settlers.  The army was in the village from 9 am to 3 pm to make sure nobody would return to their land. “We were very much afraid that this time again the army would come, so we were working under time pressure,” reported the accompaniers. “Last year the farmers also had attacks, but less than this year.” The olive harvest was only 40% of the average amount due to bad weather conditions and also frequent destruction of trees by settlers. “They came with sheep, goats, cows, and even camels to the olive trees; the animals ate everything, leaving only the blank branches,” reported the accompaniers. “Frequently the settlers stole things, even money out of the village.” Nonetheless, the accompaniers helped complete the harvest. “The owner was very happy to have us helping him and would very much appreciate if we would come again soon for olive harvesting,” concluded the accompaniers.  Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem condemn attack during olive harvest 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

WCC News: Women’s Human Rights Training in Senegal augments voices, builds insight

The 11th annual Women’s Human Rights Training took place in Dakar, Senegal from 19-23 October. Participants acquired new skills to conduct effective advocacy related to women’s human rights.    Participants of the Women Human Rights Advocacy Training in Senegal. Photo: Philippa Hitchen/LWF 02 November 2026   “I have gained experience and learned new approaches from other stakeholders working on human rights, including women’s rights,” said participant Marie Concessa Barubike of the United Methodist Church in Burundi. “I have developed a new vision that extends beyond local-level advocacy, aiming to engage religious denominations in the promotion of the rights of women and girls.” The training, which is organised annually by the World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, Finn Church Aid, and other partners, was this year co-organised by the All-Africa Conference of Churches and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Senegal.  Delphine Uwimana, also from the United Methodist Church in Burundi, expressed her gratitude. “Thank you for investing in my growth and helping me make a difference,” she said. “I will carry what I learned and use my voice to empower others.” Participants attended the 89th session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, following discussions between states and civil society actors on issues including the death penalty in Africa, concerns about the rights of migrants and statelessness, and the impact of conflict and the use of certain weapons on the environment.  Participant Elizabeth Fortich from Colombia said the training helped her understand how poverty, hunger, climate change, and environmental issues are connected to women’s rights, equality, and opportunities. “I have gained valuable insights into advocacy and lobbying strategies, as well as practical approaches to raising awareness and mobilizing communities to prevent and address gender-based violence,” she said. “This experience has strengthened my passion and commitment to promoting women’s human rights, inspiring me to apply these tools within my church and community, particularly in support of women experiencing socioeconomic vulnerability.” Participants had the opportunity to meet the special rapporteur on the Rights of Women in Africa, Janet Romatoulie Sallah-Njie, who emphasized the critical role for religious leaders to address the backlash against human rights by some religious communities.   One anonymous participant from West Papua said the training helped her understand the UN human rights mechanisms. “It is especially great to learn from Biblical perspectives,” she said. Hannah Forster, director of the Africa Center for Democracy and Human Rights Studies and spokesperson for the Forum of Non-Governmental Organizations at the commission met the participants and discussed the work of the commission and the role of the African Charter and the Maputo Protocol on the Rights of Women in Africa. Participant Rev. Évangeline Kpon-Jesu Hounmenou, of the Protestant Methodist Church of Benin, who serves as a chaplain for women and is also a law student, said the training enabled her to better understand advocacy and master its various stages. “It has also inspired me to launch a support center for women who have experienced violence, where they can be welcomed, accompanied, and guided,” she said. “Furthermore, I intend to organize a training seminar for the leaders of women’s groups from various regions of Benin." Finland’s ambassador to Senegal, The Gambia, and Ivory Coast, H.E Katja Ahlfors joined the workshop, welcoming the initiative of the training and expressing her concern that women’s rights are under threat in many parts of the world. Participants engaged in a series of activities designed to give them an introduction to or deeper understanding about regional and international human rights structures for women’s rights, examine theologies, and share advocacy strategies with which to engage in the promotion of women’s rights. Several of the countries represented will be going through their Universal Periodic Review or reviews by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in the next couple of years, and participants were guided as to the necessary steps to be taken to engage in shadow reporting and engagement with these bodies. Learn more about the WCC's Just Community of Women and Men 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

WCC News: New guide covers role of faith communities in Ebola response

A “Q&A Guide to Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease and the Role of Faith Communities,” prepared by the World Council of Churches Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing, is newly available.  A worker uses an infrared thermometer to check for fever on everyone entering a clinic in Beni, a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that has been hard hit by the Ebola outbreak that began in 2018. The clinic is supported by IMA World Health and the Programme de Promotion de Soins Santé Primaires. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth 02 November 2026 The outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May has spread to neighbouring countries. More than 10,000 people are now affected, and about half of them have died.  “Churches and faith communities are often the most trusted voices in the affected areas, and that gives them an important part in the response,” said Dr Manoj Kurian, director of the commission. “They can share accurate information, counter fear and stigma, support safe and dignified burials, and help sick people get early care.” The guide covers how Ebola spreads and how it doesn’t, its symptoms, and the current state of vaccines and treatment. It also offers a theological reflection that firmly rejects the idea that illness is a punishment from God, and it includes practical guidance for congregations. Q&A Guide to Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease and the Role of Faith Communities 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

WCC news: Ethiopian Orthodox church opens its forests to faith leaders

In Ethiopia, much of what is left of the native highland forest stands around churches. Organizers of the new Church Forest Academy count about 35,000 church forests, from one hectare to 19,000 hectares in size. From 27 October to 3 November, faith leaders and practitioners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Nigeria are learning how these forests survived. They are also exploring how the same care can restore tree cover in their own communities. Church Forest Academy field visit. Photo: EOC-DICAC 29 October 2026 The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, a World Council of Churches member church, launched the Academy on 26 October in Addis Ababa. It works through its Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission, together with OikoDiplomatique, a consultancy based in Nairobi, Kenya. Bread for the World (Germany) and private philanthropy fund the course. Prof. Abba Hailegebriel Girma, academic vice president of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Holy Trinity University, declared the academy open on behalf of the church. Clergy and monastics have cared for these forests with local communities for generations, he said, and the forests have "preserved Indigenous vegetation, supported biodiversity, protected soil and water, and provided places for prayer and contemplation." He was just as clear about the danger: "agricultural expansion, grazing, settlement, and wood extraction threaten many of these sacred landscapes." Conservation, he added, "should therefore promote climate justice, protect livelihoods, and involve women, young people, and local communities in decision-making." The course opens amid renewed conflict in the north of Ethiopia and an El Niño expected to bring drought to some parts of the country and floods to others, the organizers say. El Niño is an unusual warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean that shifts rainfall around the world. The organizers see the forests as places of sanctuary, a heritage shared by the Amhara, Tigrayan, Oromo, Eritrean, and other peoples. OikoDiplomatique links their care to environmental peacebuilding: using shared care for land and forests to rebuild trust between communities. Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, founder of OikoDiplomatique and former WCC general secretary, gave the keynote address. He called the church forests Śənä Fəṭrät, the "Islands of Eden." He said the communities least responsible for carbon emissions suffer the consequences first, and he turned to the churches of the industrialized world, his own ecumenical household included. "We who have preached the gospel of abundance must now sit at the feet of those who have practiced the gospel of restraint. This is not charity; it is repentance." For Kobia, the forest canopy is "the ultimate ecumenical cathedral, where our shared humanity and shared vulnerability compel us to speak with one prophetic voice." He also placed women at the centre. "Across our continent, it is women who save seed, tend soil, and carry water," he said. Church Forest Academy organising team from EOC-DICAC and OikoDiplomatique at the launch.  Photo: Daniel Manyasi The group mixes faiths. It includes Catholic sisters, a Muslim sheikh, Protestant clergy, a philosophy lecturer, staff of faith-based organizations, and land restoration practitioners. They will learn about natural regeneration and eco-theology from Ethiopian experts, and stay with Orthodox monastic communities that look after church forests. Natural regeneration means letting trees regrow from roots and seeds in the soil, not planting seedlings. Eco-theology is Christian thinking about God's relationship with the natural world and the people in it. Kobia ended with a hope for the next ten years. He wants to see new green circles on the maps of the countries taking part and beyond, "planted by Muslim hands and Christian hands and hands that belong to no tradition but honor the earth." Through the Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action (2025–2034), the WCC has committed to strengthening the voices and the work of local churches around the world as they protect creation. Its theme for 2026 is climate and biodiversity. Protecting Ethiopia's church forests Faith and Natural Regeneration Ecumenical Decade of Climate Justice Action 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

WCC news: WCC condemns repeated killings in Oromia, Ethiopia

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay condemned repeated killings of members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the continuing insecurity affecting Orthodox Christian communities others in the Arsi area of Ethiopia’s Oromia Regional State. Micha town in Oromia, Ethiopia. Dust and smoke fills the air, as night fires are dying out, lit by people who sleep on the streets. Photo: Albin Hillert/LWF 30 October 2026 “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones, to the injured, to those who have been displaced, and to all communities living in fear of further violence,” he said. “We stand in prayerful solidarity with His Holiness Abune Mathias I, the Holy Synod, the clergy and faithful of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and all those affected by these atrocities.” Pillay said that the WCC is deeply troubled by the apparent pattern of violence directed against Orthodox Christian communities in Arsi and surrounding areas. “These communities include people of Amhara and Oromo backgrounds, among others,” he said. “May the suffering of these communities move all those with responsibility and influence to act with urgency, compassion, and resolve, so that no community lives in fear because of its faith or identity, and so that every person in Ethiopia may live in dignity, security, and peace.” Read 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 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