WCC NEWS: Global Peace Prayer will draw Christians together in hope for better future

A Global Peace Prayer on 22 March will draw Christians together in hope for a better future. A communique from a prayer planning committee explained that Christians are called into prayer and advocacy for peace. “In a global context where war and violence abound, the practice of peace has become even more urgent,” reads the message. 17 March 2022, Siret, Romania: A young boy chases a pigeon at the Vama Siret border crossing, Romania. Located north of Siret and further in the south the city of Suceava, the crossing connects Romania with the Ukrainian village of Terebleche and further north the city of Chernivtsi. Following the Russia's invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022, more than two million refugees have fled across the Ukrainian border into Romania. According to the UNHCR, more than 8 million refugees from Ukraine have fled the war across Europe by February 2023. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 21 March 2023 The message also notes that the war in Ukraine has entered its second year while, simultaneously, escalating violence in Palestine, continuing military exercises threatening peace on the Korean Peninsula, state violence in Myanmar, a fragile situation in Ethiopia, and war in several other parts of the world threaten peace.  Last year, the Conference of European Churches, Baptist World Alliance, Lutheran World Federation, Mennonite World Conference, World Methodist Council, and World Communion of Reformed Churches organized an online global peace prayer attended by more than 5,000 people from 150 countries.  This year, these Christian world communions, along with the World Council of Churches, will be organizing a Global Peace Prayer on 22 March. Register for the Peace prayer Follow the livestream: oikoumene.org/live 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