WCC NEWS: WCC shares Week of Prayer for Overcoming Racism and Xenophobia

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is sharing materials for a “Week of Prayer for Overcoming Racism and Xenophobia” in the week that includes the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March and the UN International Day for the Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade on 25 March. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth pictures 18 March 2023 The week of prayer—focusing on people who continue to suffer from racial discrimination and xenophobia in various parts of the world—begins on 19 March. The WCC is providing materials for each day that include songs, scriptures, reflections, and more. Collectively, the material shows how a just and inclusive world is possible only when all are able to live with dignity and justice. Many nations and peoples—from India to Guyana and other countries—are highlighted in the reflections, which are appropriate for both individuals and groups. The UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is held on the anniversary of the day police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid in 1960. The prayers are an invitation to stand in prayerful solidarity with one another across regions, and condemn all manifestations of racial injustice.   Find here daily prayers for the "Week of Prayer for Overcoming Racism and Xenophobia", 19-25 March 2023 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