World Council of Churches and Religions for Peace Make Joint Commitment to Thursdays in Black

The World Council of Churches (WCC) and Religions for Peace are speaking out against gender-based violence and committing to widen religious participation in the Thursdays in Black campaign.

In a joint letter to religious leaders, Prof. Dr Azza Karam, Secretary General of Religions for Peace and Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, WCC Acting General Secretary, said that everyone bears responsibility to speak out against rape and violence. “To this end, Religions for Peace is joining the global Thursdays in Black campaign in partnership with the World Council of Churches to raise awareness and advocate to end sexual and gender-based violence and to promote gender justice, especially through the leadership and inspiration of religions and religious people,” the letter states.

Karam, speaking out in an interview as a Thursdays in Black Ambassador, stated, “I am committed in my capacity as a servant to Religions for Peace to ensure that it is not only Christian communities around the world—as powerful as they are—but that we actively, actively seek women of all faiths, men of all faiths to stand together in solidarity against this issue. There is no space for gender-based violence ever to be acceptable or accepted, or indeed for it be condoned through our silences. The more faith communities remain silent, the more we are culpable.”

In a video greeting, WCC moderator Dr Agnes Abuom said she wholeheartedly welcomes Religions for Peace to the Thursdays in Black campaign. “As people of all faiths, we share a commitment to justice, dignity, and compassion,” said Abuom. “Violence continues unabated. It is therefore imperative that we stand together, visible and united, in calling for an end to sexual and gender-based violence.”

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Joint Letter on Thursdays in Black

Prof. Dr Azza Karam: Thursdays in Black “can build the strongest mountain of human dignity” (video)

Welcome from Dr. Agnes Abuom (forthcoming)