WCC NEWS: Webinar will explore how racial justice landscape has evolved

A 25 May webinar—held on the exact same date of the tragic killing of George Floyd—will explore how the racial justice landscape has evolved, particularly in the United States as well as at the United Nations (UN). People hold signs at a June 3, 2020, Black Lives Matter protest in Eugene, Oregon. Participants were protesting the murder of George Floyd and other African-Americans by police. "I can't breathe" is a reference to some of Floyd's last words as he was choked to death by a policeman, Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ Life on Earth Pictures 12 May 2022 As people continue to challenge the systemic racism that has devalued the lives of Black and Brown people globally, many are asking the question: why do some of these tragic events spark a stronger call for change than others? Floyd’s murder also revived the concept of antiracism. The webinar will explore, in practice, what it means to be antiracist. Participants will also be invited to reflect on the role played by Christian nationalism in reinforcing white supremacy and racial subjugation, thereby fueling racism, xenophobia and racial discrimination. As a follow up of its 1 June 2021 webinar marking the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, the World Council of Churches Commission of the Churches on International Affairs will host this webinar on the sides of the 30th session of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, which will be taking place in New York city, USA, from 23 to 27 May 2022. Speakers: Moderator: Rev. Chebon Kernell, ordained elder in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference Rt Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Rev. Dr Leah Gunning Francis, vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the Faculty at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Prof. Gay McDougall, member of the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)   Register here to join this webinar live, Wednesday, 25 May, 3:30 pm CEST 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 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. 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