The students, Rev. Ntobeko Dlamini, Methodist Church of Southern Africa; Nikola Filipovic, Serbian Orthodox Church; and Rev. Jabu Jay Singh Mani, Church of South India, have spent the past year exploring a range of topics in ecumenism. In a special graduation response, the graduates expressed sincere gratitude. “Bossey means different things to different people – for us, it has been a place of encounter, awareness, confrontation, intercultural exchange, and overcoming resistance and boundaries,” they wrote. “The work of the WCC through Bossey has seen a Serbian Orthodox, an Indian of the Church of South India, and a Methodist from South Africa holding hands and walking toward unity.” They were joined at the graduation ceremony by the leadership of the WCC central committee, Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford Strohm, moderator of the WCC central committee; Rev. Merlyn Hyde Riley, vice moderator of the WCC central committee; and H.E. Archbishop Dr Vicken Aykazian, vice moderator of the WCC central committee, who are in Geneva this week to lead a meeting of the WCC executive committee. The ceremony opened with a prayer, as the graduates said: “May we use our talents and ecumenical formation to serve others, make a positive difference in the world, and pursue our dreams with purpose and compassion.” Prayers were said in many languages, including Afrikaans, Zulu, Sepedi, Swati, Xhosa, Tshivenda, Ndebele, Swati, and Sestwana. Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay, WCC general secretary, described the day as one of celebration, thanksgiving, and hope. “We gather to honor the achievers,” he said. “Graduates, you unite at Bossey from different nations. You came carrying unique stories, convictions, questions, and aspirations. You became a community.” He noted that the graduates experienced one of Bossey’s greatest gifts: “the discovery that Christian unity is not merely a theological concept to discuss but a reality to be lived,” he said. Fr Dr Lawrence Iwuamadi, academic dean of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, said the three graduates are quite remarkable. “Accompanying them throughout the year has been a privilege,” he said. Prof. Dr Luc Bulundwe, from the Faculty of Theology at the University of Geneva, reflected that it was both an honor and a joy to gather at the graduation. “Your journey has required remarkable endurance and determination,” Dermange said. Intended for students having completed a university master's degree, preferably in Christian theology or in a closely related discipline, Bossey’s Master of Advanced Studies in Ecumenical Studies is accredited by the University of Geneva with 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). Applications for the 2027-28 academic year are open until 31 October 2026. Photo gallery Learn more about the WCC Ecumenical Institute at Bossey Applications open for 2027–2028 academic year at WCC’s Ecumenical Institute at Bossey (WCC news release, 20 May 2026) | 
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