At this week's graduation for seven master's students from diverse countries, there were prayers, smiles and tears as one woman and six men spoke at a moving service on a day radiant with sunshine, joy and celebration. A student from Trinidad and Tobago recounted that gratitude is one of the special graces as he gave thanks for the course, and his fellow graduating students echoed his sentiments, also thanking local congregations for drawing them in. "I will light a candle in memory of this fact that the master's class were all in one place called Heaven," said Stefan Wilson from the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago. "It was heaven - heaven when I forgot my clothes in the washing machine and was reminded. Heavily when I was late to class one day, someone knocked on my door. "This ecumenism is a very small place – being your brothers and sisters. So, I light my candle remembering the friendships I have made with you." Rev. Dr Kuzipa Nalwamba, the WCC's programme director for Unity, Mission and Ecumenical Formation, addressed those gathered and reminded the graduating students of their responsibilities. "You as a cohort, have been exposed to the inception of the initial work within this strategic period. To that I will simply say, 'To whom much is given, much is required,'" she said, quoting the Gospel of Luke (12:48). "I pray that through you, the common witness envisioned in the ecumenical vision is being incrementally realized," said Nalwamba. Coming to Bossey from far away is not always easy, as in the case of Eva Abel of the Anglican Church of Kenya - a young mother of children aged six and three years who have been waiting for her during her 10 months on the course. "So, for me coming to Bossey was very difficult. And when I began the application and realized that I was not going to come with my children, I stopped the application." She was persuaded to persevere and did making it through. "So, I am very grateful to that WCC staff who have been a blessing to me," said Abel, whose tears melted into smiles. "I am very happy and looking forward to go home a lot of experiences." Rev. Martin Ngana, from the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon, said that before coming, "I was s guided by the dogmas of my church." "From this training, my eyes were opened to the many riches of other denominations …I say thank you, and I say glory be to God." The master's degree the students earn is jointly issued by the University of Geneva and the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey. Rev. Dr Simone Sinn, academic dean at Bossey, addressed the gathering on the importance of "ecumenical intelligence" which is "about relationships" that the students would have fostered "It's really about people. And it's about how people relate to one another and carefully bond with one another. This is very different from artificial intelligence. Furthermore, ecumenical intelligence does engage questions of truth and of renewal.," said Sinn. Others who graduated were Ven. Samuel Akinola from the Church of Nigeria, Rev. Nesa Pandian Abraham Devadhasan, and Andrei-Dumitru Ursulean, from the Romanian Orthodox Church as well as Lempang Phom, from the Council of Baptist Churches in North East India, who said he learned more about his faith from the course. The University of Geneva says on its website, "The MAS is for post-graduate theologians, passionate about research in this field. It provides a possibility to specialise in ecumenism through academic education with theoretical elements and professional insights, as well as in-depth research and fellowship opportunities." Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Ecumenical Studies Apply for the Academic Year 2024-2025! MAS Graduation Photo Gallery | 
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