WCC NEWS: Three WCC commissions elect vice moderators

Three World Council of Churches (WCC) commissions meeting this week at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva have elected vice moderators. Newly elected vice-moderators of the three commissions of the World Council of Churches at their inaugural joint meeting (left to right): Rev. Dr Hyunju Bae of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development); Dr Cleopatra Nomonde Mqhayi-Mbambo of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (Commission on Health and Healing); Dr Nora Bayrakdarian-Kabakian of the Armenian Apostolic Church/Holy See of Cilicia (Commission of the Churches on International Affairs). Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 08 March 2024 The WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development elected, as vice moderator, Rev. Dr Hyunju Bae of the Presbyterian Church of Korea. In addition to many areas of relevant work, research, and advocacy, including on alternative economies and women’s pilgrimages, she organized a Korean accompaniment group for the WCC 11th Assembly. She is also involved in awareness-raising about the risk of technology and killer robots. The WCC Commission of the Churches on Health and Healing elected Dr Cleopatra Nomonde Mqhayi-Mbambo as vice moderator. A medical doctor, she is influential in public health, particularly due to her work in the treatment and management of communicable diseases. She has served the Gauteng Department of Health throughout her career in different senior roles. She is currently a clinical director at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, where she is responsible for medicine and psychiatry. Prof. Dr Nora Bayrakdarian-Kabakian, from the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia) in Lebanon, was elected as vice moderator of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs. She is a professor in International Relations and International Law at Lebanese University and the American University of Beirut. She also serves as head of the International Relations Department as well as head of the Commission on Political Science at the Doctoral School at Lebanese University. Previously a member of the WCC central committee, she also served for a previous term on the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs. Three WCC commissions meet to confront emerging global challenges (WCC news release, 5 March 2024) Photo gallery: Joint Meeting of Three WCC Commissions – March 2024 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