WCC FEATURE: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland showcases Thursdays in Black exhibition in Finnish and Swedish

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, during its General Synod, presented for the first time a Thursdays in Black exhibition with Finnish and Swedish texts.  FCA Executive Director Tomi Järvinen with the exhibition and the book: Sini Tyvi/Finn Church Aid 30 May 2024 The exhibition, which is centered on the Waterfall of Solidarity and Resistance tapestry and based on templates shared by the World Council of Churches, was set up by Finn Church Aid on 15-16 May. As this was the first meeting of the synod since elections took place in February, many new members were able to learn more about Thursdays in Black. Many who stopped to read the texts described the exhibition as very powerful and thought-provoking, and said that the topic is very important. Churches in Finland will now have the opportunity to host the exhibition locally. Rev. Dr Tapio Luoma, archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and a Thursdays in Black ambassador, shared a message with the world via Instagram. “Gender-based violence is an unfortunate reality in every country in the world,” he said. “It is one significant obstacle to the realization of equality. Although gendered violence is very common in Finland, the phenomenon often remains hidden and is not always recognized.” Tomi Järvinen, executive director of Finn Church Aid and also a Thursdays in Black Ambassador said, “Finn Church Aid is involved in Thursdays in Black and takes a broad approach to gender-based violence in its work. We invite all churches to join the campaign and act to identify and prevent gender-based violence.” Exhibition panels in English are available to download and print as posters or roll up banners. Order the publication: The Waterfall of Solidarity and Resistance – sharing the stories More about the Waterfall Tapestry Thursdays in Black 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