Ziaka expresses gratitude for the global experience she has gained during her first year of service with the WCC. “I am here, based in Geneva, with the many local voices coming from the different member churches of the WCC,” she says. “The challenges are many, and the interpretations and local needs can vary greatly from church to church.” She describes how she works to strengthen relationships with member churches, religious communities, and institutions worldwide, advancing initiatives that foster peaceful coexistence through interreligious understanding and cooperation. “This is a huge opportunity for someone who works in the field of theology, but also in the field of interreligious understanding, to hear and understand the different voices and the needs behind them,” says Ziaka, who has served as professor of the Study of Religion and Interreligious Dialogue in the School of Theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki since 2006. Ziaka values the role of the WCC reference group supporting the work of the Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation programme. “The role of the group is an advisory one, directly to the governing bodies of the council, and specifically to the general secretary,” explains Ziaka, who goes on to describe how, within the Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation programme, work for peace is of great importance. “To work for the protection of creation is also very important, and to work together for the future of our children and our earth is equally important,” she says. “All of these are interconnected, and the lesson that I have learned so far is that local engagements—interfaith engagements—can positively affect local societies when they are embraced by religious leaders and governments.”
Watch the WCC interview "WCC Reference Group for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation maps future vision" (WCC feature story, December 2024) Learn more about the WCC interreligious work Current Dialogue - World Council of Churches’ journal on interreligious dialogue | 
