WCC news: WCC nominated for Geneva Engage Award

The World Council of Churches (WCC) has been nominated for a Geneva Engage Award in the Non-Governmental Organisations and Associations category.  Geneva Engage Awards 2024. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 26 January 2026 The WCC is one of 10 organizations in the category, and the winner will be announced during the 11th Geneva Engage Awards on 3 February.  Geneva Engage reported that, as AI changes the way the web works, this year’s nominees are organisations leading the way in practical outreach, accessibility, and connectivity. This year’s theme is "Back to Basics: The Future of Websites in the AI Era.” The theme has been shaped by critical pieces of research, including the finding that only 1.84% of Geneva’s digital links connect with each other. Research also shows that Geneva-based organisations are rarely cited in Google's AI Overviews. This means that even when information is used to answer a query, the credit and the direct traffic aren't coming back to the original source. “Geneva Engage highlights the role of communicators and storytellers as agents of hope in these difficult times,” said WCC communication director Marianne Ejdersten. “As communicators standing for digital justice, we are ready to meet the challenges and to learn the opportunities AI poses now and in the future.”  This marks the 7th time the WCC has been nominated for a Geneva Engage Award.  In 2025, the WCC was specifically highlighted as a "pillar of the Geneva Engage Awards" and a top contributor to digital diplomacy and global collaboration. In the past, the WCC has been honored for its efforts in connecting people from diverse backgrounds and Christian traditions; for its successful online presence—including social media outreach—which helped to raise a common Christian voice and facilitate solidarity among member churches; and for bridging the gap between Geneva-based international organizations and communities worldwide. The Geneva Engage initiative is supported by the Geneva Internet Platform and the Republic and Canton of Geneva, emphasizing the importance of digital engagement for organizations in Geneva. WCC’s Geneva Engage Awards 2023 2nd place for digital outreach and social media engagement with the world. 2022 top honor for the online engagement with the world via social media. 2021 3rd place for effective and inspiring social media outreach and engagement. 2020 2nd place for effective and inspiring social media outreach and engagement. 2019 4th place for social media presence. 2016 3rd place for social media presence. More information about Geneva Engage Awards 2026 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 356 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 Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland