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

WCC NEWS: Geneva Engage Award will be revealed—and WCC is among finalists

The Geneva Engage Awards will be announced on 1 February—and the World Council of Churches (WCC) has been nominated for a fourth time. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/WCC 31 January 2023 As the countdown clock shows less than 24 hours until the big reveal, this marks the eighth annual opportunity to see some of the best social media outreach at work—and learn a bit about what makes it happen.  The three Geneva Engage awards categories are: International Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and Associations, and Permanent Representations to the UN in Geneva. The WCC is shortlisted in the  Non-Governmental Organisations and Associations category.  This year also marks a new category—the Accessibility Award— that will recognise efforts to enhance website accessibility performance. The Geneva Engage initiative, launched by the Geneva Internet Platform in 2016 with the support of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, and DiploFoundation, assesses the interplay between International Geneva and stakeholders worldwide, which are impacted by the policies discussed and negotiated in Geneva. In this context, the annual Geneva Engage Awards aim to acknowledge the efforts of actors in International Geneva in social media outreach and engagement.  Geneva Engage examines Geneva’s global footprint by looking at the social media engagement of Geneva-based organisations and Geneva’s web relevance and online meetings. Ultimately, Geneva Engage examines the links between International Geneva and communities from around the world that are affected by the policies discussed and negotiated in Geneva in areas such as development, human rights, and digital issues. “It’s a joyful recognition to be shortlisted for the fourth time. We are very much looking forward to learn more at the Geneva Engage Award and meet colleagues from the international Geneva,” said WCC communication director Marianne Ejdersten.  Ejdersten added “In its communication strategy, the WCC envisions itself as a catalyst for change for a world with unity, justice, and peace at its heart.” Geneva Engage Award 1 February 2023 at 13h00 CET List of shortlisted actors 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

WCC NEWS: WCC honoured with Geneva Engage Award

The World Council of Churches (WCC) was honoured as a top non-governmental organization for its work during 2021, receiving a third-place Geneva Engage Award on 1 February for effective and inspiring social media outreach and engagement. International symposium on Social Justice in a Digital Age, co-organised by the World Council of Churches and World Association for Christian Communication on 15 September 2021 in in Berlin, Germany and online. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 01 February 2022 The award, presented by the Geneva Internet Platform, DiploFoundation, and Cantone de Geneve, encourages convergences around development, human rights, digital and other policy issues between communities worldwide and International Geneva, host of many international negotiations with an impact across countries and continents. “During 2021, most of all, the WCC continued to use its social media channels to spread a message of hope—whether that hope was related to digital justice, a violence-free world, or hearing the voices of a vulnerable communities,” said WCC Communication director Marianne Ejdersten. “Social media channels were crucial in helping people access over 100 online productions—including webinars, webcasts, podcasts, and video messages—that shared the prophetic work of WCC member churches.” During 2021, social media and other online channels continued to help sustain the WCC fellowship in a time when physical activities continued to be limited. “This dimension of the WCC’s work also extended to advocacy,” said Ejdersten. For example, the Easter initiative by the WCC Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel set out to connect the Biblical narrative with current realities in Palestine and Israel, and used social media and other online channels to spotlight the injustices of life under occupation. “We were able to bring to the fore realities of injustice and opportunities for advocacy and messages of hope even when onsite accompaniment of vulnerable communities has been limited because of the pandemic,” said Ejdersten. During 2021, the audience of the WCC website grew by more than 50%, as a result of both renewed WCC online presence and active engagement with the WCC audience on social media. In September 2021, the WCC, with the World Association for Christian Communication and other partners, organized a symposium on “Communication for Social Justice in a Digital Age,” the fruits of which were shared globally. From video clips to quotes, feature stories to tweets, the WCC was able to showcase the diverse voices from the symposium. Social media also played an essential role in spreading the news to ensure a global and participative attendance to the hybrid event. The Thursdays in Black campaign—which in part helped earn the WCC a second-place Geneva Engage Award last year—continued building momentum in unique ways. In 2021, two leaders from interreligious networks—including Religions for Peace and the Network of Traditional and Religious Peacemaker #ThursdaysinBlack in social media.  Another unique Thursdays in Black venture in 2021 was offering Bible studies online—both as document and via live events—so that people could join discussions and reflections from all over the world.  The Ecumenical Prayer Cycle was another avenue of hope that people across the world could access via social media. Online publications also spread a wealth of accurate information, inspiration and guidance on topics ranging from COVID-19, to moral discernment, to climate change. This is the fourth time the WCC has been among the top five organizations to receive the Geneva Engage honor. Learn more about Geneva Engage Awards Video of the 7th Geneva Engage Awards Symposium on Communication for Social Justice in a Digital Age Ecumenical Prayer Cycle 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 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. 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

WCC NEWS: WCC honoured with Geneva Engage Award

The World Council of Churches (WCC) was honoured as a top non-governmental organization for its work during 2020, receiving a second-place Geneva Engage Award on 18 February for effective and inspiring social media outreach and engagement. Photo: Marie Renaux/WCC, 2018. 18 February 2021 The WCC accepted the award during an online ceremony, along with other organizations in the category of “Non-profit Organizations and Associations.” The award, presented by the Geneva Internet Platform and DiploFoundation, encourages convergences around development, human rights, digital and other policy issues between communities worldwide and International Geneva, host of many international negotiations with an impact across countries and continents. WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca said the award is a joyful recognition of the sharing and support within the WCC fellowship and beyond. "Thanks to the WCC fellowship’s strong interactions, our common voice resounds clearly in social media,” said Sauca. “May we continue to be messengers of hope, unity and faith!" WCC communication officer Annegret Kapp reflected that social media has helped the WCC bring people from different regions and Christian traditions together to raise a common Christian voice. “Our member churches are doing great and creative work, and social media is one of the tools we use to help them learn from and be in solidarity with each other,” she said. “I am glad that in a year when many contacts were disrupted, WCC social media channels helped people stay connected across borders and barriers.” Valter Hugo Muniz, also a WCC communication officer, said that analyzing social media statistics has helped track the impact of the WCC’s social media. “We implemented a more campaign-driven approach combined with appealing visuals to help shape our voice in the various social media channels,” he said. “This award is a recognition for our effort to work more strategically, inspired by WCC's mission to promote unity and hope, even online, particularly now, during a pandemic.” In its communication strategy, the WCC envisions itself as a catalyst for change for a world with unity, justice and peace at its heart, said WCC communication director Marianne Ejdersten. She added that WCC’s communications also strive to be inclusive; the core of its work involves participation and, most of all, hope. “Our task is to ignite hope for a better world where human dignity prevails,” said Ejdersten. “Human dignity and equality must permeate all communications.” One concrete example is the campaign #ThursdaysinBlack towards a world without rape and violence. The campaign is simple but profound. Wear black on Thursdays. Share your Thursdays in Black photos on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, using hashtags #ThursdaysinBlack and #WCC! Thursdays in Black WCC Executive Committee approves Communication Strategy 6th Geneva Engage Award - 18th February 2021   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 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC interim general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. 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