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The 9th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 14-23 February, has called on member churches "to renew and strengthen their active support for and engagement with" the United Nations while calling for "a serious process of reform" in that organization. The ultimate goal, according to the statement, is for "a more effective United Nations dedicated to the pursuit of global peace with justice".

In the wake of the controversy over cartoons of the prophet Mohammed, the World Council of Churches at its 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre has "deplored" both the publication and the violence which has ensued, and urged its member churches to strengthen dialogue and co-operation between Christians and Muslims.

Meeting in the first WCC Assembly ever held in Latin America, delegates at the 9th Assembly of the WCC on Thursday 23 February adopted a statement that "commends the Latin American churches in their work to overcome poverty and injustice, heal the wounds of violence, struggle for life and dignity, [and] grant equal treatment to all religions in national legislations".

With responsible and realistic budgets and a three-year action plan to be approved later this year, the WCC affirms its decision to focus on its unique role as a global fellowship of churches.

A river of light flowed through downtown Porto Alegre last night as up to two thousand people - including two Nobel Prize-winners - took part in a candle-lit march for peace.

Running concurrently with the World Council of Churches 9th Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, is a camp for Latin American youth. About 180 are participating; the response was so strong that organizers had to open up a second facility to accommodate everyone.

A panel "show" during the World Council of Churches 9th Assembly, meeting at Porto Alege, Brazil, today concluded that God's grace has transformative power, even in the midst of terrible things, but the transformation of the world required action from the churches for justice, compassion and inclusiveness.

The Ninth Assembly of the World Council of Churches, meeting in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 14-23 February, has called on churches and ecumenical partners to work together to preserve and protect water resources against over-consumption and pollution.

The World Council of Churches at its 9th General Assembly in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 14-23 February 2006, has adopted a Minute on the elimination of nuclear arms calling on member churches to urge their governments to pursue the unequivocal elimination of nuclear weapons in line with the terms of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Evangelical and Pentecostal participants in the World Council of Churches 9th Assembly have welcomed better relationships with WCC churches and called for greater co-operation in the future.