"Keeping the Faith": In lead-up to 9th Assembly, WCC multimedia project shows vitality of ecumenism

Web banners available at:

www.keeping-the-faith.info

The ecumenical movement is a reality for people and congregations around the world who live their faith on a daily basis. An integrated communication project, "Keeping the faith" shows this reality, and conveys the vitality of the ecumenical movement today.

Launched ahead of the World Council of Churches' (WCC) 9th Assembly taking place in February 2006 in Brazil, the project includes a mobile exhibit, photo essays, a book and a website.

Together and separately, these elements explore the reality of the living church in various cultural contexts throughout the oikoumene: the reality of people, their faith and their communities, engaging in dialogue, working in mission, praying together, facing conflict and violence, poverty and illness, and responding to a rapidly changing world.

"Keeping the faith" offers a glimpse of the immense spiritual riches and cultural diversity within the ecumenical movement and the Christian world.

With the aim of making churches and ecumenical bodies around the world feel that this is theiroikoumene, the project has involved editors and journalists from secular and religious media, and communicators from WCC member churches and ecumenical partner organizations as well as the people, congregations and communities portrayed.

At the heart of the project is the mobile exhibition - consisting of around 40-55 2m-high panels allowing maximum flexibility of arrangement - that will be on display in the city of Porto Alegre during the 9th Assembly.Churches and other WCC partners are invited to host the exhibition in their own contexts in the years following the event.

The "Keeping the Faith" website currently contains eight photo essays on people and communities living their faith - in Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Switzerland, Denmark and Romania. In the run-up to the Assembly, the site will progressively be expanded and updated.

For more information on "Keeping the faith", consult the website at:

www.keeping-the-faith.infoor contact the WCC Public Information team.

Please support this project by using the "Keeping the Faith" banners on your website.