This programme will focus on

• nurturing ecumenical relationships – among member churches and with ecumenical partners;

• interpreting and communicating the ecumenical vision, and facilitating theological analysis of 21^st-century ecumenical challenges; and

• ensuring the coherence of the whole ecumenical movement.

This programme will encourage churches to

• call one another to visible unity, examine and develop agreed positions on
  issues that divide them, and overcome exclusion and discrimination in church and society;

• work together for more faithful mission in the world, studying how to hold commitment to unity together with mission and evangelism;

• explore traditional and newer dimensions of ecumenical spirituality, thus deepening the spiritual dimensions of their lives.

The Council's Faith and Order, and World Mission and Evangelism Commissions guide and enable its work on unity, mission, evangelism and spirituality. Both are composed of concerned and knowledgeable people from member and non-member churches, who provide links to networks engaged on these issues.

In relation to churches' concerns on violence, war, human rights, economic injustice, poverty, and exclusion, this programme will address power and affirm peace by

• voicing these concerns at the UN and at other inter-governmental bodies;

• accompanying churches in critical situations and offering a prophetic witness: in the Middle East in particular, and against violence (via the Decade to Overcome Violence);

• bringing churches together to reflect on and study these issues.

The Commission of the Churches in International Affairs (CCIA) comprises 38 people nominated by churches and regional ecumenical organizations to advise the WCC in international affairs.

This programme will support churches' efforts to meet human need, combat injustice, and threats to creation. In particular, it will help support and strengthen churches'

• organizational capacities, and accountability between donors and recipients of resources;

• work with uprooted people;

• work on health and healing, with particular emphasis on HIV and mental health;

• work on climate change, water, energy, nuclear concerns, and the use/misuse of new technologies.

This programme will both support efforts in the field of ecumenical and faith formation, as well as (at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey) provide formation. In supporting the churches' education/formation work it will

• create educational practitioners' networks;

• identify training/education needs and offer scholarships;

• develop and share curricula;

• maintain an ecumenical library and archives.

In order to help promote respectful coexistence and peaceful integration in pluralistic societies, this programme will

• enable bilateral and multilateral dialogues, regional and cross-cultural encounters on topics like perceptions of "the other"; religion and violence; etc.

• engage churches in reflection on what it means to be Christian in a world of many religions;

• in countries where religion is being used to fuel conflict, equip churches for interreligious advocacy.