This year the programme is rooted in the theme “God of life, lead us to justice and peace”. It seeks to engage participants in responding to this prayer – being the church together in the world today – as a witness to justice and peace for all creation. Much of the assembly’s work is exploring the meaning and implications of the theme for churches, the ecumenical movement and the WCC.

The WCC was established at its first assembly in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in 1948. Since then assemblies have been in held in the United States (1954), India (1961), Sweden (1968), Kenya (1975), Canada (1983), Australia (1991), Zimbabwe (1998) and Brazil (2006).