World Council of Churches’ statement explicitly mentions Ottoman Genocide against Christian peoples, including the Pontic Greek

ATHENS — The World Council of Churches (WCC) concluded its annual conference, held from 18-20 May in Athens, where it discussed ongoing global conflicts and the failure of the international community to resolve them.  

For the first time in its history, the WCC’s final statement explicitly referenced the Ottoman Empire’s Genocide against the Christian peoples, including the Pontic Greek people.   

During the conference, participants strongly condemned Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus. They also aligned with the Greek Orthodox Church’s call for full recognition and commemoration of the victims of the genocide perpetrated against the Syriac (Aramean-Chaldean-Assyrian), Pontic-Greek, and Armenian peoples in 1915, a dark chapter in human history and a testament to the brutality inflicted upon these communities. 

The final statement included demands for global peace and justice, while criticizing the UN and its Security Council for their inadequate performance and ineffectiveness in resolving wars and crises, such as those in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and Nagorno-Karabakh. This raised doubts about the 2 organizations’ ability to uphold peace and justice worldwide. 

On a positive note, the WCC praised churches for their efforts in promoting peace, protecting human rights and building resilient communities. The WCC pledged to continue its work in safeguarding peace for all humanity.