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World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a worldwide fellowship of churches which was established in 1948 to respond together to the challenges faced by the churches and the society and for the common pursuit of justice and peace. Together with those of different faiths and the secular community the WCC condemns the misuse of religion and creates platforms for peace and reconciliation. Through its 352 member churches the WCC has access to over a half billion Christians around the world to work at the grassroots for a more equitable society.
Prof. Dr. Isabel Apawo Phiri
World Council of Churches
Deputy General Secetar
“The World Council of Churches welcomes the production of [the Toolkit on] Nurturing Children’s Spiritual Development in the Early Years – A Contribution to the Protection of Children from Violence and the Promotion of Their Holistic Well-Being. At a time when children are exposed to too much trauma due to violence going on in the society, they need the accompaniment of well-equipped religious leaders to guide them in the healing process and hope for a world without violence.”
A Malawian by nationality, Apawo Phiri was a professor of African theology, dean and head of the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, and director of the Centre for Constructive Theology at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. She also served as editor of the Journal of Gender and Religion in Africa.
Apawo Phiri holds a master’s degree in religious education from the University of Lancaster, England, and a doctorate in religious studies from University of Cape Town, South Africa. Her research and teaching interests span the fields of systematic theology with a focus on ecclesiology, mission history, studies in African-instituted churches, and African theology with a focus on African women’s theology.
Ms. Frederique Seidel
World Council of Churches
Programme Executive and Senior Adviser on Child Rights and Manager of WCC-UNICEF Partnership
“All organizations which care about early childhood must ensure that their banks and pension funds do not fuel the climate emergency. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and WMO (World Meteorological Organization) document clearly why that is a condition for children’s survival in light of the climate emergency.”
Ms. Seidel specializes in peacebuilding through child rights implementation. She initiated the development of “Churches’ Commitments to Children” and manages the global partnership between the World Council and UNICEF. Ms Seidel holds a master’s degree of Sociology and Educational Science from the Sorbonne and Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Paris, and Freie Universität in Berlin.
Ms. Seidel worked for UNICEF for 13 years, serving as Head of Sub-Office in Kosovo, Communications Officer, Child Rights Education Programme Manager, and UNICEF Deputy Representative in Algeria. She also served as Manager for Income Monitoring & Development at the WCC, as a spokesperson for the UN and the OSCE in post-war Balkans (1996- 2001) and was a journalist for Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin. Her research focuses on climate solutions as the most urgent child protection measures of today, and on support to children affected by violence. Frederique Seidel advocates for climate-responsible finance as a vital measure to meet the short window of time described by the IPCC, to avoid irreversibility of climate destruction.
