While world attention focuses the soccer superstars taking part in the World Cup 2006 in Germany, religious leaders hope to use the month-long event to promote peace between the faiths, writes Frauke Brauns for Ecumenical News International.
Mennonite Central Committee, the North American inter-Mennonite aid and advocacy organisation, is supporting a community forestry association in Cambodia in a project to plant 250,000 trees in 2006, writes Tim Shenk.
The White House has publicly dismissed an extraordinary letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which challenges President George W. Bushís attachment to Christian values by time-and-again asking how his warlike actions square up with the teachings of Jesus.
Churches are joining forces with other faith communities, womenís groups and secular human rights activists to protest at the fact that women, many of them trafficked in from poor countries, will officially be sold for sex at the forthcoming 2006 World Cup.
Canada's Anglican bishops have unanimously endorsed a strong resolution expressing "grave concern" about proposed legislation in Nigeria that "would prohibit or severely restrict the freedom of speech, association, expression and assembly of gay and lesbian persons."
Christians in Nepal have held a thanksgiving service in Kathmandu following steps towards the restoration of democracy to the Himalayan kingdom, after several weeks of mass public demonstrations.
Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow Mario Conti has criticised European football's governing body, UEFA, for its decision not to fine Rangers fans for anti-Catholic singing during the club's recent Champions League matches against the Spanish club Villareal.
A group of peacemakers has demanded that the US President be kept out from a Mahatma Gandhi memorial, during his visit to India, as "George Bush knows nothing about non-violence".