THE World Council of Churches has called for unity in the church community in opposition to nuclear issues.
This stand comes on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II.
A statement from the WCC said Pacific voices could not be marginalised and churches had a duty to speak for those without a voice.
Here is the WCC statement in full:
In September 2025, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting will formally adopt the “Ocean of Peace Declaration,” a bold regional pledge to move beyond militarised security toward holistic, relational peace. Yet this vision unfolds amid intensifying great-power rivalry. Too often, Pacific voices are relegated to the margins of these power contests. By centring Pacific island priorities—community resilience, ecological stewardship, cultural integrity—rather than serving as chess pieces in geopolitical competition, the Ocean of Peace Declaration can reassert the agency of Pacific peoples.
In partnership with the Pacific Conference of Churches, the WCC calls on all in the global ecumenical movement, PIF leaders, and external partners to uphold the principle of “neighbourhood not hegemony,” ensuring that every policy respects free, prior, and informed consent and advances the wellbeing of fenua(land), moana (ocean), and people.
A Nuclear-Free Pacific: The WCC reaffirms support for nuclear-free Pacific, standing in solidarity with affected communities in Ma‘ohi Nui, the Marshall Islands, and Kiribati. We call for:
Independent assessments of nuclear test impacts, transparent data access, reparations, environmental remediation, and universal ratification of the Treaty of Rarotonga and of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
Decolonisation & Indigenous Rights: The WCC reaffirms its position that true peace requires the dismantling of colonial systems of control and oppression.
Therefore we call for:
- Continued listing of Ma‘ohi Nui and Kanaky on the UN decolonisation agenda until full self-determination is achieved.
- A transparent plan from France to decolonise by 2030.
- An international review of Hawai‘i’s political status.
- Full implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly in Aotearoa and Australia.
Demilitarisation & Autonomous Weapons: The WCC believes that military exercises like RIMPAC and Marara, often involving AI and autonomous weapons, undermine peace.
Therefore we urge:
- Transparency and consent for all military activity.
- A UN moratorium on autonomous weapons systems.
- Island-led efforts to establish demilitarised maritime zones.
Environmental Protection and Climate Justice: The Pacific Ocean is central to the future of life on the Living Planet.
Therefore we call for:
- A global ban on deep-sea mining, and affirmation of the leadership of Pacific churches in climate advocacy.
We urge:
- Inclusion of frontline Pacific voices in UN climate forums.
- Promotion of eco-communal theology that unites Scripture, Indigenous wisdom, and science.
- Continued church divestment from fossil fuels and action for climate justice.
West Papua inalienable right to self-determination: the WCC reaffirms its 11th Assembly “Minute on the situation in West Papua”[1] that expressed grave concern regarding the situation in Tanah Papua – the Papuan provinces of Indonesia.
We encourage:
- Continued and intensified engagement by the WCC (including advocacy in UN human rights forums, and consideration of the establishment of an ecumenical working group on West Papua).
We urge:
- All WCC member churches and partners to increase their awareness, accompaniment, and support for the people and churches of Tanah Papua in the midst of this longstanding and worsening crisis.
Let us uphold peace based on justice, dignity, and the sacred relationship between people, land, and ocean.