Ecumenical Peace Decade 2026 to be held in Germany

The Ecumenical Peace Decade 2026 will take place from November 8 to November 18, centered around the theme “courageously resistant.” The initiative, which has been organized by churches and peace groups since 1980, invites communities, schools, and various organizations across Germany to participate in peace prayers, services, lectures, and concerts.

The central service is scheduled for November 18, 2026, in Prien am Chiemsee. Reverend Christopher Easthill, chairman of the Working Group of Christian Churches in Germany, noted that the location was chosen due to its proximity to Herreninsel, where the constitutional convention met in 1948 to lay the groundwork for the German Basic Law.

The 2026 motto serves as a call to examine one's conscience and advocate for human rights, international law, and peace. It encourages active, non-violent resistance against injustice, hatred, and violence, emphasizing individual responsibility in combating exclusion and oppression.